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Stainless steel is an iron-containing alloy has excellent resistance to stain or rust making it the metal of choice for use in the manufacture of food handling, processing, storing, cooking, and serving equipment. Advantages include easy cleaning, good corrosion resistance, durability, economy, food flavor protection, and sanitary design. Milk, wine, beer, soft drinks and fruit juice are processed in stainless steel equipment.
Stainless steel is also widely used in bulk materials handling equipment, building exteriors roofing, automobile components (exhaust, trim/decorative, engine, chassis, fasteners, tubing for fuel lines), chemical processing plants (scrubbers and heat exchangers), pulp and paper manufacturing, petroleum refining, water supply piping, consumer products, marine and shipbuilding, pollution control, sporting goods (snow skis), and transportation (rail cars), etc.
Stainless steels can contain anywhere from 4-30 percent chromium, however most contain around 10 percent. Stainless steels can be divided into three basic groups based on their crystalline structure: austenitic, ferritic, and martensitic.
Martensitic grades: Martensitic grades are magnetic and can be heat-treated by quenching or tempering. Martensitic steels are not as corrosive resistant as austenitic or ferritic grades, but their hardness levels are among the highest of the all the stainless steels.
Ferritic grades: Ferritic stainless steels are magnetic non heat-treatable steels that contain chromium but not nickel. They have good heat and corrosion resistance, in particular sea water, and good resistance to stress-corrosion cracking. Their mechanical properties are not as strong as the austenitic grades, however they have better decorative appeal.
Austenitic grades: Austenitic stainless steels are non-magnetic non heat-treatable steels that are usually annealed and cold worked. (Some tend to become slightly magnetic after cold working). Austenitic steels have excellent corrosion and heat resistance with good mechanical properties over a wide range of temperatures.
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