2021/3/8 Overview of Stainless Steel and Stainless Plate - Stainless Processing, Inc.
- Coatesville, Pennsylvania
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Stainless Steel:
Versatile, Reliable, Functional and Economical
Stainless Processing, Inc. provides part solutions for a variety of industries and hundreds of applications where
corrosion, oxidation or cost is an issue. The function that they perform cannot be duplicated by other materials for
their cost. The stainless steel family of alloys has enabled the advancement and growth of industries from chemical
manufacturing and power generating systems—in reality, stainless has allowed society to evolve.
Over the past fty years, sub-categories of stainless steels have been developed including austenitic, martensitic,
ferritic, duplex, precipitation hardening and super alloys.
Austenitic Grades
Austenitic grades are those alloys which are commonly in use for stainless applications. The austenitic grades are not
magnetic. The most common austenitic alloys are iron-chromium-nickel steels and are widely known as the 300
series. The austenitic stainless steels, because of their high chromium and nickel content, are the most corrosion
resistant of the stainless group providing unusually ne mechanical properties. They cannot be hardened by heat
treatment, but can be hardened signi cantly by cold-working.
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2021/3/8 Overview of Stainless Steel and Stainless Plate - Stainless Processing, Inc. - Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Figure 1 - Austenitic Grades
Straight Grades
The straight grades of austenitic stainless steel contain a maximum of .08% carbon. There is a misconception that
straight grades contain a minimum of .03% carbon, but the spec does not require this. As long as the material meets
the physical requirements of straight grade, there is no minimum carbon requirement.
Low Carbon Grades
The “L” grades are used to provide extra corrosion resistance after welding. The letter “L” after a stainless steel type
indicates low carbon (as in 304L). The carbon is kept to .03% or under to avoid carbide precipitation. Carbon in steel
when heated to temperatures in what is called the critical range (800 degrees F to 1600 degrees F) precipitates out,
combines with the chromium and gathers on the grain boundaries. This deprives the steel of the chromium in solution
and promotes corrosion adjacent to the grain boundaries. By controlling the amount of carbon, this is minimized. For
weldability, the “L” grades are used. You may ask why all stainless steels are not produced as “L” grades. There are a
couple of reasons:
"L" grades are more expensive
Carbon at high temperatures imparts great physical strength
Frequently the mills are buying their raw material in “L” grades, but specifying the physical properties of the straight
grade to retain straight grade strength. A case of having your cake and heating it too. This results in the material being
dual certi ed 304/304L; 316/316L, etc.
High Carbon Grades
The “H” grades contain a minimum of .04% carbon and a maximum of .10% carbon and are designated by the letter
“H” after the alloy. People ask for “H” grades primarily when the material will be used at extreme temperatures as the
higher carbon helps the material retain strength at extreme temperatures.
You may hear the phrase “solution annealing”. This means only that the carbides which may have precipitated (or
moved) to the grain boundaries are put back into solution (dispersed) into the matrix of the metal by the annealing
process. “L” grades are used where annealing after welding is impractical, such as in the eld where pipe and ttings
are being welded.
Type 304 The most common of austenitic grades, containing approximately 18% chromium and 8%
nickel. It is used for chemical processing equipment, for food, dairy, and beverage industries,
for heat exchangers, and for the milder chemicals.
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2021/3/8 Overview of Stainless Steel and Stainless Plate - Stainless Processing, Inc. - Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Contains 16% to 18% chromium and 11% to 14% nickel. It also has molybdenum added to
the nickel and chrome of the 304. The molybdenum is used to control pit type attack. Type
Type 316 316 is used in chemical processing, the pulp and paper industry, for food and beverage
processing and dispensing and in the more corrosive environments. The molybdenum must
be a minimum of 2%.
Contains a higher percentage of molybdenum than 316 for highly corrosive environments. It
Type 317
must have a minimum of 3% “moly”. It is often used in stacks which contain scrubbers.
Restricts maximum carbon content to 0.030% max. and silicon to 0.75% max. for extra
Type 317L
corrosion resistance.
Type 317LM Requires molybdenum content of 4.00% min.
Type 317LMN Requires molybdenum content of 4.00% min. and nitrogen of .15% min.
These types have been developed for corrosive resistance for repeated intermittent
Type 321 exposure to temperature above 800 degrees F. Type 321 is made by the addition of titanium
Type 347 and Type 347 is made by the addition of tantalum/columbium. These grades are primarily
used in the aircraft industry.
Physical and Chemical Properties of Austenitic Grades
More about the physical and chemical properties of Austenitic Grades of stainless steel can be found HERE.
