Popular Grades of Stainless Steel Wire
All forms of stainless steel can be supplied in any of a wide variety of grades, each of which contains different types and levels of alloying elements to result in correspondingly different properties. Stainless steel wire is no exception: in this edition of the BS Stainless blog, we look at three of the most commonly-used grades of stainless steel wire.
Grade 304 Stainless Steel Wire
Part of the austenitic family of stainless steels, grade 304 offers exceptional versatility, making it one of the most popular grades for a diverse array of applications. This grade contains high levels of both chromium and nickel, which together imbue the finished alloy with excellent resistance to corrosion. It also displays high strength even in high-temperature environments and so is widely used for welding. Non-magnetic when annealed and especially ductile, 304 grade stainless steel wire shows good formability.
Grade 316 Stainless Steel Wire
It is the addition of molybdenum that elevates grade 304 stainless steel to grade 316. This additional alloying element further strengthens the material's resistance to pitting and corrosion, especially in the demanding marine environment and chemical processing industries. Like grade 304, this grade of stainless steel wire displays excellent strength, weldability and ductility, which sees it used widely in the construction industry.
Grade 316L is a version of grade 316 with a lower amount of carbon. When it is cold worked, this grade is capable of achieving high tensile and yield strengths comparable to duplex stainless steel grades.
Grade 430 Stainless Steel Wire
This grade of stainless steel is ferritic, which means that they contain higher amounts of iron and do not contain any nickel. As the steels in this family are not as resistant to corrosion as those in the 300 series, they are generally available at a lower cost and are often used for indoor applications such as the fabrication of kitchenware and decorative trims. Grade 430 stainless steel wire is magnetic.
BS Stainless is proud to be the UK's largest independent processor and supplier of stainless steel wire in a comprehensive selection of grades and types. We invite you to browse our website to discover the complete collection with full details of the grades available for each particular type. If you need further assistance, please get in touch with a member of our dedicated technical team who will be more than happy to help.