SAE 304 stainless steel — properties, grades & applications
What is 304 Stainless Steel?
304 Stainless Steel is a material that is used in the construction of many appliances, such as sinks. 304 Stainless Steel is the most common Stainless Steel you can find and is widely used in tons of different products and appliances. If you live outside the USA, you may know 304 Stainless Steel as A2 Stainless Steel, however, for this article, we will be referring to it as 304 Stainless Steel. Now we’ve got the basics out the way, let’s get into the more complicated bits, such as what its made from, its heat resistance and corrosion resistance capabilities and much more.
Chemical Properties of 304 Stainless Steel
| Element | Percentage (%) |
| Carbon (C) | 0.08 max |
| Chromium (Cr) | 18.0 – 20.0 |
| Nickel (Ni) | 8.0 – 10.5 |
| Manganese (Mn) | 2.0 max |
| Silicon (Si) | 1.0 max |
| Phosphorus (P) | 0.045 max |
| Sulfur (S) | 0.030 max |
| Nitrogen (N) | 0.10 max |
| Iron (Fe) | Balance |
Mechanical Properties of 304 Stainless Steel
| Property | Value |
| Tensile Strength | 515 – 750 MPa |
| Yield Strength | 205 MPa (minimum) |
| Elongation | 40% (min) |
| Hardness (Brinell) | 201 HB max |
| Density | 8.0 g/cm³ |
| Melting Range | 1400 – 1450°C |
Physical Properties of 304 Stainless Steel
| Property | Value |
| Thermal Conductivity | 16.2 W/m·K at 100°C |
| Electrical Resistivity | 0.72 µΩ·m |
| Modulus of Elasticity | 193 GPa |
| >Magnetic Properties | Non-magnetic |
Equivalent Grade of 304 Stainless Steel
| Standard | Grade |
| >AISI / ASTM | 304 |
| EN | 1.4301 |
| JIS | SUS 304 |
| DIN | X5CrNi18-10 |
| IS | 304 |
304 Stainless Steel Hot Working
Stainless Steel has amazing resistance to oxidation and heat with it being able to survive temperatures of up to 870 degrees Celcius to 925 degrees Celcius. However, use at these temperatures isn’t recommended especially if water is involved in which the corrosion resistance would not be able to put up with the heat.
304 Stainless Steel Cold Working
In order to make the heat resistance of the 304 Stainless Steel able to withstand such high temperatures the stainless steel has had to go under extensive amounts of cold working, Cold working techniques are used to resize the metal to new sizes or thickness which ultimately helps increase the heat resistance capabilities of the 304 Stainless Steel. Of course, Cold Resistance is not really needed as most stainless steels can withstand arctic temperatures.
Machinability of 304 Stainless Steel
304 Stainless Steel is known for its low-cost being easily weldable which makes 304 Stainless Steel a good candidate to be turned into a variety of machine parts, such as screws. automotive components and bolts and nuts. The 304 Stainless Steel has a machining cost factor of 5.0, which when compared to other steels is quite good considering all the positive and useful traits 304 Stainless Steel has over other metals and alloys.
Heat Treatment of 304 Stainless Steel
The 304 Stainless Steel can not be hardened using Heat Treatment, however, it can be hardened by heating up the 304 Stainless Steel up to 1010 to 1120 degrees Celcius and then rapidly cooling it before returning it to usual temperature.
Weldability of 304 Stainless Steel
The 304 Stainless Steel can, of course, be welded. However, the way it is welded can be different from the way other metals and alloys are welded and not knowing how 304 Stainless Steel is welded can lead to imperfections or cracking of the steel. Even though they are readily welded, most people and companies usually use a type 308 Stainless Steel as a filler material while welding the 304 Stainless Steel which should hopefully avoid HAZ Cracking.
304 Stainless Steel can be welded using any arc welding processes like MIG, MMA, SA and TIG. Overall, the 304 Stainless Steel can be effortlessly welded as long as you know what precautions to do before you begin welding it.
What is 304 Stainless Steel used for?
Now you know all of the properties about 304 Stainless Steel let’s educate you on what 304 Stainless Steel is used in, and to your surprise, this stainless steel is present in practically every house.
Here is a bullet-pointed list which runs through everything 304 Stainless Steel can be used for
- Bolts
- Screws
- Refrigerators
- Food processing equipment
- Cutlery
- Piping
- Fasteners
- Dishwashers
- Sinks
- Kitchen Appliances
From this short list which probably doesn’t even scratch the surface of the thousands of things that 304 Stainless Steel is used for you will most likely see why 304 Stainless Steel is such a popular metal. It is cheap, weldable, extremely durable and is trusted and used in practically everything that involves metal.
Frequently asked questions
Q1. What is the price of SS 304 stainless steel in India?
304 stainless steel prices vary based on product type (bars, wires, billets), size, and market conditions. Contact Ambica Steels for a current price list or get an instant quote online.
Q2. Is 304 stainless steel food-grade?
Yes. Grade 304 is widely approved for food contact applications. Its chromium-nickel composition resists corrosion from most food acids and is easy to clean and sterilise.
Q3. What is the difference between 304 and 304L stainless steel?
304L has a maximum carbon content of 0.03% versus 0.08% for standard 304. The lower carbon makes 304L preferable for heavy welding applications, eliminating the need for post-weld annealing in most cases.
Q4. Can 304 stainless steel be welded?
Yes. 304 is readily welded using MIG, TIG, MMA, and SA processes. Using a type 308 filler rod is recommended to avoid heat-affected zone (HAZ) cracking.
Q5. What is the equivalent grade of SAE 304 in other standards?
SAE/AISI 304 = EN 1.4301 = JIS SUS304 = DIN X5CrNi18-10. All refer to the same 18/8 austenitic stainless steel composition.
Products Available in SS 304/304L
Bar Products: Round Bars · Hex Bars · Flat Bars · Square Bars · Angle Bars
Wire Products: Fine Wire · Core Wire · Cold Heading Wire · General Purpose Wire · TIG Wire · MIG Wire
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