Stainless Steel 304

Stainless Steel 304 is one of the most widely used austenitic stainless steels. With chromium and nickel as its primary alloying elements, it offers good corrosion resistance, toughness, formability, and excellent weldability. Compared with 303, 304 provides better corrosion resistance and weldability but is more challenging to machine.

Appearance & Properties

Color: Silver-gray to bright silver

Density: Approx. 8.0 g/cm³

Tensile Strength: Approx. 515–620 MPa (annealed condition, depending on product form)

Corrosion Resistance: Good

Machinability: Moderate

Weldability: Excellent

Magnetism: Generally non-magnetic when annealed; some magnetism may develop after cold working

Surface Finishes: Polishing, brushing, bead blasting, passivation, electropolishing, etc.

Typical Applications

Stainless Steel 304 is widely used in food processing equipment, medical devices, automation equipment, electronics, automotive, chemical equipment, and general machinery.

Typical parts include equipment housings, brackets, flanges, fittings, valve bodies, pipe components, shafts, food-processing components, and precision CNC machined parts.

Advantages

• Good overall corrosion resistance

• Excellent weldability and formability

• Good toughness across a wide temperature range

• Excellent surface finish and appearance

• Widely available for industrial applications

Limitations

• Lower machinability than 303

• Prone to work hardening during machining

• Requires proper tooling and heat control during cutting

• Lower corrosion resistance than 316 in chloride and marine environments