Stainless steel is an alloy steel with a chromium content of at least 10.5%. It possesses high corrosion resistance and wear resistance, excellent machinability, and a beautiful, decorative surface after grinding and polishing. When stainless steel first became popular in my country, people often distinguished it solely by its rust-resistance and non-magnetic properties. However, this is inaccurate and vague. There are many types of stainless steel, each with different uses, and their rust resistance, corrosion resistance, and magnetic properties vary considerably. Simple surface characteristics are no longer sufficient for differentiation. Below, we list the characteristics and elemental composition of some commonly used stainless steel alloys, which are widely used in people's production and daily life.
Properties and Applications of Commonly Used Stainless Steel
| Alloy grades | Alloy Properties | Application areas |
|---|---|---|
| 304 | Austenitic stainless steel with a Ni content greater than 8%, a food-grade alloy, suitable for general household and commercial use, and safe for long-term human contact. It is the most widely used stainless steel material. It can remain rust-free for a long time when used in inland areas and in environments with low air corrosivity. | Medical, food industry, chemical industry, machinery and equipment, pipelines, construction, decoration, auto parts |
| 304L / 316L | Its mechanical properties are similar to those of 304 and 316 stainless steel. The "L" indicates a lower carbon content, making the material more tough, with good weldability and more reliable corrosion resistance. However, it is more expensive than other materials of the same grade. | Food, Chemical, Medical, Pipeline |
| 316 | Austenitic stainless steel with a Ni content greater than 10% has stronger corrosion resistance than 304 and is better suited for harsh marine environments or situations requiring contact with chemical raw materials. | Fire protection, auto parts, marine hardware, marine engineering, chemicals, pipelines, construction, decoration, food industry |
| 410 & 416 | The 400 series is a martensitic stainless steel, characterized by high strength, good machinability, and high heat treatment hardness. However, it does not contain Ni, so its corrosion resistance is relatively weak. | Automotive parts, tools, knives |
| 17-4 | 17-4 is a martensitic stainless steel with a Ni content of 3%-5%. It has good corrosion resistance and is the strongest type of stainless steel. It is usually used to make products and parts that are not easily deformed. | Military, medical, mechanical components, machine tool cutting tools, turbine blades |
Xinghua Haijin Stainless Steel Products Factory is one of the leading stainless steel casting enterprises in China. We can produce custom stainless steel castings to meet your various needs. The smallest product can be as small as a few grams, and the largest can be over 40 kilograms. We strictly control the material composition to ensure that it meets the requirements of our customers.
Common Stainless Steel Element Composition Table (Unit: 1TP/3T)
| Brand composition | C | Si | Mn | S | P | Cr | Ni | Mo | Cu | Nb+Ta | N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 304 | ≤0.08 | ≤1.00 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.045 | 18 ~ 20 | 8 ~ 11 | – | – | – | – |
| 304L | ≤0.03 | ≤1.00 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.035 | 18 ~ 20 | 8 ~ 12 | – | – | – | – |
| 316 | ≤0.08 | ≤1.00 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.045 | 16 ~ 18 | 10 ~ 14 | 2 ~ 3 | – | – | – |
| 316L | ≤0.03 | ≤1.00 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.045 | 16 ~ 18 | 10 ~ 14 | 2 ~ 3 | – | – | – |
| 410 | ≤0.03 | ≤1.00 | ≤1.00 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.040 | 11 ~ 13.5 | ≤0.6 | – | – | – | – |
| 416 | ≤0.15 | ≤1.00 | ≤1.25 | ≤0.15 | ≤0.060 | 12 ~ 14 | ≤0.6 | – | – | – | – |
| 17-4 | ≤0.07 | ≤1.00 | ≤1.00 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.040 | 15.5 ~ 17.5 | 3 ~ 5 | – | 3 ~ 5 | 0.15 ~ 0.45 | – |
| 2205 | ≤0.03 | ≤1.00 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.040 | 21 ~ 24 | 4.5 ~ 6.5 | 2.5 ~ 3.5 | – | – | 0.08 ~ 0.2 |
| 2520 | ≤0.08 | ≤1.50 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.045 | 24 ~ 26 | 19 ~ 22 | – | – | – | – |
Relevant technical information and product examples
Continue to assess whether the materials, workmanship, and actual parts are suitable for your procurement needs.
- ResourcesComparison of CF8, CF8M, CF3, CF3M with 304 and 316 grades→
- Material Selection GuideHow to choose between 304, 304L, 316, and 316L stainless steel castings→
- Material comparisonWhat are the differences between CF8 and CF8M?→
- Product ExamplesStainless steel mechanical parts casting and CNC machining→
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