303 is a free-machining stainless (sulfur added specifically to improve chip control) and machines noticeably easier than 304, which work-hardens quickly under light cuts and needs sharp tools, rigid setups, and steady feeds to avoid galling. Both resist corrosion; 303 trades a little corrosion resistance for machinability.
These are the preset values this tool starts from — every one is editable in the settings panel once you load a file. They're cncquoter's own defaults, not a market survey.
A plain 40 × 30 × 10mm block in Stainless 303/304, 3mm stock allowance per side, 2 estimated setups, cncquoter's default shop rate ($95/hr, 25% margin) — computed live by the same cost model at each quantity:
| Quantity | Price / part | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $128.47 – $214.12 | $128.47 – $214.12 |
| 10 | $16.03 – $26.72 | $160.31 – $267.18 |
| 100 | $4.79 – $7.98 | $478.69 – $797.81 |
This is one fixed sample shape for comparison across materials — your actual part's size, geometry, and setups will change every number here.