Stainless Steel

About Stainless Steel and Stainless Steel Products Including: Stainless Steel Sheets, Stainless Steel Suppliers, Stainless Steel Plate, Stainless Steel Rods & Stainless Steel Wires.

Stainless steel, also referred to as “chromium steel,” is any variety of steel that is alloyed with at least 12% chromium. Chrome-containing oxides form a thin, invisible layer, called the passive film, on the surface of the steel. If the passive film is cut or in any way disrupted, the chromium atoms will quickly combine with oxygen, repairing the surface layer. While this characteristic makes stainless steel highly corrosion resistant, it does not perform well in low-oxygen environments. Stainless steel is used overwhelmingly for its corrosion resistant characteristics. Stainless steel dissolves very slowly in water. It is also clean and can be easily sanitized. A wide variety of stainless steel products are used in many different industries.
 
Stainless steel has three main types: austenitic stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel and martensitic stainless steel. Austenitic stainless steels are alloys that contain chromium and nickel, with the occasional addition of manganese and nitrogen. Ferritic stainless steels contain iron and chromium and are less ductile than austenitic stainless steels. Neither austenitic stainless steel nor ferritic stainless steels harden when heat treated. Martensitic stainless steels contain low amounts of carbon and can be tempered and hardened. The hardening process makes stainless steels very hard, but also brittle, so very few stainless steels are completely hardened. Other types of stainless steel include precipitation-hardened, duplex and cast stainless steels.
 
Grades of stainless steel vary according to the addition of different alloys. Stainless steel products are made stainless by the addition of chromium, which is essential to the forming of the passive film. Nickel stabilizes the structure of steel, decreases the tendency of the metal to crack under prolonged stress corrosion and promotes re-passivation of damaged film. Manganese interacts with sulfur in stainless steel to increase its resistance to pitting corrosion. Molybdenum combines with chromium to stabilize the passive film when the steel is exposed to chlorides. Next to chromium, molybdenum provides the largest increase in corrosion resistance. Carbon is used to increase strength and to facilitate hardening through heat-treatment. Other alloys added to stainless steel products include nitrogen, titanium, miobium, copper, aluminum and selenium.
 
While stainless steel has a higher initial cost than other metals, its benefits typically far outweigh its disadvantages. Along with being corrosion resistant, stainless steel is also fire and heat resistant. Its bright, easily maintained surface provides a pleasing aesthetic appearance. Austenitic grades of stainless steel have work-hardening properties, giving the material a great strength-to-weight advantage over other materials. Austenitic grades also provide impact resistance and high toughness in extreme temperatures, making them suitable for cryogenic applications. Stainless steel is as easily cut, welded, formed, machined and fabricated as other steels.

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Types of Stainless Steel

• 303 stainless steel is an austenitic alloy that has sulfur and/or selenium added to create a free-machining stainless steel. 303 stainless steels take less time to machine, resulting in longer lasting machine tool bits and lower production cost.
  
• 304 stainless steel is an austenitic alloy that is easily formed and welded but is not a free-machining material. 304 stainless steel is commonly used for sheet metal products that are not subject to harsh environments.
  
• 304L stainless steel is one of the most frequently used austenitic alloys in the stainless steel family. 304L stainless steel is utilized when parts are to be welded, especially if the weld might come in contact with chlorinated water.
  
• 305 stainless steel is an austenitic alloy that is very corrosion resistant and has a higher nickel content. 305 stainless has a decreased tendency to work-harden during the cold heading process.
  
• 316 stainless steel is a non-magnetic material that contains molybdenum and a higher nickel content. 316 stainless steel, an austenitic alloy, is very corrosion resistant but is subject to attack if exposed to high levels of chlorine for a long period of time.
  
• 316L stainless steel is a highly corrosion resistant austenitic alloy that is second only to 304 stainless steel in importance. 316L stainless steel is commonly used in heavy gauge welded components, as it offers higher creep, stress-to-rupture and tensile strength at elevated temperatures.
  
• 384 stainless steel has a very high nickel content and is very corrosion resistant to chlorides. 384 stainless steel, an austenitic alloy, cold heads well.
  
• Austenitic stainless steel alloys are comprised of chromium and nickel and are used in mild, harsh and corrosive environments. Austenitic stainless steel alloys account for about 70% of the stainless steel family.
  
