Stainless steel is the generic term used for the corrosive resistant steel alloy that is found commonly in everyday life. From our infrastructure to our kitchen appliances, stainless steel is used to hold everything together.
All stainless steel is naturally corrosive resistant due to a thin film that forms over its surface, actively protecting itself from corrosion by oxygen.
Austenitic Stainless Steel (304, 316, 317)
Austenitic stainless steel, graded 304, 316 and 317, is the most commonly used stainless steel in the market. Due to its high nickel quantity it is also the most expensive steel to use, yet produces the preferred results as it has the highest corrosion resistance as well as being non-magnetic. Austenitic grade stainless can only be hardened by cold work.
Ferritic Stainless Steel (430, 434)
Ferritic Stainless Steel, grades 430 & 434 are less commonly used than austenitic steel yet still has its place. Like its more common partner, ferritic steel is also hardened solely by cold work. Ferritic steel is magnetic, but cheaper than austenitic steel due to its lower nickel content.
Martensitic Stainless Steel (410, 420)
The least common of the stainless steels found on the market, martensitic steel has the highest hardness out of any type of stainless steel. Grades 410 and 420, martensitic steel is magnetic, and is hardened through a combination of both cold work and heat treatment.
How to Buy
Throughout Australia, many suppliers of stainless steel offer wholesale delivery options of stainless steel products. No one supplier is going to meet the needs of every purchaser in the country, therefore knowing what you need out of a supplier is just as essential as knowing what your supplier can do for you.
This will depend on the scope of your projects, how quickly the materials need to be delivered and where they will need to be delivered to. Browse through the list of suppliers below to find one that meets your needs.
Suppliers
• BrayCo
• Atlas Steels Australia
• Stainless Steel Innovators Australia
• MS Stainless Steel
• Austral Wright Metals
If you need stainless steel products to suit your unique needs, or if you need quality steel that is fabricated to suit your project, contact Steel Fabrication Services today.
Our team of expert structural steel fabricators have the experience and knowledge to answer any of your questions and will ensure that you find the best solution to suit your needs. To contact us today, simply call, fax or email for information or a steel fabrication quote, or drop by our Brookvale location.
