Are you looking for stainless steel fasteners?
Stainless steel fasteners are a great choice when you need to use metal Fasteners in your application. They’re corrosion-resistant, durable, and can be used in many different environments. Plus they look nice!
Stainless steel alloys (stainless steel) have been in use since 1912. Depending on the desired properties of the stainless steel, different alloying elements are used. This article is all about the types of stainless steel, and the characteristics, the stainless steel alloys have.
But did you know that there are different grades of stainless steel fasteners available? And what does this mean for your project? Let’s take a closer look at the various grades of stainless-steel fasteners and how they might impact your design.
Types of stainless steel are identified by a combination of four things:
- whether they are magnetic
- whether they are hard
- whether they are corrosion resistant and
- whether they are weldable
There are four main types of stainless steel – 304, 316, 430 & 17-4PH. Each type has its unique properties which make it suitable for certain applications over others. For example, 304 is often the most cost-effective option but isn’t as strong as some other grades such as 316 or 17-4PH (which is also very expensive). We are a leading distributor of stainless steel fasteners and carbon steel fasteners. Our products come in various grades including 304, 316, 410, 420, and more. We also have an extensive inventory that includes bolts, screws, nuts, and washers.
The most common type of stainless steel is 304, with a chromium content of approximately 16-18%. 316 and 430 stainless steel, typically used in medical instruments, contain 18-20% chromium.
304 and 316 stainless steels are the most popular grades, used for their corrosion resistance, high tensile strength, and toughness. In addition, 304 and 316 stainless steels are easily welded, machined, formed, formed, and punched.
- AISI 430 stainless steel has outstanding corrosion resistance to caustic soda, phosphoric acid, chlorides, and sulfuric acid. It is used for parts exposed to sulfur compounds, chlorides, and sulfuric acid.
- AISI 201 stainless steel has special corrosion resistance to chlorides and sulfur compounds, and is used in chemical processing equipment.
- AISI 304 stainless steel is an excellent general purpose stainless steel, widely used in springs, fasteners, pipes, tubing, parts requiring machining, and for general fabrication.
- AISI 316 stainless steel contains molybdenum for resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion.
- AISI 201 stainless steel contains molybdenum for resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion.
- AISI 410 stainless steel contains chromium, nickel, and molybdenum for excellent resistance to corrosion and oxidation. It is used for gears, industrial parts, pumps, and valves.
- AISI 430 stainless steel contains chromium, nickel, and molybdenum for excellent resistance to corrosion and oxidation.
Stainless steel fasteners are available in 410, 316, 304, and 316/304 stainless steel. This Stainless Steel fastener is made of grade 10.9, commonly referred to as 18-8. 18-8 contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel and has a tensile strength of 60,000 psi and yield strength of 40,000 psi.
The best-known type of stainless steel is 304, which contains 18% chromium, 8% nickel, and 4.5% manganese. 304 stainless steel, like 18/8 stainless steel, is magnetic. 304 stainless steel is also the hardest of the 4 types of stainless steel.
304 stainless steel is magnetic because it does not contain iron. Ferritic stainless steel, on the other hand, does contain iron. 304 stainless steel is also corrosion-resistant because chromium reacts with oxygen to form a protective layer. This layer prevents oxygen from reacting with the iron, which in turn prevents rust. 304 stainless steel is also weldable, which makes it a common material for fabrication.
There are four groups of stainless steels. These groups divide the various alloys of stainless steel into a fair representation of strength, rigidity, and cost. The first three groups are austenitic, ferritic, and martensitic. Each shares a similar trait in that it contains 17-20% chromium as alloy addition. The fourth group is that of precipitation hardening stainless steel. These contain from 8-12% chromium as an alloy addition as well as other elements such as nickel and molybdenum.
Stainless steel alloys can be broadly classified into four types:
- Ferritic stainless steel (stainless steel)
- Martensitic stainless steel (stainless steel)
- Austenitic stainless steel (stainless steel)
- Duplex stainless steel (stainless steel)
Ferritic stainless steel alloys include AISI 304, AISI 316, and AISI 317. These alloys are non-magnetic and have good forming qualities. Ferritic stainless steel alloys have good anti-corrosive properties. Ferritic stainless steel: 18-8 is the most common type of this alloy. It has high corrosion resistance.
