Characteristics of Stainless Steel 304 Rods & Bars: Grades, Properties, and Applications

Characteristics of Stainless Steel 304 Rods & Bars: Grades, Properties, and Applications

Stainless Steel 304 grade 

Stainless Steel 304 grade is standard stainless steel, also denoted as “18/8” stainless steel due to its chemical composition. Here, 18/8 indicates its composition of 18% chromium and 8% nickel. Grade 304 stainless steel is the most versatile and widely applicable material besides, variety of available alternatives. Also, the material has excellent forming and welding features. Stainless Steel 304 has a balanced austenitic structure that allows its deep drawn procedures without annealing. The grade 304 contains several chemical elements such as carbon, manganese, silicon, phosphorous, sulphur, chromium, nickel, iron, and nitrogen. All these elements offer outstanding mechanical properties to Stainless Steel 304 rods and bars. 

Alternative grades for Stainless Steel 304 

301L is a high work-hardening grade useful in roll-forming and stretch-forming elements. 302HQ is an alternative grade with low work hardening capacity and suitable for bolts, screws, and rivets. The high machining ability and less corrosion resistance of grade 303 help it become the best alternative grade for SS 304. Stainless steel 316 holds high resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride-containing solution. 

Properties of Stainless Steel 304 Rods & Bars 

The raw material, i.e., Stainless Steel 304, shows outstanding welding characteristics, and hence, rods & bars offer the same features. Also, there is no need to perform post-weld annealing on thin sections. Therefore, these bars and rods are useful in heavy gauge components and suitable to work at elevated temperatures. The austenitic structure of Stainless Steel 304 shows excellent toughness below the cryogenic temperatures. Stainless Steel 304 has good tensile strength, stress resistance, and elongation ability. Stainless Steel 304 rods and bars are resistant to stress corrosion cracking at a temperature above 60°C. Stainless steel 304 rods and bars has outstanding resistance to oxidation in the temperature range of 870°C to 925°C.

Applications of Stainless Steel 304 Rods & Bars

Grade 304 of Stainless steel can readily process roll-formed and braked into several components suitable for industrial use. This stainless steel 304 rods & bars are useful in architectural panelling, sanitaryware, tubing, and transportation. The grade works well in the development of sinks, saucepans, and hollowware. Along with this, the dairy industry and pharmaceuticals use stainless steel 304 rods and bars.

Characteristics of Stainless Steel 304 Rods & Bars: Grades, Properties, and Applications

by Skytech Rolling Mill time to read: 1 min
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