Grade 316 Stainless Steel Sheet Description:

Stainless steel types 1.4401 and 1.4404 are also known as grades 316 and 316L respectively. Grade 316 is an austenitic grade second only to 304 in commercial importance. Stainless steel types 1.4401 and 1.4404 are also known as grades 316 and 3164L respectively. Grade 316 is an austenitic grade second only to 304 in commercial importance.

316 Stainless Steel

Stainless steel 316 contains an addition of molybdenum that gives it improved corrosion resistance. This is particularly apparent for pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride environments.

316L Stainless Steel

316L, the low carbon version of Stainless steel 316, is immune to grain boundary carbide precipitation (sensitisation). This makes it suited to use in heavy gauge (over about 6mm) welded components.

316Ti and 316H Stainless Steels

For elevated temperature applications the high carbon variant, 316H stainless steel and the stabilised grade 316Ti stainless steel should be employed.

The austenitic structure of Stainless steel 316 gives excellent toughness, even at cryogenic temperatures.

ASTM A240/A240M

Property data given in this document is typical for bar and section products covered by EN 10088-3:2005. ASTM, EN or other standards may cover all products sold. It is reasonable to expect specifications in these standards to be similar but not necessarily identical to those given in this datasheet.

Stainless steel grade 316Ti contains a small amount of titanium. Titanium content is typically only around 0.5%. The titanium atoms stabilise the structure of the 316 at temperatures over 800°C. This prevents carbide precipitation at the grain boundaries and protects the metal from corrosion. The main advantage of 316Ti is that it can be held at higher temperatures for a longer period without sensitisation (precipitation) occurring. 316Ti retains physical and mechanical properties similar to standard grades of 316.

Chemical Composition of Stainless steel 316:

Table 1. Typical chemical composition for 316 stainless steel alloys

%	316	316L	316H	316Ti
C	0.0-0.07	0.0-0.03	0.04-0.08	0.0- 0.08
Mn	0.0-2.0	0-2.0	0.0-2.00	0.0-2.00
Si	0.0-1.0	0.0-1.00	0.0-1.00	0.0- 1.00
P	0.0-0.05	0.0-0.05	0-0.04	0.0-0.05
S	0.0-0.02	0.0-0.02	0.0-0.02	0.0-0.03
Cr	16.50-18.50	16.50-18.50	16.50-18.50	16.50- 18.50
Mo	2.00-2.50	2.00-2.50	2.00-2.50	2.00- 2.50
Ni	10.00-13.00	10.00-13.00	10.00-13.00	10.50- 14.00
Ti	-	-	-	0.40- 0.70
Fe	balance	balance	balance	balance

Properties of Stainless Steel 316:

Mechanical Properties of Stainless Steel 316

Table 2. Typical mechanical properties for 316 stainless steel alloys

Grade	316 Bar and Section (up to 160 mm thick)	316 Sheet (up to 8 mm thick)	316 Plate (8 - 75 mm thick)	316L Bar and Section (up to 160 mm)	316L Sheet (up to 8 mm thick)	316 L Plate (8 - 75 mm thick)	316H Bar (up to 160 mm)	316Ti Bar (up to 160 mm)
Tensile Strength (MPa)	500 - 700	530 - 680	520 - 670	500 - 700	530 - 680	520 - 670	490 - 690	500 - 700
Proof Stress (MPa)	200 Min	240 Min	220 Min	200 Min	240 Min	220 Min	205 Min	200 Min
Elongation A50 mm	40 Min %	40 Min %	45 Min %	40 Min %	40 Min %	45 Min %	35 %	40 Min %
Hardness Brinell	215 Max HB	-	-	215 Max HB	-	-	-	215 Max HB

Physical Properties of Stainless Steel 316:able 3. for 316 alloys

Property	Value
Density	8.00 g/cm3
Melting Point	1400°C
Modulus of Elasticity	193 GPa
Electrical Resistivity	0.74 x 10-6 Ω.m
Thermal Conductivity	16.3 W/m.K
Thermal Expansion	15.9 x 10-6/K

