10/17/2016

StainlessSteelinArchitectureOverview
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TechnicalLibrary ReferenceinformationforUsers,DesignersandEngineers StainlessSteelinArchitecture

StainlessSteelinArchitectureAnOverview
Whatisstainlesssteel?
Stainlesssteelisessentiallyalowcarbonsteeltowhichchromiumhasbeenadded.Itisthisadditionofchromium,inamountsgreater
than10.5%byweight,thatgivesthesteelitsunique'stainless',corrosionresistingproperties.
Thechromiumcontentofthesteelallowstheformationofatough,adherent,invisible,corrosionresistingchromiumoxidefilmonthe
steelsurface.Ifdamagedmechanicallyorchemicallythisfilmisselfhealing,providedthatoxygen,eveninverysmallamounts,is
present.Thecorrosionresistanceaswellasotherusefulpropertiesofthesteelareenhancedbyincreasedchromiumcontentandthe
additionofotherelementssuchasmolybdenum,nickelandnitrogen.

Benefitsofstainlesssteels
Aestheticappearance
Thebright,easilymaintainedsurfaceofstainlesssteelprovidesanattractiveandcontemporaryappearance,idealforamyriadof
architecturalapplications.
Corrosionresistance
Loweralloygradesresistcorrosioninnormalatmosphericandpotablewaterenvironments,whilethemorehighlyalloyedgradescan
resistcorrosioninmanyacidsandalkalinesolutions,andsomechloridebearingenvironment,propertieswhicharewidelyutilisedin
processplants.
Strength
StainlessSteelshavehightensilestrengthsandexcellentfatigueproperties.Austeniticgradesworkhardenwithcoldworking,and
duplexsteelsallowforreducedthicknessesovertraditionalgrades.Substantialcostsavingsthereforeresultaswellasincreased
competitivenesswithalternativematerials.
Toughnessandimpactresistance
Theausteniticmicrostructureofthe300seriesprovideshightoughness,fromelevatedtemperaturestofarbelowfreezing,making
thesesteelssuitedtoallapplications,includingcryogenicones.
Heatresistance
Specialhighchromiumandnickelalloyedgradesresistscalingandretainstrengthathightemperatures,uptoover1100C.
Easeoffabrication
Modernsteelmanipulationtechniquesmeanthatstainlesssteelscanbecut,welded,formed,andfabricatedasreadilyastraditional
steelsandothermaterials.
Hygiene
Theeasycleanabilityofstainlesssteelsurfacesmakesitthefirstchoiceforstricthygieneconditions,suchasinhospitals,kitchens,
abattoirsandotherfoodprocessingplants.
Lowmaintenancecosts
Stainlesssteelnormallyrequiresonlyaperiodicwashwithsoapandwatertomaintainitsoriginalfinish.
Longtermvalue
Whenthetotallifecyclecostsareconsidered,stainlesssteelisoftentheleastexpensivematerialoption.

Gradesofstainlesssteel
Variousgradesofstainlesssteelareidentifiedbytheircontentofalloyingelements.Theseaffecttheirmetallurgicalmicrostructures(by
whichthetypesaredesignated)aswellastheirmechanicalpropertiesandcorrosionresistance,whichcanbeexploitedbythe
engineerandarchitect.
Ferritic(AISI400series)
Typicallycontaining10.5%minchromiumandlowcarbon(<0.12%).Microstructureofmartensiteandferrite.
Martensitic(AISI400series)
Typicallycontaining1218%chromiumandhighercarbon(>0.12%).Microstructureofmartensiteandferrite.
Austenitic(AISI300series)
Typicallycontaining1726%chromium,725%nickelandupto7%molybdenum.Microstructureofaustenite,sothesegradesarenon
magnetic.
Duplex
Typicallycontaining1825%chromium,47%nickelandupto4%molybdenum.Microstructureofausteniteandferrite.
Typicalgradesusedinarchitecture
Theausteniticsteelsaccountforinexcessof70%ofstainlesssteelproduction,andrepresentbyfarthegreatestpercentageof
stainlesssteelsusedintheArchitectural,BuildingandConstructionmarkets.Theremainderisprimarilyferriticgrade430.
Thegradesofparticularinteresttothearchitectarelistedbelow:

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StainlessSteelinArchitectureOverview
Grade301
17%Cr7%Ni:Aloweralloysgradewhichresultsinhighstrengthandcomparativelyhighductilityaftercoldworking.
Grade304
18%Cr9%Ni:Thegeneralpurposegradewithexcellentworkability,weldabilityandpolishability.
Grade316
18%Cr10%Ni2%Mo:SuperiorcorrosionresistancetotheotherwisesimilarpropertiesoftypeGrade.The"marinegrade"stainless
steel.
Grade304andGrade316areusedforinternalandexternalapplications.
Grade430
17%Cr:Interiorarchitecturalapplications.GenerallyslightlylowercorrosionresistancethanGrade304withadequateductilityformost
formingoperations.Notassuitableforweldingoperations.

Formsandfinishes
Stainlesssteelcomesinawidevarietyofproductformsandstandardsurfacefinishes.
Acompleterangeofproductsencompassingsheet,coil,strip,plate,bar,wire,tube,pipe,fasteners,etcisveryimportanttomeetthe
diversityofarchitecturalapplications.
Surfacefinisheswhichimpartstainlesssteelwithuniqueaestheticappealvaryaccordingtoproductform.Themostcommonfinishes
howeverrangefrom2B,asilverygreygeneralpurposecoldrolledfinish,throughBA(BrightAnnealed),HairlineandNo.4(bothwith
visibleparallelpolishingmarks)andNo.8,themostreflectivefinish,buffpolishedforhighqualityarchitecturalapplications.
Othernonstandardfinishesareavailableonapplicationincludingembossedandpatternedfinishes.
Tomanyofthese,colourssuchasgold,bronze,blue,red,greenandblackmaybeaddedbychemicalprocess.
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