Stainless Steel

201 is an austenitic steel grade. It demonstrates high toughness at lower temperatures, and shows up in the appliance, architecture, and food service industries. The 201LN variant is intended for applications at subzero temperatures. Its strength increases at these low temperatures.

This grade shows high strength and excellent corrosion resistance making it suitable for a wide range of applications across industries. Aviation, automotive, architectural applications and more are common for 301.

This grade is intended for heavily machined parts and machine fittings. It is most popular in automatic screw machines.

A popular stainless grade with high strength and good corrosion resistance that is easy to form. It is often used for complex geometry across industries. The ultra low carbon variant, 304L is superior when it comes to intergranular corrosion resistance.

316L is an austenitic steel with ultra low carbon content and superior corrosion resistance.

This grade is suitable for applications requiring corrosion resistance, severe forming capability, toughness, and weldability. 409 is primarily purposed in automotive exhaust systems.

430 is a non-stabilized ferritic stainless steel. It has excellent oxidation resistance and is heat tolerant. It is less suitable for welding.

439 is a titanium stabilized ferritic grade that is frequently used for automotive exhaust systems, heat exchangers, and other uses where resistance to stress corrosion cracking and prolonged exposure at elevated temperatures is required.

441 is a niobium stabilized ferritic grade. It is highly resistant to creep, oxidation, and corrosion, even at high temperatures and is mainly used for drawn parts and bent tubing.

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A top notch stainless steel provider will offer a range of stainless steel grades in various formats and finishes. They will be trusted partners with reputable stainless steel manufacturers that adhere to precise manufacturing processes and utilize the most advanced machinery. A premium supplier will have unmatched knowledge about their product lines and be able to answer questions regarding anything from chemical composition to machining properties. They will have a thorough understanding of all the needs required to properly handle, transport, and store all stainless products. Attention to detail will also be a notable characteristic of an excellent supplier and they will provide timely communication in the event of product delivery delays or shortages.

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Aluminum and stainless are two of the most popular and widely used metals around in some cases cross over in applications across shared industries. For example, both show up in the automotive, aerospace, architecture, and appliance industries among many others. Qualities like good corrosion resistance exist in both metals, yet stainless steel is much less likely to rust. And aluminum is nearly a third the weight of stainless steel, making it much better for applications requiring excellent strength-to-weight ratios, like exterior auto body paneling.

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One of the main differences between carbon and SS is the amount of carbon content. Carbon steel has higher carbon content and lower alloy content and will in general rust much more easily when exposed to moisture. Stainless has a much lower carbon content, and a high chromium content which offers added protection against corrosion and oxidation.

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All grades include a minimum of 11% chromium content. However, there are a few different types of SS, which are determined by microstructure. They can be austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, duplex, or precipitation hardenable.

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It is about 7.9 g/cm3. There is very slight variation in density among the various SS grades.

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Rust-resistance is one of the best qualities for SS grades. There are environments wherein SS will corrode and rust, and there is some stainless grades are more likely to do so. However, by and large, stainless steel is a rust-resistant metal when properly maintained, with limited exposure to highly corrosive environments at elevated temperatures.