• Duplex stainless steels, along with the elements iron, chromium and nickel, contain molybdenum, nitrogen, copper and very little carbon. Duplex stainless steel has double the strength of austenitic stainless steel and better corrosion resistance than martensitic stainless steel.
  
• Ferrite stainless steel (type 430) consists of only iron and chromium. Ferrite stainless steel is magnetic, cannot be hardened and is used mainly in decorative trim and mufflers for vehicles.
  
• Martensitic stainless steels (types 403, 414 and 420) have low chromium levels and high carbon content but do not contain nickel. Martensitic stainless steel is a magnetic material that has reduced corrosion resistance but can be heat-treated to provide high strength and toughness characteristics.
  
• Precipitation-hardened stainless steels are chromium-nickel grades that can be strengthened and hardened by adding such elements as copper and aluminum in an aging treatment at elevated temperatures.
  
• Stainless steel bars are solid pieces of various grade stainless steels that are rolled from billets. Stainless steel bars can be hot or cold finished and formed into rounds, squares, hexagons, octagons or flats.
  
• Stainless steel pipes are tubes that are used to transport gases or liquids. Stainless steel pipes are much longer lasting than similar products consisting of other metals, because of the corrosion resistance of the material.
  
• Stainless steel plates have a width over eight inches and a thickness from one quarter of an inch to over a foot.
  
• Stainless steel rods are long cylinder-shaped objects made of stainless steel.
  
• Stainless steel sheets are large, thin slices of stainless steel. Usually rectangular or square shaped, stainless steel sheets offer the flexibility of being custom fabricated or molded.
  
• Stainless steel suppliers provide the rods, sheets, and plates used in the assembly of many products.
  
• Stainless steel tubing ranges in size from less than .01 inches to more than six inches in diameter.
  
• Stainless steel wires offer good strength-to-weight ratios, as well as rustproof performance. Common diameters of stainless steel wires range anywhere from .01 inches to 1-1/16 inches.

Common Terms Related to Stainless Steel

Age Hardening - A heat-treating process used on martensitic stainless steels to harden them. The material is heated above its critical temperature, held at that temperature to ensure uniform temperature and then quenched in air or oil to quickly cool it.
 
Alloy - A solid solution of two or more metals. All forms of stainless steel are alloys.
 
Annealing - A process by which a cold-rolled steel coil is heated to a designated temperature and then cooled. The annealing process makes the coil easier to bend and form.
 
Argon-Oxygen Decarburization (AOD) - A process with a short operation time and low temperatures that is used to reduce the carbon content of stainless steel during the refinement process.
 
Billet - A short bar of metal.
 
Blank - A piece of sheet stainless steel that has the specified outer dimensions of a part but has not yet been stamped by the end user. Blanks decrease the cost of labor and transportation for the stainless steel processor.
 
Blast Furnace - A cylinder lined with heat resistant bricks that steel mills use to smelt iron from ore. The name originates from the blast of hot air that is forced up through the ore.
 
Bloom - A semi-finished form of stainless steel that typically has a cross-section greater than 36 sq. inches. A bloom will be further processed into mill products.
 
Burr - A ridge on the edge of strip stainless steel that is caused by cutting operations, including blanking, trimming, shearing or slitting.
 
Chromium (Cr) - An element added to stainless steel, resulting in a corrosion resistant alloy.
 
Cold Forming - Also called "cold working" it is any kind of mechanical operation performed at room temperature that causes permanent deformation. Cold forming, which includes bending, rolling and drawing, increases the hardness and strength of stainless steel.
 
Continuous Casting - A time-saving process of pouring stainless steel directly from the furnace into a billet, bloom or slab. Continuous casting eliminates the need for large, expensive mills.
 
Ductility - The ability of steel to go through permanent changes of shape without fracturing.
 
Galvanized - Coated with zinc. Galvanizing provides more corrosion resistance and is used on auto underbody parts, storage tanks, garbage cans, etc.
 
Grade - A number or symbol given to different varieties of steel. Different grade steels have varying characteristics and compositions.
 
Oscillating - Method used to wind narrow strip steel over a wider roll. The oscillating process is similar to winding fishing line over a spool.
 
Reinforcing Bar (Rebar) - A steel bar used to further strengthen concrete. Rebars are vital for highway reinforcement as well as building construction.