316 316L Stainless Steel Sheets And Plate

Both 316 and 316L are commonly used stainless steel materials that differ in their slightly different chemical compositions. 316L has a reduced carbon content compared to 316, which makes it more resistant to corrosion during welding. In addition, 316L is also considered a low carbon stainless steel because its carbon content is below 0.03%, while 316 has a carbon content between 0.08% and 0.03%. Because of this difference, 316L is more suitable for use in corrosive environments, such as marine environments and chemical processing sites.

The manufacturing processes for 316 and 316L are, for the most part, identical, and both materials are processed and fabricated in essentially the same manner. However, in some applications, such as use in high temperature or highly corrosive environments, there are effects on the chemical composition and crystal structure of the material that require special manufacturing processes to meet the needs of these specific applications.

In the manufacture of 316 and 316L, electric arc furnace melting and continuous casting processes are commonly used. This method allows the chemical composition and purity of the material to be controlled to ensure compliance with standards and specifications. In the manufacture of 316L, low carbon steel is often used as the raw material to reduce the effect of carbon content and thus improve corrosion resistance.

In addition, 316L materials often require more care during processing to avoid thermal cracking. This is because the low carbon content may cause the material to be susceptible to distortion and thermal cracking at high temperatures. Therefore, manufacturing 316L requires more stringent temperature control and machining processes to ensure the quality and stability of the material.

Due to the lower carbon content in 316L, it has several characteristics:

• Better Corrosion Resistance: 316L is more resistant to corrosion compared to 316, especially after welding, as welding increases the susceptibility of 316 to intergranular corrosion, while 316L does not.
• Better Machinability: Because of the low carbon content in 316L, it can be machined and formed more easily, such as by deep-drawing, bending, and cold-forging, while 316 is relatively difficult to machine.
• Higher Tensile Strength: Although 316L has a slightly lower tensile strength than 316, 316L is more ductile and has better toughness and fatigue resistance due to its low carbon content.

Overall, the optimized chemical composition of 316L makes it more suitable than 316 for certain special applications, such as marine environments and highly corrosive environments. 316, on the other hand, due to its higher carbon content, is better suited for high-temperature and high-pressure applications, such as nuclear power plants and petrochemical equipment.

Both 316 and 316L stainless steel sheets have excellent corrosion resistance to a wide range of chemicals, including brines, acids, alkalis, chlorides, etc. Specifically, 316 stainless steel is somewhat more resistant to corrosion than 316L stainless steel, primarily due to its higher molybdenum content in its chemical composition. In addition, both 316 and 316L stainless steel sheets have heat resistant properties that allow them to maintain better corrosion resistance in high temperature environments. These characteristics make 316 and 316L stainless steel sheets widely used in chemical, marine engineering, medical equipment and other fields.

316 and 316L stainless steel sheets are generally considered non-magnetic because they are made of highly alloyed stainless steel, which contains a small amount of iron. At room temperature, these stainless steel sheets are not magnetized, but at high temperatures and/or during processing, they may develop some magnetism. In addition, 316 and 316L stainless steel sheets may also be temporarily magnetized if exposed to a strong magnetic field, but they will return to a non-magnetic state after the magnetic field is removed.

Absolutely, 316 and 316L stainless steel sheets can be welded by conventional welding methods such as inert gas shielded welding (TIG), electric arc welding (MIG) and manual arc welding. However, it is important to note that the proper temperature and protective atmosphere need to be controlled during the welding process to avoid oxidation and contamination, which can lead to lower weld quality or cracking. In addition, care needs to be taken to control the appropriate welding speed and temperature gradient when performing high-temperature welding to avoid affecting the microstructure and mechanical properties of the material.

The price of 316 and 316L stainless steel sheets can be affected by a variety of factors, including material thickness, width, length, surface finish, order quantity, delivery location, etc. If you want to know the exact price, please tell us with the quantity and product specifications you want and we will quote you as soon as possible.