Difference between 303 and 304 Stainless Steel

What Is The Difference Between 303 And 304 Stainless?

The 303 materials contain iron, carbon, manganese, silicon, phosphorus, chromium (17–19%), nickel (8–10%), and carbon. The material has a minimum yield strength of 190MPa and a minimum tensile strength of up to 750MPa. The maximum hardness is 230 HB, and the elongation at break is 35%. A high melting point of 1455 degrees Celsius is also a feature. The 304 and 303 have comparable material compositions, however the 303 includes the option of stabilising additions of sulphur, molybdenum, and titanium. The 303's elevated sulphur content of up to 0.35 percent gives it the extra mechanical qualities that make it ideal for particular applications.

How To Identify Stainless Steel 303 And 304

The 304 and 303 kinds are quite difficult to distinguish visually. To identify the materials, laboratory tests must be run. The product markings can be useful. Materials can also be revealed by their kind during machining..

303 Vs 304 Stainless Steel Machinability

The 303 substance can be machined readily because it contains more sulphur than other materials. The austenitic stainless steel type 303 is the one that can be machined the easiest. Therefore, the 303 materials are employed in heavy machining applications like screws and other fasteners that need to be machined. The 304 grade of stainless steel is tougher to machine than the 303 grade despite having mechanical qualities identical to the 303 grade.

 

303 Vs 304 Stainless Steel Price

Prices for 303 material grade are somewhat more expensive than those for 304 material grade. This is partly a result of the 304 grade's widespread availability. Because the 303 grade is less popular than the 304 grade, there is less manufacture of the 303 material. In addition to the extra components like selenium, titanium, or more sulphur, this causes the price difference.

303 Vs 304 Stainless Steel Yield Strength

The yield strength of the 303 material is greater than that of the 304 material. The minimum yield strength of the 303 is 510 MPa, compared to 215 MPa for the 304 type. While the tensile strength of the 304 material is only about 515MPa, that of the 303 material is approximately 720MPa. These variations result from compositional variations, and these strength characteristics are helpful when choosing materials. Both the 303 and 304 materials are non-magnetic austenitic stainless steels, therefore they can be used interchangeably in applications, albeit the 303 variety has unique specifications.

303 Vs 304 Stainless Steel Corrosion

Although the corrosion resistance of the 303 and 304 is comparable, the 304 has a little edge. The addition of sulphur or selenium to the composition is what causes the 303's decreased corrosion resistance. Both of these grades, however, perform poorly in settings with large concentrations of chloride ions or under extremely acidic circumstances. Both of them are capable of providing services that require broad corrosive conditions. Both of them have high melting points, allowing them to operate at very high temperatures while yet maintaining their corrosion resistance in corrosive environments.

 

Trade Name: 303 Se Stainless, 303 Se

• ASTM A582 (Round Bars) 303 SS Condition B, 303 SS Condition A
• ASTM A581 (Stainless Steel Wire)
• ASTM A895 (plate, sheet, and strip)

 

 

 

 

AMS 5640 (plate, sheet, and strip)

 

 

 

 

 

NO, 304 stainless steel is a food grade