Martensitic stainless steel alloys include AISI 420, AISI 440, AISI 446, AISI 446M and AISI 1.4404. These alloys have high mechanical properties. Martensitic stainless steel has good weldability. Martensitic stainless alloys have moderate corrosion resistance. Martensitic stainless steel: 420, 430, 17-4, and 18-8 are other types, having high resistance to corrosion combined with high strength.
Austenitic stainless steel alloys include AISI 202, AISI 304L, AISI 304H, and AISI 321. Austenitic stainless steels are non-magnetic and have good forming qualities. Austenitic stainless steel: 304 and 316 are the most common types, having both good corrosion resistance and high strength.
Duplex stainless steel alloys include AISI 2205, AISI 2507. Duplex stainless steel: 2205, 2507 and 2507L are other types, having high corrosion resistance combined with high tensile strength.
Austenitic Stainless Steel Fasteners
Austenitic stainless steel is a group of non-magnetic, chromium, and nickel-based alloys. These steels contain both alpha and beta prime austenite and can be hardened by cold work. They are available in the annealed condition and are further heat treated conditions such as: quenched and tempered, normalized, stress relieved.
They can only be hardened by cold work and are non-magnetic in the annealed condition. Typical of the austenitic group is Type 304, which contains nominally 18% chromium and 8% nickel.
Austenitic stainless steel, also known as 18-8 stainless, has good resistance to corrosion and can be used in a variety of projects. It differs from martensitic and ferritic stainless steel due to the austenite phase that is created at room temperature. This phase makes it more resistant to corrosion under low temperatures. It does not have the magnetic properties of other steels, though. Austenitic stainless steel fasteners are an excellent option for your next project.
These products are malleable and weldable. They can be used in extreme environments where corrosion is present. Given the right conditions, they can be essential to your next important project. Our Austenitic stainless steel fasteners were created with these qualities in mind.
They can be used in applications with high levels of water and moisture that would rust and corrode regular steel fasteners. They were also created to be long-lasting and withstand heavy-duty use. Austenitic Stainless Steels are typically non-magnetic, but certain alloys can be quite magnetic.
Ferritic stainless steels
Ferritic stainless steels are alloys that have been created for the purpose of being corrosion resistant. Ferritic means “containing iron”, which is the primary metal used for this type of steel. While most ferritic stainless steel contains low levels of carbon, this component does not help make them more corrosion resistant. The primary alloying components used are chromium and molybdenum. These metals offer exceptional corrosion resistance properties.
Ferritic stainless steels are known by other names too, such as chromium stainless steel, near-chromium stainless steel, low alloy ferritic stainless steel. Due to the low carbon content of these materials, their corrosion resistance is extremely high. Ferritic stainless steel should not be used in the same application as other grades of stainless steel without careful consideration.
Ferritic stainless steel is a relatively straight chromium non-hardenable class of stainless alloys that have chromium ranging from 10.5% to 30% and a carbon level under 20%. These steels are essentially non-hardenable by heat treatment and can be further strengthened by cold rolling. Its excellent corrosion resistance is owed, in part, to the high chromium content and the formation of a subsurface oxide film that prevents deep pits from forming. However, ferritic alloys, like most ferritic materials, also display high-temperature embrittlement.
Ferritic stainless steels are generally known by the UNS designation Cr-Mo or Cr-Mo-Fe. These materials are non-hardenable by heat treatment and only slightly hardenable by cold rolling. Ferritic stainless steel, also known as FERINTHIAN, is a class of austenitic chromium steels with iron to give improved workability by cold rolling. Ferritic stainless steel is reduced nitride grades of austenitic steels.
Ferritic Stainless Steels make up a major part of the stainless family and are used extensively in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Ferritic Steel is non-hardenable and can make it quite difficult to weld.
Duplex stainless steel Fasteners:
Duplex stainless steels are a family of stainless-steels that contains a low percentage of nickel. This gives duplex stainless steels a wide range of properties and applications. This video will examine the properties and benefits provided by the type 304 ‘S’ series, as well as S31803 stainless steel and S32205 stainless steel.
