The discovery of 304 Stainless Steel Plate is attributed to Mr. Harry Brearley at the Brown-Firth Research Laboratory located in Sheffield, England. In June of 1912, researchers were looking for ways to prevent gun barrels from rusting when, coincidentally, Mr. Brearley noticed that a steel sample from earlier testing had not rusted while other test samples had. Thus, a chrome alloyed highly rust-resistant steel, was born. By August of the same year, the first stainless steel was cast. The rest, as they say, is history.
All grades of stainless steel are engineered to provide corrosion resistance, strength, durability and the ability to be fabricated in many shapes and forms. They are designed to offer a broad range of design criterias, such as load capabilities, easy to maintain and life of service. Selecting the best grade of stainless steel is done by determining four qualities in their order of importance for the desired use.
- Corrosion Resistance -; The main reason for choosing 304 Stainless Steel Plate. The end-user must know the environment where it will be used and the level of corrosion resistance needed.
- Mechanical Properties -; This includes the strength of the stainless at room temperature and both hot and cold temperature extremes.
- Type Fabrication Process -; Will the stainless plate be forged, machined, formed, welded, stamped or rolled?
- Total Cost -; Material and production costs must be considered as well as the overall savings of a maintenance-free product with long service life.
There are many grades of 304 stainless steel supplied, including the standards of 304, 304L and 304H. Type 304 is a grade consisting of at least 18% chromium and 8% nickel and not more than 0.08% carbon. It is a not a magnetic steel and must be cold worked in order to increase its tensile strength. The addition of the chromium is what gives this grade its resistance to oxidation and corrosion.
Type 304 and its modified versions is the primary grade specified whenever stainless steel is requested or used. Type 304 is commonly used for sinks, coffee pots, appliances of all types, milk and cream dispensers, and tabletops. Due to its ability to tolerate the corrosive properties of various foods, it is widely used for cooking and eating utensils and cookware. Its corrosive-resistant properties make it the ideal choice for the construction of kitchen benches, tables, and sinks, food processing equipment and chemical containers. You can also connect with them on Facebook.