UNS S30400 (commonly referred to as 304 stainless steel, European standard designation 1.4301) is the most widely used general-purpose austenitic stainless steel, with a balanced combination of corrosion resistance, formability, weldability and mechanical properties that makes it the global industry benchmark for stainless steel applications. It offers superior atmospheric and general media corrosion resistance over 400 series ferritic and martensitic stainless steels, and is widely used in food processing, architectural decoration, chemical equipment, water treatment and daily hardware scenarios.
Machinability
Stainless steel grade UNS S30400 304/1.4301 has machinability characteristics that are typical of standard austenitic stainless steels; however it requires consistent cutting speeds, sufficient feed rates, and high machine rigidity due to its moderate work hardening rate during machining. It is recommended that sharp, wear-resistant carbide tooling optimized for austenitic stainless steels be used.
Forming
Stainless steel grade UNS S30400 304/1.4301 can be formed using the same conventional cold and hot forming methods applied for other austenitic stainless steels. It has excellent ductility, requiring lower forming force than high-alloy austenitic grades,and is highly adaptable to deep drawing, bending and stamping processes. Hot forging can be done at 1150-1260°C (2100-2300°F).
Welding
Welding of stainless steel grade UNS S30400 304/1.4301 can be performed using all traditional fusion and resistance joining processes. Recommended filler metal should be AWS E308L/ER308L for most general applications.
Caution should be taken while using autogenous welding for thick sections (over 6mm) or components serving in strongly corrosive environments, due to the risk of chromium carbide precipitation and reduced intergranular corrosion resistance in the heat-affected zone; post-weld solution annealing is recommended for these critical scenarios.
Heat Treatment
Final solution annealing process performed for optimal performance in most applications, is done at 1010-1100°C
(1850-2010°F),which is followed by rapid water quenching. In case this material is used in a strongly corrosive
environment,annealing should be done at the upper end of the temperature range (1060-1100°C / 1940-2010°F) to ensure full carbide dissolution.This austenitic alloy cannot be hardened by thermal heat treatment, only through cold working.