Stainless Steel

James River Steel, Inc. prides itself on product knowledge and customer satisfaction. Learn about the numerous advantages of using corrosion resistant stainless steel. Visit our Panel Profiles to view our many standard panels available in stainless steel.

Stainless Steel is the generic term for a family of corrosion resistant alloy steels containing 10.5% or more chromium.

Stainless Steel has high resistance to corrosion. High alloyed grades can resist corrosion in most acids and alkaline solutions at elevated temperatures and pressures.

The majority of Stainless Steel can be cut, formed, welded and machined quickly and easily. Stainless Steel is available in many finishes and is easily maintained as well as easily cleaned..

Stainless Steel is a strong, low maintenance material that is comparatively less expensive in the long run.
1. Martensitic - Straight Chromium, hardenable by heat treatment. Representative types are 410, 420, 431 and 440C.
2. Ferretic - Straight Chromium, non-hardenable by heat treatment. Representative types are 405 and 430.
3. Austenitic - Chromium-Nickel, non-hardenable by heat treatment. Representative types are 303, 304 and 316.
4.Precipitation Hardening

1. The martensitic chromium types are hardenable by heat treatment and are produced in bars and wire only, with the exception of Type 410. They are hardenable by heating above the crucial or transformation temperature and then rapidly cooled in oil or air. By proper selection of grades and analyses a wide range of "as quenched" hardness is available, depending primarily on carbon and chromium content. These grades contain maximum corrosion resistance in the hardenable condition. They may be annealed for best cold working and machining characteristics. All martensitic types are consistently magnetic.

2. The ferretic chromium types are non-hardenable by heat treatment. Also, they cannot be hardened to any appreciable extent by quenching from high temperature. They are generally used in the annealed of soft condition. Called the "straight" chromium grades, they contain no nickel, but are quite adequate for many applications.

3. The austenitic chromium-nickel grades (300 series) have the highest corrosion resistance of all stainless steels, as well as very fine mechanical properties. They cannot be hardened by heat treatment. While these alloys are normally non-magnetic, they become slightly magnetic as they are cold worked.They are widely used , with or without additional alloying elements, in sheet, strip, and plate form, as well as in bar and wire products.In the annealed state, the austenitic types have a tensile strength of 75,000 to 100,000 PSI, considerably higher than mild steel. Grades with a high chromium-to-nickel ratio, such as Type 301, can be cold work hardened to extremely high tensile strengths and still maintain good ductility.
4. Precipitation hardening groups contain steels that may be either martensitic or austenitic as used but they develop strength during heat treatment by utilizing precipitation hardening reactions rather than phase transformations such as is employed in heat treating steel.

Type 304 is the basic chromium-nickel stainless steel. It combines excellent mechanical properties with excellent resistance to many corrosive agents encountered in domestic and industrial use. It is non magnetic in the annealed condition and not hardenable by heat treatment.

Application- used where corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties are primary requirements. These grades are widely accepted in such industries as dairy, beverage and other food products where the highest degree of sanitation and cleanliness is of prime importance. Parts for acetic, nitric and citric acids, organic and inorganic chemicals, dyestuffs, crude and refined oils, etc., are fabricated from this material.

Type 316 is a chromium-nickel stainless steel modified by the addition of molybdenum, which greatly increases its corrosion resistance. Mechanical properties are also increased at elevated temperatures. It is non-magnetic in the annealed condition and is suitable for a large number of applications where corrosion resistance is important. It is also available in an extra low carbon analysis, Type 316L. Since type 316 possesses the highest creep and tensile strength at elevated temperatures of any of the more commonly used stainless steels, it finds extensive use where the combination of high strength and good corrosion resistance is required.

Applications - Widely used in the paper, textile and chemical industries, where parts are subjected to the corrosive effects of salts and reducing acids. Also used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals in order to avoid excessive metallic contamination.

Other materials available at James River Steel, Inc. are aluminum, galvanized steel, coated steel, painted steel, fiberglass and copper.