You can't see or feel any difference between 304 stainless steel fittings and 316 stainless steel fittings. Therefore, the stainless steel fittings are marked with ‘304' or ‘316' to tell them apart. The only difference is the presence of a chemical element called molybdenum, which gives it a higher degree of resistance to corrosion and oxidation in the 316 stainless steel fittings.To get more news about 304 stainless steel, you can visit stainless-steel-supplier official website.
In this blog we will break it down a little further, to better understand the difference between 304 stainless steel fittings and 316 stainless steel fittings, as well as some insight as to where light and heavy pattern stainless steel fittings are typically used.
There are many different types of stainless steel in the market today. The 300 series grades are "Austenitic Stainless Steels" containing high levels of chromium and nickel and low levels of carbon providing a balance of strength, workability and corrosion resistance. Austenitic Stainless Steels have the highest corrosion resistance and are the most commonly used type of stainless steel around the world.
Grade 304 is the most common "General Purpose" Austenitic" stainless steel. It contains between 18 - 20 percent chromium (Cr) and between 8 - 12 percent nickel (Ni), as well as small amounts of carbon (C) and manganese (Mn). Its chemical composition, mechanical properties and corrosion / oxidation resistance provide good all-round performance at relatively low cost compared to 316 and is another reason for its popularity and widespread use.
304 stainless steel fittings are commonly used to plumb residential / commercial water well and potable water plumbing installations. They are also an excellent choice for many other commercial / industrial non potable water applications where good corrosion resistance is required. They are not recommended for use in highly sulfuric, hydrochloric, formic and tartaric environments.
316 stainless steel has higher nickel and lower chromium content than 304 Stainless Steel. It contains between 16 - 18 percent chromium (Cr) and between 10 - 14 percent nickel (Ni), as well as small amounts of carbon (C) and manganese (Mn)., The key difference is the addition of 2 - 3 percent molybdenum (Mo) which makes it more corrosion resistant. Grade 316 is more expensive; however, it provides higher corrosion resistance, especially against chlorides and chlorinated solutions. 316 stainless is highly recommended in applications where powerful corrosives, chlorides / salt exposure is an issue since it will last longer than 304.