Stainless Steel Sheets

Stainless steel is low carbon steel- with a chromium content of 10% or more by weight. Chromium is the ‘ingredient’ that gives the steel the corrosion resistance quality and makes it ‘stainless’. As Chromium is a large element of the steel itself, the oxidisation process creates rough, adherent invisible corrosion resistant chromium steel, and can be enhanced further by adding molybdenum, nitrogen and nickel. Depending on the work hardening of the metal (how it’s processed and folded/created) depends on the toughness, and strength to weight – it’s possible to produce high alloy materials that are strong and hard – they are split into the high duplex grade category.

Incredibly easy to produce, and manufacture, stainless steel can be cut, welded, machined, fabricated and formed as readily as traditional steels, with more strength, and less deterioration.

With more than 60 grades of stainless steel, there’s a lot of choice – however, there are five classes that the steel can be broadly divided into – with each being identified broadly by the alloying element which affects their microstructure, for which each is named.

Benefits and value

Depending on the alloy grade, stainless steel can resist a myriad of environments. Lower allowed grades resist corrosion in normal and pure water environments, while the higher grades can resist corrosion in most acids, alkaline and chlorine based environments, which makes them an excellent choice for process plants. High chromium and nickel alloy grades are resistant to heat and retain their strength, while all are easy to clean, making them the ideal surface for hospitals, kitchens and other food preparation and handling outlets. And this ease of sterilisation and cleaning means that it often meets or exceeds code requirements for these types of developments and is often more economical than replacing surfactants constantly.

More importantly from an aesthetic point of view, stainless steel is incredibly attractive and provides a modern, clean, light environment wherever it’s used. Impact resistant, the 300 series provides high toughness in extreme temperatures, making them the ideal material for certain experimental applications, such as cryogenics.

The three common grades available from offcutshop.com

We offer some of the best common grades from our store – we feel these represent some of the best grades available for a broad range of applications and uses.

Grade 304 Technical Data

Grade 304 is the most versatile and the most widely used of all stainless steels. Its chemical composition, mechanical properties, weldability and corrosion/oxidation resistance provide the best all-round performance stainless steel at relatively low cost. It also has excellent low temperature properties and responds well to hardening by cold working.

Typical Applications

As this is one of the most widely used of all higher grade stainless steels, it’s used for most ‘standard’ needs for steel containers and designs. Heat and corrosion resistant under standard conditions, it’s can be used for a variety of liquid and solid containers, process equipment, chemical, cryogenic, dairy, food and pharmaceutical industries.

Grade 316 Technical Data

Grade 316 is an improved version of Grade 304, with the addition of molybdenum and a slightly higher nickel content. The resultant composition of Grade 316 gives the steel much increased corrosion resistance in many aggressive environments. The molybdenum makes the steel more resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride-contaminated media, sea water and acetic acid vapours. The lower rate of general corrosion in mildly corrosive environments gives the steel good atmospheric corrosion resistance in polluted marine atmospheres. Grade 316 offers higher strength and better creep resistance at higher temperatures than Grade 304 and also possesses excellent mechanical and corrosion properties at sub-zero temperatures.

Typical Applications

Use in industrial, pharmaceutical or other architectural environs considered highly corrosive, this material is used in almost every industry, from tanks and storage vessels for corrosive liquids, including those used in transport – food, paper, mining and petroleum production industries, and specialised equipment production.

Grade 430 Technical Data

Grade 430 is a low-carbon plain chromium ferritic stainless steel. The steel has good corrosion resistance in mildly corrosive environments and good resistance to oxidation at elevated temperatures. In the annealed condition the steel is ductile, does not harden excessively during cold work and can be formed using a large variety of roll forming or mild stretch-bending operations, as well as the more common drawing and bending processes. The steel has limited weldability and should not be used in the as welded condition for dynamic or impact loaded structures. Being a ferritic material, 430 is liable to brittle fracture at sub-zero temperatures, and cannot be used in cryogenic applications. As the steel does not contain nickel or molybdenum, it is cheaper than any of the 300 series steels.

Typical Applications

Used primarily in mild corrosive environments, and where moderate temperatures are expected, typical uses are kitchen utensils, sinks, wall cladding, industrial roofing, washing machine parts, and industrial piping and tubing. Also used in automotive trim, it’s frequently handled by end users and relied upon in today’s modern world – from pans to cars, this stainless steel is suitable for everyday use but is less likely to be used for specialised needs. It’s not suitable for anywhere that would require welding, but makes an ideal cladding or panelling in commercial and industrial climates - and can even be used, in its thinnest form as an elegant splash back or coating for cookers.