Stainless Steel Selection

Many factors aretaken into consideration in determining what grade of stainless steel tubing toselect. The key requirement for stainless steels is that, for a givenapplication or setting, they should be corrosion resistant. Power andfabrication features are also taken into account. More than 60 grades ofstainless steel exist. The entire group can, however, be split into fourmetallurgical groups.

Additionalmechanical or physical properties may also need to be considered to meet theoverall service efficiency criteria when deciding what grade to choose.

Stainless steel isa widely used material because of its high corrosion resistance, hygiene, andstrength in applications ranging from medical instruments or chemical storageto transport or power generation. Although there are more than 3,500 steelgrades, not all grades are equally made.

With so manychoices, how do you make sure that you choose the right grade for yourparticular needs?

Choose the RightMetal for Your Operating Environment

Think about theconditions your final product will face in order to decide which grade of steelwill better perform in a given setting. Highly low pH, high stress and hightemperatures, and crevice corrosion have a negative effect on the performanceof stainless steel.

Steels in theaustenitic T3XX series maintain their strength, durability, andcorrosion-resistant properties over the broadest temperature range, like thecommon types Stainless Steel 347 Tubes and Stainless Steel 347H Tubes.

The primarytrigger for selecting austenitic stainless grades is corrosion resistance.Stainless Steel 347 tubes also resists chloride ions found in marineapplications with its molybdenum addition. With any grade of steel, the bestdefense against corrosion is high quality structural design.

Prioritization ofDuctility, strength and toughness

First, considerthese top three mechanical attributes:

Ductility: Theability of a material to shift its shape without losing strength or cracking,such as being drawn out into a wire or thread.

Strength: Until itcracks or deforms, the stress a metal can withstand.

Toughness: Thestrength of the metal to bend and absorb energy before fracturing.

Stainless steel,as its alloying element, contains 10-30 percent chromium, which is what helpsit resist corrosion. Among stainless grades, the nickel addition in austeniticgrades offers the highest strength and ductility. The most resistant tocorrosion are grades high in chromium, molybdenum, and nickel.

The StainlessSteel 347 Tubes are essentially non-magnetic and have good toughness andstrength.

Factor in Form andProcess

In bar, wire,tube, pipe, sheet, and plate forms, austenitic stainless steel is readilyavailable; most items need more shaping or machining before they can be usedfor their particular application.

For example,stainless steel tubing can involve bending or coiling, re-drawing, machining,welding, or end shaping. Choose a lower carbon grade like Stainless Steel 347LTubes to reduce carbide formation.

Manage MaterialCost and Availability

While the mostcostly stainless steels up front are high-performing austenitic stainlesssteels, they are well worth the investment. Maintenance, downtime, andreplacement costs are reduced by choosing a corrosion-resistant materialwell-suited to its application. Life-cycle costing approaches will measurecurrent and potential costs and establish a comparison of various materialswith “apples-to-apples.” These Stainless Steel 347 & Stainless Steel 347Htubes are available in various shapes, sizes as per the requirements of ourclients.