304 vs 430 Stainless Steel

Among so many various grades that are available in stainless steel, the most common ones are: the ferritic grade 430 and the austenitic 304. Both these stainless steels make up a large part of steel that is in use, but there are certain important differences between Stainless Steel 304 and 430 Stainless Steel.

Differences between 304 and 430 stainless steel

1.    Cost: majority of the final cost of an alloy depends on the elements and their composition used in making it. Because of the chemical composition, 304 is usually more expensive than 430. Grade 304 has somewhere around 8- 10.5% nickel and grade 430 has 0%. This means that 304 is more corrosion resistant than 430, and the nickel content in 304 makes it costlier than 430.

2.    Magnetism: even after being an austenitic grade, after cold working, some magnetic properties are displayed by 304. 430 on the other hand, is a ferritic grade, because of which it is very magnetic.

3.    Corrosion resistance: stainless steel is generally referred to as corrosion resistant, however, the level of corrosion resistance varies from one grade to another. Nickel being a part of 304 grade, makes this grade more corrosion resistant, but also more expensive. If the cost factor is more important for a buyer, grade 430 may be the better option out of the two.

4.    Pressing or drawing: because of addition of nickel to the alloy, grade 304 is not only more corrosion resistant, but it is also much easier to press and draw. Since nickel is not present in grade 430, it is more likely to crack or fail if pressed like grade 304.

5.    Chemical composition: grade 304 contains carbon, silicon, manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, nitrogen, chromium and nickel. Whereas, grade 430 contains carbon, silicon, manganese, phosphorus, sulfur and chromium.

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