Alloy Designations:

Euronorm	UNS	BS	En	Grade
1.4401	S31600	316S31	58H	316
1.4404	S31603	316S11	-	316L
-	S31609	316S51	-	316H
1.4571	-	320S31	-	316Ti

Corrosion Resistance of Stainless steel 316:

Stainless steel 316 has excellent corrosion resistance when exposed to a range of corrosive environments and media. It is usually regarded as “marine grade” stainless steel but is not resistant to warm sea water. Warm chloride environments can cause pitting and crevice corrosion. Grade 316 is also subject to stress corrosion cracking above around 60°C.

Heat Resistance of Stainless steel 316:

Stainless steel 316 has good resistance to oxidation in intermittent service to 870°C and in continuous service to 925°C. However, continuous use at 425-860°C is not recommended if corrosion resistance in water is required. In this instance 316L is recommended due to its resistance to carbide precipitation.
Where high strength is required at temperatures above 500°C, grade 316H is recommended.

Fabrication of Stainless steel 316:

Fabrication of all stainless steels should be done only with tools dedicated to stainless steel materials. Tooling and work surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned before use. These precautions are necessary to avoid cross contamination of stainless steel by easily corroded metals that may discolour the surface of the fabricated product.

Cold Working of Stainless steel 316:

Stainless steel 316 is readily brake or roll formed into a variety of parts. It is also suited to stamping, heading and drawing but post work annealing is recommended to relieve internal stresses.
Cold working will increase both strength and hardness of Stainless steel 316.

Hot Working of Stainless steel 316:

All common hot working processes can be performed on Stainless steel 316. Hot working should be avoided below 927°C. The ideal temperature range for hot working is 1149-1260°C. Post-work annealing is recommended to ensure optimum corrosion resistance.

Heat Treatment of Stainless steel 316

Stainless steel 316 cannot be hardened by heat treatment.
Solution treatment or annealing can be done by rapid cooling after heating to 1010-1120°C.

Machinability

Stainless steel 316 has good machinability. Machining can be enhanced using the following rules:

Cutting edges must be kept sharp. Dull edges cause excess work hardening.
Cuts should be light but deep enough to prevent work hardening by riding on the surface of the material.
Chip breakers should be employed to assist in ensuring swarf remains clear of the work
Low thermal conductivity of austenitic alloys results in heat concentrating at the cutting edges. This means coolants and lubricants are necessary and must be used in large quantities.

Welding of Stainless steel 316:

Fusion welding performance for 316 stainless steel is excellent both with and without fillers. Recommended filler rods and electrodes for Stainless steel 316 and 316L are the same as the base metal, 316 and 316L respectively. Heavy welded sections may require post-weld annealing. Grade 316Ti may be used as an alternative to Stainless steel 316 in heavy section welds.
Oxyacetylene welding has not been found to be successful for joining of Stainless steel 316.

316Ti:

Another variation of 316 is available. This variation is 316Ti. Stainless steel 316Ti contains a small amount of titanium. Titanium content is typically only around 0.5%. The titanium atoms stabilise the structure of the 316 at temperatures over 800°C. This prevents carbide precipitation from the grain boundaries and protects the metal from corrosion. The main advantage of 316Ti is that it can be held at higher temperatures for a longer period without sensitisation (precipitation) occurring. 316Ti retains physical and mechanical properties similar to standard grades of 316.

Applications of Stainless steel 316:

Initially developed for use in paper mills Stainless steel 316 is now typically used in:

Food processing equipment

Brewery, dairy, and pharmaceutical production equipment

Chemical and petrochemical equipment

Laboratory benches & equipment

Coastal architectural panelling

Coastal balustrading

Boat fittings

Chemical transportation containers

Heat exchangers

Mining screens

Nuts and bolts

Springs, nuts, bolts and screws

Medical implants

Sinks and splashbacks

Saucepans

Cutlery and flatware

Sanitaryware and troughs

Tubing