Stainless steel is arguably the most well-known type of steel on the market. Often called ‘corrosion-resistant steel’ as it doesn’t rust, stain, or corrode easily, stainless steel is a popular metal for a number of different application. This blog post will outline the main features and applications of stainless steel.
Stainless Steel Features
As mentioned above, stainless steel has a high level of corrosion resistance, this is due to the high chromium content within the metal. The chromium provides the metal with a self-healing, protective layer of oxide, this does not make stainless steel completely corrosion-proof.
Depending on the grade, corrosion levels vary in different environments. However, it’s anti-oxidation qualities ensure that stainless steel does not rust instantly when exposed to moisture and air like carbon steel.
Stainless steels can also exhibit higher tensile strength over other steels, especially duplex and super duplex stainless steel. Austenitic grades of stainless steels also exhibit higher strength when exposed to extreme temperatures, including extreme heat and cryogenic temperatures. Stainless steel also has a great strength to weight ratio.
Another reason why stainless steels are a popular choice is due to their workability and ease of fabrication. This type of metal can be cut, machined, welded, and formed extremely easily and into more usual shapes for a wide range of applications.
Stainless Steel Applications
The vast range of features that stainless steels possess enable its use in a wide range of applications. In both the food and medical industries stainless steel is used primarily for its cleanliness and resistance to rusting, as both industries require a sanitary environment.
The construction sector also utilizes stainless steel a lot due to the high tensile strength, low weight, and ease of fabrication. The metal is often used as reinforcing bars, cross sections, and beams to support large structures.
Traditionally, stainless steel is used in the automotive sector for car exhausts, grills, and trims as the corrosion resistance properties of the metal ensure these parts have a longer lifetime, saving costs. In addition to these uses, stainless steels are now being used in structural components of cars as well.
The oil industry is also a big adopter of stainless steels, as oil-rigs are often exposed to extreme environments. Off-shore oil rigs benefit from the corrosion resistance of stainless steel, to ensure they can be used at sea with little maintenance required.
Stainless Steel from Masteel
Masteel is a major global stainless steel supplier, and we can provide our products with a quick turnaround due to our in-house cutting and profiling services. We can supply our stainless steel products in a range of finishes with different qualities, depending on the application requirements.
If you would like any information about our stainless steel offerings, please contact us.