Believes that engineering is the art of changing this world forever, everyday, little by little, and sometimes all at once. But even though it has less carbon, 316L is very similar to 316 in almost every way. Common uses for type 316 stainless steel include in the construction of exhaust manifolds, furnace parts, heat exchangers, jet engine parts, pharmaceutical and photographic equipment, valve and pump parts, chemical processing equipment, tanks, and evaporators. As is the case with all austenitic stainless steels, SS AISI 316 cannot be hardened through heat treatment procedures. Considered resistant to potable water with up to about 1000 mg/L chlorides at ambient temperatures, reducing to about 500 mg/L at 60 °C.316 is usually regarded as the standard “marine grade stainless steel”, but it is not resistant to warm sea water. 316L also is a great stainless steel for high-temperature, high-corrosion uses, which is why it's so popular for use in construction and marine projects. AISI 316 stainless steel is commonly used for equipment in the pharmaceutical industry The SAE / ANSI / AISI 316 is the second most commonly available/widely used type of stainless steel after the SAE/ANSI/AISI 304. Neither 316 nor 316L is the cheapest option. While similar to Type 304, which is common in the food industry, both type 316 and 316L exhibit better corrosion resistance and are stronger at elevated temperatures. Annealing (a treatment to reduce hardness and increase ductility, or the ability to accept plastic deformation) 316 and 316L stainless steels require heat treatment of between 1,900 and 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit (1,038 to 1,149 degrees Celsius) before rapidly quenching. AISI 316 stainless steel is commonly used for equipment in the pharmaceutical industryThe SAE / ANSI / AISI 316 is the second most commonly available/widely used type of stainless steel after the SAE/ANSI/AISI 304. Marine-grade stainless steel, called type 316, is resistant to certain types of corrosive environments. 316L, however, is a better choice for a project that requires a lot of welding because 316 is more susceptible to weld decay than 316L (corrosion within the weld). Stainless Steel 316 – UNS S31600 Good corrosion resistance and resists pitting from chloride ions at higher temps Stronger than 304 at elevated temperatures Used in furnace parts, aerospace engines, chemical and pulp/papers applications This grade of steel is effective in protecting against corrosion caused by sulfuric, hydrochloric, acetic, formic, and tartaric acids, as well as acid sulfates and alkaline chlorides. Considered the generic workhorse, the In comparison, the SS AISI 316 boasts better resistance to chloride-rich conditions than the typical SS 304 thanks to the molybdenum addition.Also known as surgical stainless steel, marine steel, 316S16 (as per the It is also worth noting that SS AISI 316 can withstand extremely corrosive environments and is easily shaped, welded and machined. Here is a breakdown of the percentages of various elements used to create type 316 and 316L steels:
Summary Grade 316 is an improved version of CS 304, with the addition of molybdenum and a slightly higher nickel content. 316 stainless steel has more carbon in it than 316L. However, 316 can be annealed to resist weld decay. Consequently, 316L is used when welding is required to ensure maximum corrosion resistance. Terence Bell wrote about commodities investing for The Balance, and has over 10 years experience in the rare earth and minor metal industries. There is a variety of different types of 316 stainless steel. The resultant composition of CS 316 gives the steel much increased corrosion resistance in many aggressive environments. It also is used in pulp, paper, and textile processing equipment and for any parts exposed to marine environments. Type 316 grade stainless steel is particularly effective in acidic environments. The "L" designation means 316L steel has less carbon than 316. This is easy to remember, as the L stands for "low." Type 316 steel is an austeniticchromium-nickel stainless steel that contains between two and 3% molybdenum. Using standard fusion methods, it is very popular in a wide range of applications including the following sectors:Additional reasons why AISI 316 is used in the aforementioned sectors include:A marina bollard manufactured from Stainless Steel AISI 316Heat treatment is achieved via an annealing procedure where the product is heated up to 1900 degrees Celsius, followed by adequately quick (three minutes) air cooling down to 400-800 degrees Celsius. Considered the generic workhorse, the SS … The molybdenum content increases corrosion resistance, improves resistance to pitting in chloride ion solutions, and increases strength at high temperatures. 316 Stainless Steel Similar to 304, Grade 316 stainless steel has high amounts of chromium and nickel. Subject to pitting and crevice corrosion in warm chloride environments, and to stress corrosion cracking above about 60 °C. 316 also contains silicon, manganese, and carbon, with the majority of the composition being iron.