Stainless steel is a commonly used material in precision CNC machining parts, injection molds and sheet metal parts. Now we share the "International Name Comparison Table" of different types of stainless steel at the bottom of this article.
At the same time, let's first understand the basic differences between 304 and 316 stainless steel.
The two most commonly used stainless steels are 304 and 316 (corresponding to the German/European standard 1.4308, 1.4408)
Advantages of 304 stainless steel: 304 stainless steel, also known as 18-8 stainless steel, contains 18% "chromium" and 8% "nickel". Because it has fewer alloy components and a relatively simple production process, it is relatively cheap and has good corrosion resistance. Therefore, for general cooking needs, the performance of 304 stainless steel is sufficient. Therefore, 304 stainless steel is often used in the manufacture of kitchenware. It is also the first choice for many civilian families, but for some people who have higher requirements for kitchen utensils, it may be worth considering 316 stainless steel. It has good corrosion resistance and processing properties, especially in general environments. It has good resistance to oxidizing acids, alkalis, salts, etc. In addition, 304 stainless steel also has good toughness and weldability, which makes it widely used in many fields such as medical industry/medical equipment parts, precision automotive parts, precision motorcycle parts, etc.
Excellent performance of 316 stainless steel
316 stainless steel contains 16% "chromium", 10% "nickel" and 2% "molybdenum" and is considered a higher grade stainless steel. 316 stainless steel has 2-3% more "molybdenum" added to its composition, which significantly improves its corrosion resistance. Especially in chloride environments, such as seawater and salt water, 316 stainless steel shows better corrosion resistance than 304. Therefore, 316 is more suitable for fields with strict requirements on corrosion resistance, such as chemical, marine and medical industries that require corrosion-resistant equipment.
316 stainless steel is also more stable than 304 in high temperature environments, so it is more suitable for high temperature and high pressure working environments.
316 stainless steel is considered high-end stainless steel, which makes 316 stainless steel the first choice for some professional kitchens and medical equipment. If you pursue a higher quality cooking experience, or have higher requirements for the material of home appliances, then 316 stainless steel may be more in line with expectations.
Both 304 and 316 are used in medical CNC machining parts and automotive CNC machining parts, mainly depending on the location and purpose of the CNC machining parts. However, 316 is more difficult to process because it is more likely to damage the CNC machining tool (drill bit) and consume the life of the CNC machining machine.
And sometimes we also harden the surface of stainless steel to meet the needs of some special parts. (For material hardening, please check another article on our website: Material hardening method: quenching)
1: Service life
In terms of service life, 316 stainless steel also has a longer service life than 304. Due to its excellent corrosion resistance, 316 can maintain excellent mechanical properties even when exposed to corrosive environments for a long time. Therefore, 316 will be more reliable in situations where long-term use is required.
2: Application fields
Since 304 stainless steel has good corrosion resistance and processing performance, and its cost is relatively low, it is widely used in construction, kitchenware, medical equipment, automotive parts, mold manufacturing and other fields. Among them, railings, handrails, doors and windows in the construction field are often made of 304 stainless steel to meet the requirements of long-term use without rust.
And 316 stainless steel, due to its excellent resistance to chloride corrosion, is more suitable for marine engineering, chemical equipment, pharmaceutical equipment, automotive CNC machining parts and other fields with high material requirements. For example, in marine engineering, seawater desalination equipment, offshore oil production platforms, etc. all use 316 stainless steel in large quantities to ensure the long-term stable operation of equipment in harsh marine environments.
However, aluminum alloy is more popular in aviation materials and drone parts because it is much lighter than stainless steel.
We often receive processing drawings of customized precision parts and accessories made of various materials. Here is the "International Name Comparison Table" of stainless steel materials. These materials are not only used in CNC milling machine parts, CNC lathe parts, sheet metal parts, but also often used in injection mold manufacturing.
We have 17 years of experience in providing precision machining parts for some of the world's leading companies. We can produce products with precise dimensions and strict appearance. We also provide precision injection molds; precision CNC machining and sheet metal parts services.
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