How to Choose the Right Stainless Steel Grade?

Choosing the right stainless steel grade for stainless steel strapping
1. Overview of Common Grades

304 Stainless Steel: The most common austenitic stainless steel, containing 16%-18% chromium and 8%-10.5% nickel, is relatively low-cost.

316 Stainless Steel: 304 is based on 2%-3% molybdenum, significantly improving its resistance to corrosive media such as chloride ions.
2. Corrosion Resistance Comparison

In marine, salt spray, or chemical environments, the molybdenum in 316 forms a denser passive film, preventing pitting and crevice corrosion, making it superior to 304.
For general industrial, construction, or inland transportation applications, 304 is sufficient for rust prevention and offers a more cost-effective solution. 3. Strength and Temperature Adaptability

316 maintains superior strength and hardness under high temperature and high pressure conditions, making it suitable for demanding applications such as marine, aviation, and high-pressure piping.

304 maintains excellent ductility from room temperature to approximately 870°C, making it suitable for general mechanical assembly and cable bundling.

4. Cost-Effectiveness

Due to the molybdenum and higher nickel content, the raw material cost of 316 is approximately 15%-30% higher than that of 304. For projects with limited budgets, a balance should be considered between service life and initial investment.

For Zhejiang Fengfan Cable Fittings Co., Ltd., which targets the mid-to-high-end market, it recommends using 316 for its product lines in the marine, shipbuilding, and highly corrosive environments markets; and 304 for its conventional product lines in general industrial, automotive, and power equipment markets, to achieve the best balance between cost and performance.