| Customization: | Available |
|---|---|
| Type: | Seamless |
| Technique: | Hot Rolled |
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Stainless steel 304 is an austenitic grade that can be severely deep drawn. This property has resulted in 304 being the dominant grade used in applications like sinks and saucepans.
Chemical composition for 304 stainless steel alloys
|
% |
304 |
|
C |
0.0 - 0.07 |
|
Mn |
0.0 - 2.0 |
|
Si |
0.0 - 1.00 |
|
P |
0.0 - 0.05 |
|
S |
0.0 - 0.03 |
|
Cr |
17.50 - 19.50 |
|
Ni |
8.00 - 10.50 |
|
Fe |
Balance |
|
N |
0.0-0.11 |
| Grade | UNS | DIN | EN | AMS | ASTM | JIS | |
| 304 |
S30400 |
- | 1.4301 | ASTM A276 | SUS 304 | ||
Stainless steel 304 has excellent corrosion resistance in a wide variety of environments and when in contact with different corrosive media. Pitting and crevice corrosion can occur in environments containing chlorides. Stress corrosion cracking can occur at temperatures over 60°C.
Stainless steel 304 has good resistance to oxidation in intermittent service up to 870°C and in continuous service to 925°C. However, continuous use at 425-860°C is not recommended if corrosion resistance in water is required. In this instance 304L is recommended due to its resistance to carbide precipitation.
Where high strength is required at temperatures above 500°C and up to 800°C, grade 304H is recommended. This material will retain aqueous corrosion resistance.
Fabrication of all stainless steels should be done only with tools dedicated to stainless steel materials. Tooling and work surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned before use. These precautions are necessary to avoid cross contamination of stainless steel by easily corroded metals that may discolour the surface of the fabricated product.
Stainless steel 304 readily work hardens. Fabrication methods involving cold working may require an intermediate annealing stage to alleviate work hardening and avoid tearing or cracking. At the completion of fabrication a full annealing operation should be employed to reduce internal stresses and optimise corrosion resistance.
Fabrication methods, like forging, that involve hot working should occur after uniform heating to 1149-1260°C. The fabricated components should then be rapidly cooled to ensure maximum corrosion resistance.
Stainless steel 304 cannot be hardened by heat treatment.
Solution treatment or annealing can be done by rapid cooling after heating to 1010-1120°C.
Stainless steel 304 has good machinability. Machining can be enhanced by using the following rules:
Fusion welding performance for Stainless steel 304 is excellent both with and without fillers. Recommended filler rods and electrodes for stainless steel 304 is grade 308 stainless steel. For 304L the recommended filler is 308L. Heavy welded sections may require post-weld annealing. This step is not required for 304L. Grade 321 may be used if post-weld heat treatment is not possible.
Possible alternative grades to 304-grade stainless steel
| Grade | Why it might be chosen instead of 304 |
| 301L | A higher work hardening rate grade is required for certain roll-formed or stretch formed components. |
| 302HQ | Lower work hardening rate is needed for cold forging of screws, bolts, and rivets. |
| 303 | Higher machinability needed, and the lower corrosion resistance, formability, and weldability are acceptable. |
| 316 | Higher resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion is required, in chloride environments |
| 321 | Better resistance to temperatures of around 600-900 °C is needed…321 has higher hot strength. |
| 3CR12 | A lower cost is required, and the reduced corrosion resistance and resulting discoloration are acceptable. |
| 430 | A lower cost is required, and the reduced corrosion resistance and fabrication characteristics are acceptable. |
Applications
304 stainless steel is widely used in the medical field, mainly for the manufacture of various medical devices and equipment.
304 stainless steel is a general-purpose stainless steel containing about 18% chromium and about 8% nickel, with good corrosion resistance, heat resistance and plasticity. It is widely used in the manufacture of medical devices such as scalpels, surgical scissors, and syringes.
304 stainless steel has excellent biocompatibility and hardly causes allergies or other adverse reactions when in contact with human tissue. Therefore, it is widely used in surgical tools, surgical implants, catheters, and pacemakers, etc. Medical devices that need to be in contact with the human body for a long time.
In addition, 304 stainless steel also has good processing performance and is easy to cut, stamp, bend and other operations, which makes it highly practical in the manufacture of medical devices.
In the medical field, the application of 304 stainless steel is not limited to surgical instruments, but also extends to high-demand medical devices such as heart stents and artificial joints.
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