Alro Steel stocks stainless steel angle, beam and channel structural products in 304 and 316 grade.
Stainless steel properties
Stainless steel does not readily corrode, rust or stain with water as carbon steel does, but despite the name it is not fully stain-proof, most notably under low oxygen, high salinity, or poor circulation environments. It is also called corrosion-resistant steel or CRES when the alloy type and grade are not detailed, particularly in the aviation industry. There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment the alloy must endure.
Applications
Stainless steel is used where both the properties of steel and resistance to corrosion are required, such as food processing, mechanical and chemical engineering, fertilizer production, or nuclear power.
Typical applications for stainless steel 304/304L include architectural trim, beer barrels, cryogenic vessels, dairy equipment, and a wide variety of most food applications.
Typical applications for stainless steel 316 include acetic acid compounds, kettles for cooking catsup, pulp and paper processing equipment, water softener tanks, and many marine applications.
Composition
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel, a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5% to 11% chromium content by mass.
Stainless steel yield strength
Yield-KSI for grades 316 and 304L are both 30, while stainless steel 304 has a yield-KSI of 34.
Stainless steel processing
Alro offers a wide range of processing options to complement our metals products and meet the needs of our customers. Visit our metal processing services page to see our full range of stainless steel processing options.
Stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5% to 11% chromium content by mass. Stainless steel does not readily corrode, rust or stain with water as ordinary steel does, but despite the name it is not fully stain-proof, most notably under low oxygen, high salinity, or poor circulation environments. It is also called corrosion-resistant steel or CRES when the alloy type and grade are not detailed, particularly in the aviation industry. There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment the alloy must endure. Stainless steel is used where both the properties of steel and resistance to corrosion are required.
Stainless steel differs from carbon steel by the amount of chromium present. Unprotected carbon steel rusts readily when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film (the rust) is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide, and due to the greater volume of the iron oxide this tends to flake and fall away. Stainless steels contain sufficient chromium to form a passive film of chromium oxide, which prevents further surface corrosion and blocks corrosion from spreading into the metal's internal structure, and due to the similar size of the steel and oxide ions they bond very strongly and remain attached to the surface.
Alro Steel stocks Stainless Steel Angle, Beam and Channel in both 304 (304L) and 316 (316L) grade.
