Steel 304 is the most popular of stainless steel grades. It is referred to as 18/8 because it contains approximately 18% chromium and 8 % nickel, giving 304 its characteristic properties. 304 stainless steel’s corrosion resistance is excellent due to the metal containing high percentage of chromium (18%) in it
Typically 304 Stainless Steel is used for applications that require more corrosion resistance than regular carbon steel . This alloy also have good formability, excellent polishability , weldability , toughness, fabricating ease , thermodynamic compatibility with food & biomedical applications , has good ductility, along with being economical .
Typical Uses: Common Applications of 304 Stainless Steel are Sanitary equipment, kitchen utensils, chemical equipment, marine applications, and architectural applications such as balustrades, handrails and decorative hardware 304 Stainless Steel is used for many different uses due to the alloy’s high resistance to corrosion and staining , high tensile strength, low creep , fatigue resistance and toughness This stainless steel grade is ideal for kitchen equipment . 304 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh has a variety of applications ranging from filtration, pre-packing sieves to ensure that no foreign particles or pieces pass through into the product. It may also be used as scrim material in composites where improved abrasion resistance is necessary 304 304L 304H 304LN
Type: Austenitic (non-magnetic)
Type: Ferritic (non magnetic) – non-heat treatable
Type: Ferritic (non magnetic) – heat treatable 304/304L – 0.08% max carbon 304H/304H2 – 0.04% max carbon 304LN/ 304LNM – 16% min niobium 304Cb – 1% min cobalt.
Heat Treatment: Annealed type – solution treatment followed by furnace cooling Austenitized – solution treatment only Cold worked – annealed or normalized ; stress relieved by cold working prior to aging Hardened – solution treatment followed by precipitation strengthening , quenching and tempering
Annealed 304 is soft and ductile and can be easily machined. Hardened 304 Stainless Steel has a hardness of HRC 30 and high strength and hardness for 304H . 304LN (a Brazing alloy) is annealed at 1425°f(760°c) to 28 Rockwell ‘C’ maximum, then air cooled. Furthermore 304LNM is solution treated at 1550°f (843°c), water quenched and aged. It may further be precipitation-hardened by exposure to severe cold working, resulting in a strength level exceeding 1100 MPa .
304 Stainless Steels have standard UNS S30400 numbers dedicated for austenitic steels with Nickel contents from 8% to 18% 304 & 304L can be brazed using all commercially available methods 304 is a non-magnetic stainless steel, but the addition of Nickel provides magnetic permeability 304/304L – UNS S30400 304H/ 304H2 – UNS S30409 304LN – UNS S31254
To increase corrosion resistance , AOD or Vacuum Induction Melting processes are usually used for melting 304 Stainless Steel.
