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Stainless Steel Sheet
What is Stainless Steel 316/316L sheet?
This is one of those stainless steels that is used quite frequently because it has the best resistance to rust where salt and acids exist. Both 316 and 316L grades fall under the 300-series of stainless steel, but what is different between them is the variation in carbon content.
The 316 Stainless Steel contains slightly more carbon with a concentration of up to 0.08%, which can enhance strength, but when welded, it tends to cause the formation of carbide that could weaken corrosion resistance in the weld regions.
Carbon content in the case of 316L Stainless Steel is much lower that is only 0.03% max preventing carbide formation, making it wieldable and excellent for applications demanding welded structure.
Definition of Stainless Steel 316/316L Sheet:
Stainless Steel 316/316L Sheet is an austenitic stainless steel alloy that offers high corrosion resistance especially in chlorides, acids, and other corrosive chemicals containing environments. Material The primary composition of the material involves iron, chromium at 16-18%, nickel at 10-14%, and molybdenum at 2-3%. The molybdenum content affects its resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion, which ranges it to be used in harsh and high chloride-rich settings, and as widely the marine and chemical industries employ it.
The main difference between 316 and 316L is the carbon content 316L has a lower maximum carbon content, that is 0.03% compared to 0.08% for 316 this eliminates carbide precipitation in welding. It is thus suitable for applications requiring heavy welding as it avoids corrosion at weld joints.
Cold Rolling Stainless Steel 316/316L Sheet:
Cold rolling is a metalworking process applied to stainless steel sheets such as Stainless Steel 316/316L to obtain improvement in surface finish, mechanical properties, and dimensional correctness of the finished product. It rolls at a temperature of room temperature close to it, which allows for a significant increase in both strength and hardness, achieving a smooth and polished surface. Here’s how cold rolling is applied to Stainless Steel 316/316L sheets.
Starting Material: Cold rolled stainless steel strip is heated and rolled hot then cooled slowly to room temperature.
Cold Rolling: The sheet is passed over rollers at room temperature while applying a high pressure to compress and elongate the material.
Thickness Reduction: The sheets have their thickness reduced to a marked extent, at many times only to exact measurements used for certain applications.
Surface Finish: The final refining is done by grain structure and the sheet improves on surface finish further, producing a bright smooth surface.
Strain Hardening: Cold working increases the tensile strength and hardness of the sheet due to strain hardening; it is essentially because of deformation on the metal’s crystal structure under pressuring forces.
Chemical Composition Stainless Steel 316/316L Sheet
| Element | SS316 | SS316L |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon | ≤0.08 | ≤0.03 |
| Manganese | ≤2.00 | ≤2.00 |
| Phosphorus | ≤0.045 | ≤0.045 |
| Sulfur | ≤0.030 | ≤0.030 |
| Silicon | ≤0.75 | ≤0.75 |
| Chromium | 16.00-18.00 | 16.00-18.00 |
| Nickel | 10.00-14.00 | 10.00-14.00 |
| Molybdenum | 2.00-3.00 | 2.00-3.00 |
| Nitrogen | ≤0.10 | ≤0.10 |
| Iron | Balance | Balance |
Hot Rolling of Stainless Steel 316/316L Sheet
Stainless Steel 316/316L; also known as one of the processes applied to stainless steel sheet, is one of the stronger and malleable sheets. Hot rolling is unlike any other given rolling steel into desired shapes since it involves the hot processing of the material, generally with a range of 1700°F and 927°C.
Heat: Stainless Steel 316/316L plates or bars are heated above their recrystallization point, so the steel is rendered more ductile.
The hot metal is rolled so that it becomes very thin and nearly a flat sheet or plate.
Thickness is much less accurate than for cold rolling as it would cool shrink a little as rolled to thickness.
Cooling: The sheet is then rolled and slowly cooled. This allows the steel to gain some of its mechanical properties but in a malleable form.
Conclusion Stainless Steel 316/316L Sheet
Stainless Steel 316/316L Sheets are used by industries that need really high corrosion resistance, mainly in aggressive environments exposed to chlorides, acids, and harmful chemicals. Added molybdenum in the composition makes these sheets superior for pitting and crevice corrosion and therefore useful in highly demanding applications such as marine, chemical processing, and medical equipment.
The two grades, 316 and 316L, provide leeway in meeting different needs. Essentially, when used for welded applications, 316L is particularly useful because it has low carbon. This reduces the prospect for precipitation of carbides and aids corrosion resistance to the weld seam. Both of these grades have good general mechanical properties, formability, and durability, which cover a wide range of industrial, architectural, and structural applications.