Martensitic Grades
Martensitic grades were developed in order to provide a group of stainless alloys that would be corrosion resistant
and hardenable by heat treating. The martensitic grades are straight chromium steels containing no nickel. They are
magnetic and can be hardened by heat treating. The martensitic grades are mainly used where hardness, strength,
and wear resistance are required.
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Figure 2 - Martensitic Grades
Basic martensitic grade, containing the lowest alloy content of the three basic stainless
steels (304, 430, and 410). Low cost, general purpose, heat treatable stainless steel. Used
Type 410 widely where corrosion is not severe (air, water, some chemicals, and food acids. Typical
applications include highly stressed parts needing the combination of strength and
corrosion resistance such as fasteners.
Contains lower carbon than Type 410, offers improved weldability but lower hardenability.
Type 410S Type 410S is a general purpose corrosion and heat resisting chromium steel recommended
for corrosion resisting applications.
Has nickel added (2%) for improved corrosion resistance. Typical applications include
Type 414
springs and cutlery.
Contains added phosphorus and sulphur for improved machinability. Typical applications
Type 416
include screw machine parts.
Contains increased carbon to improve mechanical properties. Typical applications include
Type 420
surgical instruments.
Contains increased chromium for greater corrosion resistance and good mechanical
Type 431
properties. Typical applications include high strength parts such as valves and pumps.
Further increases chromium and carbon to improve toughness and corrosion resistance.
Type 440
Typical applications include instruments.
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2021/3/8 Overview of Stainless Steel and Stainless Plate - Stainless Processing, Inc. - Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Physical and Chemical Properties of Martensitic Grades
More about the physical and chemical properties of Martensitic Grades of stainless steel can be found HERE.
Ferritic Grades
Ferritic grades have been developed to provide a group of stainless steel to resist corrosion and oxidation, while
being highly resistant to stress corrosion cracking. These steels are magnetic but cannot be hardened or
strengthened by heat treatment. They can be cold worked and softened by annealing. As a group, they are more
corrosive resistant than the martensitic grades, but generally inferior to the austenitic grades. Like martensitic
grades, these are straight chromium steels with no nickel. They are used for decorative trim, sinks, and automotive
applications, particularly exhaust systems.
Figure3 - Ferritic Grades
Type 430 The basic ferritic grade, with a little less corrosion resistance than Type 304. This type
combines high resistance to such corrosives as nitric acid, sulfur gases, and many organic and
food acids.
Type 405 Has lower chromium and added aluminum to prevent hardening when cooled from high
temperatures. Typical applications include heat exchangers.
Type 409 Contains the lowest chromium content of all stainless steels and is also the least expensive.
Originally designed for muf er stock and also used for exterior parts in non-critical corrosive
environments.
Type 434 Has molybdenum added for improved corrosion resistance. Typical applications include
automotive trim and fasteners.
Type 436 Type 436 has columbium added for corrosion and heat resistance. Typical applications
include deep-drawn parts.
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2021/3/8 Overview of Stainless Steel and Stainless Plate - Stainless Processing, Inc. - Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Type 442 Has increased chromium to improve scaling resistance. Typical applications include furnace
and heater parts.
Type 446 Contains even more chromium added to further improve corrosion and scaling resistance at
high temperatures. Especially good for oxidation resistance in sulfuric atmospheres.
Duplex Grades
Duplex grades are the newest of the stainless steels. This material is a combination of austenitic and ferritic material.
This material has higher strength and superior resistance to stress corrosion cracking. An example of this material is
type 2205. It is available on order from the mills.
Precipitation Hardening Grades
Precipitation hardening grades, as a class, offer the designer a unique combination of fabricability, strength, ease of
heat treatment, and corrosion resistance not found in any other class of material. These grades include 17Cr-4Ni (17-
4PH) and 15Cr-5Ni (15-5PH). The austenitic precipitation-hardenable alloys have, to a large extent, been replaced by
the more sophisticated and higher strength superalloys. The martensitic precipitation-hardenable stainless steels are
really the work horse of the family. While designed primarily as a material to be used for bar, rods, wire, forgings, etc.,
martensitic precipitation-hardenable alloys are beginning to nd more use in the at rolled form. While the semi-
austenitic precipitation-hardenable stainless steels were primarily designed as a sheet and strip product, they have
found many applications in other product forms. Developed primarily as aerospace materials, many of these steels
are gaining commercial acceptance as truly cost-effective materials in many applications.
Super Alloy Grades
Superalloys are used when 316 or 317 are inadequate to withstand attack. They contain very large amounts of nickel
and/or chrome and molybdenum. They are usually much more expensive than the usual 300 series alloys and can be
more dif cult to nd. These alloys include Alloy 20 and Hastelloy.
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2021/3/8 Overview of Stainless Steel and Stainless Plate - Stainless Processing, Inc. - Coatesville, Pennsylvania
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