STAINLESS STEEL

• STAINLESS STEEL

  An iron-based alloy that contains an appreciable percentage of chromium and nickel. Originally coined as “rustless steel” or “non-rusting steel”.
• STAINLESS STEEL

  Harry Brearley invented the first true stainless steel in 1913. He added 12.8% chromium to iron, and produced a metal that he found was resistant to both corrosion and rust. Brearley discovered this metal while looking for a solution to the problem of erosion in the gun barrels of the British army.
• STAINLESS STEEL | PROCESS

  1. Melting the Raw Materials. The different stainless steel materials are placed in a furnace and heated to their melting point. 
• STAINLESS STEEL | PROCESS

  2. Removal of Excess Carbon. The molten material is placed into a vacuum oxygen decarburization (VOD) or argon oxygen decarburization (AOD) system to remove excess carbon.
• STAINLESS STEEL | PROCESS

  3. Tuning or Stirring. To help fine-tune the quality of the final product, the molten steel may be stirred to help distribute and/or remove specific stainless steel components from the mixture.
• STAINLESS STEEL | PROCESS

  4. Forming the Metal. As the stainless steel begins to cool, it is put through a variety of forming processes—starting with hot rolling while the steel is still above its crystallization temperature. 
• STAINLESS STEEL | PROCESS

  5. Heat Treatment/Annealing. To relieve internal stresses and alter the stainless steel’s mechanical properties, it may be annealed (heated and cooled under controlled conditions).
• STAINLESS STEEL | PROCESS

  6. Cutting and Shaping. After the annealing process, stainless steel is put through a variety of cutting and shaping processes to create an ideal final product for the application.
• STAINLESS STEEL | PROCESS

  7. Applying Surface Finishes. The stainless steel manufacturer may apply different surface finishes to their stainless steel billets, blooms, or wires before shipping them to other manufacturers.
• STAINLESS STEEL | STRUCTURE

  • Stainless steel is a combination of metals known as an alloy. Iron ore, chromium, nickel, silicon, carbon, nitrogen, and manganese are some of the elements that make up stainless steel. Specifically, to be classified as stainless steel, the composition of the alloy must be at least 10.5% chromium.
• STAINLESS STEEL | STRUCTURE

  All metals and metal alloys have a crystalline structure, with its basic crystal pattern repeating throughout the metal:

  • Austenitic – Face-centered cubic (FCC) structure, stabilized by nickel and/or manganese.
  • Ferritic – Body-centered cubic (BCC) structure, stabilized by chromium.
• STAINLESS STEEL | STRUCTURE

  All metals and metal alloys have a crystalline structure, with its basic crystal pattern repeating throughout the metal:

  • Martensitic – Body-centered tetragonal (BCT) structure, achieved through heat treatment.
  • Duplex – Combination of austenitic and ferritic phases, typically in a 50-50 ratio.
  • Precipitation-Hardening – Contains small amounts of elements like copper, which form precipitates that enhance strength.
• STAINLESS STEEL | PERFORMANCE

  1. Food and Beverage
  2. Construction and Architecture
  3. Transportation
  4. Medical and Healthcare
  5. Appliances and Electronics
  6. Industrial Machinery