Stainless Steel 301
This grade is a lower-cost alternative to 304 stainless steel. The savings are achieved by increasing its carbon content and decreasing the chromium and nickel content. The trade-off is that this lower-cost version is less resistant to corrosion when compared to the other stainless steels for sheet metal fabrication. Its applications are numerous and can include structural components for trains or appliance enclosures.Stainless Steel 301 Properties
| Tensile Strength, Yield (MPa) | Fatigue Strength (MPa) | Elongation at Break (%) | Hardness (Brinell) | Density (g/cm^3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 205 | 240 | 40 | 217 | 8.03 |
Stainless Steel 304
This grade of stainless steel has an austenitic crystal structure and is one of the most widely used grades. 304 is often conflated with 18-8 stainless steel but has slight differences in some of its alloying elements. It has good corrosion resistance characteristics and excellent formability, making it ideal for sheet metal components. Applications can include food processing equipment like tanks and structural bracketing.Stainless Steel 304 Properties
| Tensile Strength, Yield (MPa) | Shear Modulus (GPa) | Elongation at Break (%) | Hardness (Brinell) | Density (g/cm^3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 215 | 77 | 70 | 123 | 8 |
Stainless Steel 316
This austenitic grade of stainless steel contains molybdenum which further improves its resistance to corrosion. In addition to this, it is highly formable and weldable. Common applications include parts that are exposed to corrosive conditions like chemical tanks or marine equipment.Stainless Steel 316 Properties
| Tensile Strength, Yield (MPa) | Shear Modulus (GPa) | Elongation at Break (%) | Hardness (Brinell) | Density (g/cm^3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 290 | 74 | 50 | 217 | 8 |