1. Application examples
The material 1.4301 is suitable for many everyday applications due to its chromium content of approximately 18% and a nickel content of approximately 8%.

It has good corrosion resistance in natural environmental media in the absence of high chlorine and salt concentrations. For applications requiring increased corrosion resistance, the material 1.4404 should be used.

For applications in swimming pools or in contact with seawater, neither the material 1.4301 nor the material 1.4404 should be used. Only the highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel 1.4529 (available from h+s in thicknesses of 0.05-0.50 mm) should be used.

The material 1.4301 is typically only used in the annealed version.

Occasionally, 1.4301 is also offered in hard-rolled condition with a tensile strength of 1200- 1500 N/mm², but h+s only offers the soft-annealed version with a tensile strength of 540- 750 N/mm².

It is a cost-effective alternative for simple shims used to align electric motors or pumps.
Due to its softness, 1.4301 can be easily cut and drilled with hand shears on construction sites.

For higher precision and mechanical strength requirements (e.g., shims in stamping toolmaking), only stainless spring steel 1.4310 should be used, which is available from h+s in many different thicknesses and with the very tight thickness tolerance T3.

For springs, gauges, shims, or wear-resistant parts, hard-rolled stainless steels such as 1.4310 or 1.4404 should also be used.

Other application examples:
Sinks, handrails, water pipes, household appliances, and household items

2. Material codes
German Norm: 1.4301, X5CrNi18-10
AISI: 304
ASTM: S 30400
English Norm: 304 S 15
French Norm: Z 6 CN 18.09
Japanese Norm: SUS 304

3. Alloy Composition *
C: max. 0,07%
Si: max. 1,0%
Mn: max. 2,0%
P: max. 0,045%
S: max. 0,015%
Cr: 17,5-19,5%
Ni: 8-10,5%
Mo: - %
N: max. 0,11%

* the exact composition of each batch can be documented by a test certificate 2.2 or 3.1 according to DIN 10 204

4.1 Delivery condition:
Structure: pure austenitic, not hardenable
Surface: 2R, Ra maximum 0,3 µm (depending of the roughness of the working roll)

Tensile strength: 540-750 N/mm²

Further mechanical data: see chapter 7 and 8.

5. Sizes
thicknesses: 0,10-0,50 mm
width: ca. 300-310 mm
edges: cut
Lengths: individual lengths from 5 to 10 000 mm oder as Coil

6. Tolerances
thickness tolerace: DIN EN 9445 Table1
width tolerance: according to DIN EN 9445
straightness: normal
flatness: wave height max. 1,0 mm

7. Further mechanical data
Yield strength Rp0,2 : >230 N/mm²
Elongation A80: >45%

The operation temperature should not exceed 120-250°C (compare to DIN 17224 – stainless strip steel for springs). Please remember that the modus of elasticity decreases at higher temperatures.

8. Physical properties
Density: 7,95 g/cm³
Thermal conductivity: 15 W/(m °C) depending on the temperature
Heat capacity: 500 J/(kg °C) medium value at 50 – 100 °C
Thermal expansion:
   16,0 x 10 -6 (between 30 - 100 °C)
   16,5 x 10 -6 (between 30 - 200 °C)
   17,0 x 10 -6 (between 30 - 300 °C)

Electric resistance: 0,73 Ohm x mm²/m
Modus of elasticity: 200 000 MPa at 20 °C

Relative Permeability:
   in the annealed condition generally less than 1,02 (at 200H)
   in the temper rolled condition higher than in the annealed condition,
   but lower than the alloy 1.4310

9. Blanking
This material is easy to punch. In the annealed state, it has limited deep-drawing properties due to its nickel content of only approximately 8%.

10. Laser cutting
This alloy can be laser cut without problems.

11. Photo etching
The alloy 1.4301 can be etched easily.

12 Bending in the annealed condition
Due to its nickel content of over 8%, the material 1.4301 can be easily bent in the annealed state, but can only be deep drawn to a limited extent.

13. Flat grinding
The material 1.4301 has a purely austenitic structure in the annealed state and is therefore not magnetizable.

14. Welding
Like other austenitic stainless steels, 1.4301 is very weldable.

Due to a carbon content of up to 0.07%, corrosion can occur at the weld seam. For welded parts, 1.4307 (comparable to AISI 304L) or 1.4404 (comparable to AISI 316L) should be used.

15. Corrosion resistance
This alloy is in the group 4 in the Nirosta-table of corrosion resistance of stainless steels (see www.nirosta.de/Publikationen). This alloy is more resistant than the alloys 1.4310 (in group 4), and the grades 1.4031Mo and 1.4034 (both in group 1).

Nirosta is a registered trade mark of ThyssenKrupp AG.

Please check there or conduct a test to determine whether material 1.4301 is sufficiently resistant for your application. For higher corrosion resistance requirements, such as in the pharmaceutical or food industries or for urinals, material 1.4404 should be used.

For very corrosive environments, Alloy 1.4529 is available (in hard rolled condition in thicknesses of 0.05-0.50mm and in soft condition in thicknesses of 0.15-0.50mm).

Important Annotation
The specifications which are given in this technical information sheet about the condition and application of the alloys are only for reference and are no confirmation about certain performances and characteristics.
The information correspond to our own experiences and experiences of our suppliers.
We can not guarantee for the results during processing and utilisation.

Data sheet download