Duplex stainless steels are combinations of ferritic and austenitic stainless steels that have been grouped into four categories. Additions of molybdenum and niobium have been added to the stainless steel typically to raise its strength levels and extract a little more toughness from the steel. Ferritic properties are realized over a narrow range of microstructure average grain size. The best properties from austenite require a large percentage which decomposes at temperatures above 800°F (427°C). In many cases, for applications requiring higher temperatures, optimum properties can be obtained
Although duplex and austenitic stainless steels look alike and are manufactured in the same plants, duplex steels generally cost less than austenitic steels. Duplex and austenitic stainless steels look alike because they both contain chromium and nickel (alloys that prevent corrosion) as key ingredients. However, as noted previously, duplex steels contain less nickel than austenitic steels. This is why a duplex may be a better choice than austenitic stainless steel for those looking to reduce the cost of their investment.
Duplex stainless steels are specifically designed for extreme operating conditions that involve high temperatures, pressure, and/or corrosive environments. These steels are particularly useful in food, chemical processing, power generation, petroleum, pulp and paper, air pollution control, and cryogenic industries. Duplex stainless steels are resistant to corrosion and pitting, but not resistant to rusting. They emphasize strength over toughness.
- S31803 and
- S32205
are two types of duplex stainless steels. They possess properties that allow for welding with lasers or thermal methods, or with metals such as carbon steel, nickel iron and titanium.
S31803 stainless steel is a weldable grade of duplex stainless steel with higher levels of chromium and nickel than the grades of stainless steel we offer in sheet and plate form. S31803 stainless steel is commonly used in the food and dairy products industry, and also in marine applications because of its resistance to salt and aquatic environments. You will find S31803 stainless steel used in food processing facilities for dryers, evaporators, exchangers, condensers, and sterilizers. It is also used in marine applications such as steering gear, pump housings, and bilge water equipment where exposure to saltwater is necessary.
S32205 stainless steel appliances are crafted with ease in mind. They are simple, easy to clean, built to last, and engineered for functionality. The S32205 is crafted of premium 18/10 stainless steel—strong, scratch-resistant, and resistant to corrosion.
Martensitic Stainless Steel
Martensitic stainless steel is more corrosion resistant than ferritic stainless steel; however, martensitic stainless steel is not as strong as ferritic stainless steel. Martensitic stainless steels typically contain between 11.5 to 18% chromium, up to 1% carbon, and other elements, such as nickel, selenium, and niobium. This steel type is heat-treated and quenched after normalization and precipitation, followed by aging at temperatures of up to 570 degrees C. They all exhibit good resistance to corrosion and good wear resistance by the formation of a continuous layer of chromium oxide on their surface.
Martensitic stainless steel is ferromagnetic, subject to an impact transition at low temperatures, and possesses poor formability. Their thermal expansion and other thermal properties are similar to conventional steels. They may be welded with caution, but cracking can be a feature when matching filler metals are used.
Martensitic stainless steels are commonly used for hot working, cold working, and cryogenic applications. The most common steel in this group is 440C with carbon content varying between 0.08% and 1%. It is also possible to find martensitic grades with chemically added nickel content due to the fact that it helps minimize coarse carbide formation. When it is heated to a high temperature, the carbon in martensitic stainless steel becomes mobile and crystallizes into a body-centered cubic or bcc phase. This is one of the most stable phases in any steel and creates stable steel that is extremely difficult to corrode.
Martensitic stainless steel is a group of alloys that are characterized by high strength and good corrosion resistance properties. martensitic 304 stainless steel itself is one of the most commonly used non-ferrous alloys in situations having to do with corrosive chemicals such as sulfides and highly oxidized solutions.
Martensitic stainless steel is one of the most common types of steel in use currently. This particular type of steel contains 1-2% carbon, giving it increased strength while keeping it soft enough to bend easily. The carbon content listed above must be contained within a certain percentage range in order for the steel to fall into the category of martensitic stainless steel. There are many uses for this type of metal, including valves, pumps, aircrafts, and even marine equipment.
If you have any questions about which grade would work best for your project we’d love to help! Just give us a call at +91-966-669-1266 or send us an email at info@intact360.com. We’re always happy to help our customers find the right solution for their needs!