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Austenitic stainless steel is the most widely used family of stainless steels, accounting for over 70% of total stainless steel production. Renowned for its exceptional corrosion resistance, superior formability, and excellent performance across a wide range of temperatures, it is the material of choice for countless industries.
At Huaxiao Metal, we are a leading supplier and manufacturer specializing in high-quality austenitic stainless steel products. This guide provides comprehensive information to help you select the perfect grade for your specific application.
Whether you want to check inventory availability, compare prices, or explore austenitic stainless steel options for sale, our team is here to help you every step of the way. Contact us today to learn more about our austenitic stainless steel stock sizes, prices, and more.
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If you want to buy austenitic stainless steel products, please contact the right stainless steel supplier – Huaxiao Metal provides you with the latest austenitic stainless steel prices.
Choosing the right grade is crucial for the success and longevity of your project. Below is a detailed the primary austenitic grades we supply at Huaxiao Metal. Each grade is linked to its specific product page for more details.
Austenitic stainless steel is stainless steel with a special crystal structure. It is composed of iron, chromium, and other alloying elements, and the content of chromium is usually more than 10%. Compared with other types of stainless steel, austenitic stainless steel has higher corrosion resistance and mechanical strength.
Austenitic stainless steel gets its name from its crystal structure, which has an austenitic crystal structure. The austenitic crystal structure consists of closely packed atoms, giving it high hardness and strength. This structure enables austenitic stainless steel to have good mechanical properties and also provide high corrosion resistance.
Austenitic stainless steel has good plasticity and weldability at room temperature and also has high strength and hardness. This stainless steel is widely used in many fields, including construction, manufacturing, chemical, food processing, and medical equipment. It is commonly used in the manufacture of various products such as pipes, containers, tools, tableware, medical devices, and more.
It is worth noting that austenitic stainless steel is not the only type of stainless steel, there are several other common stainless steels, such as ferritic stainless steel and martensitic stainless steel. Each stainless steel has its unique properties and fields of application. Selecting the proper stainless steel material depends on specific application requirements.
The unique crystal structure of austenitic stainless steel gives it a distinct set of properties that make it highly versatile and sought-after.
Excellent Corrosion Resistance: Highly resistant to atmospheric corrosion and a wide variety of chemicals, acids, and alkaline solutions.
Superb Formability and Weldability: Can be easily formed, bent, and fabricated. It is weldable by all standard fusion and resistance welding techniques.
Typically Non-Magnetic: In the annealed condition, austenitic grades are non-magnetic, which is critical for specific applications like medical devices (MRI) and sensitive electronics.
Impressive Toughness: Maintains excellent toughness and strength even at cryogenic temperatures.
Hardenable by Cold Working: While it cannot be hardened by heat treatment, its strength and hardness can be significantly increased through cold working.
Hygienic and Easy to Clean: The smooth, non-porous surface is easy to clean and sanitize, making it a standard in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries.
Standard grades of austenitic stainless steels contain a maximum of 0.08% carbon; there is no minimum carbon requirement.
“L” grades are used to provide additional corrosion resistance after welding. The letter “L” after the stainless steel grade designates low carbon. Carbon content should be kept at 0.03% or less to avoid carbide precipitation, which can lead to corrosion. Grade “L” is generally used due to the temperatures generated during welding (which can lead to carbon precipitation). Typically, stainless steel mills can offer dual-certified stainless steel grades such as 304/304L or 316/316L.
Stainless steel “H” grades have a minimum carbon content of 0.04% and a maximum carbon content of .10%. Higher carbon helps maintain strength in extreme temperatures. The letter “H” after the stainless steel grade designates these grades. This designation is used when the end use involves extreme temperature environments.
Type 304: One of the most commonly used (austenitic) stainless steel grades. Its high content of chromium and nickel makes it the first choice for manufacturing process equipment for the chemical (mild chemical), food/dairy, and beverage industries. This grade has an excellent combination of strength, corrosion resistance, and fabric properties.
Type 316: This stainless steel grade contains 18% chromium, 14% nickel, and added molybdenum. These combine to improve its corrosion resistance. In particular, molybdenum is used to help control pitting corrosion. This grade resists scaling at temperatures up to 1600 F. Type 316 is used in chemical processing, pulp and paper industries, food and beverage processing and distribution, and highly corrosive environments. It is also used in the marine industry due to its corrosion resistance properties.
Type 317: Molybdenum content higher than 316%, used in highly corrosive environments. The molybdenum content of this grade must be greater than 3%. Scrubber systems are commonly used in air pollution control installations to remove particulate matter and gases from industrial exhaust streams.
Type 321: The titanium content is at least five times the carbon content. This is done to reduce or eliminate chromium carbide precipitation due to welding or exposure to high temperatures and is used in the aerospace industry.
Type 347: In a strong oxidizing environment, the corrosion resistance is slightly improved compared to Type 321 stainless steel. For applications requiring intermittent heating between 800ºF (427ºC) and 1650ºF (899ºC), or welding under conditions that prevent post-weld annealing, Type 347 should be considered.
With so many uses for austenitic stainless steel, it is no wonder that it holds such a large share of the overall global market share. These stainless steels come in two series – 200 series and 300 series.
The 300 series is nickel-based and includes standard austenitic stainless steels, the most commonly used grade 304. It typically contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel, which is the minimum amount of nickel needed to convert ferritic stainless steel to austenite when that much chromium is present. The 200 series is low in nickel and high in nitrogen or manganese, making it a cheaper alternative to the 300 series. The following are some application families of austenitic stainless steels:
These are the common applications of 200 series and 300 series austenitic stainless steels in different fields, but it is not an exhaustive list, because the application fields of austenitic stainless steels are very wide and exist in almost every industry and field.
Expertise & Experience: With years of experience, our team of specialists can help you navigate the complexities of material selection to find the perfect solution.
Comprehensive Inventory: We stock a wide range of austenitic grades in various forms, including coils, sheets, plates, strips, and pipes, ready to meet your project’s demands.
Quality Assurance: All our products adhere to strict international standards (ASTM, ASME, EN), and we provide Mill Test Certificates (MTC) for full traceability.
Custom Fabrication: We offer value-added services such as cutting, slitting, surface finishing (e.g., No.4, BA, 8K Mirror), and polishing to deliver products that meet your exact specifications.
No, in its annealed (heat-treated) and unstressed state, it is non-magnetic. However, cold working (such as bending or drawing) can induce some magnetism in the material.
Yes, it has excellent weldability. Low-carbon grades like 304L and 316L are preferred for welding applications to prevent “weld decay” (intergranular corrosion) and ensure a strong, durable joint without needing post-weld heat treatment.
The primary difference is the addition of molybdenum in Grade 316. This gives 316 significantly better corrosion resistance, especially in chloride-rich environments like coastal areas or chemical plants. For general purposes, 304 is an excellent and cost-effective choice.
304 vs 316 Stainless Steel
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