Categories, grades and product forms

Navigating the complexities of terminology can be confusing if you don’t have a degree in metallurgy. How are stainless steels and CRAs categorized and graded? What is the difference between a superaustenitic, a superalloy and a nickel alloy? How do all the grading systems gear with one another? This article attempts to guide you through the labyrinth of stainless steel and CRA terminology.
Source: Stainless Steel World, June 2015, stainless-steel-world.net

In recent years, new highly corrosion-resistant austenitic stainless steels have entered the marketplace. They have demonstrated cost-effective performance in a variety of harsh and corrosive environments. This brochure provides basic information on HPASS grades and compares them to the standard grades. Its primary focus is to compare the fabrication characteristics of the two groups of steels, and to identify similarities and differences between them. This information will help those responsible for fabricating HPASS to manufacture a high-quality product that will perform successfully in the field.
Source: Nickel Institute and International Molybdenum Association

A review by Atlas Steels of the grades, properties and processing.

Article provides a brief description of stainless steel and why it has stainless characteristics.
Source: A.M. Helmenstine PhD

For Cr-Mn stainless steel to become more acceptable in a European environment, a high level of standardisation is required. Providing technical information has been made a priority, to avoid misunderstanding and improper use.
To respond to these needs, a working group with representatives of the main European flat stainless steel producers was created, under the umbrella of Euro Inox. Its main conclusions are present in this publication.

Most growth in 200-series use over recent years has been in low-nickel and therefore lowchromium versions which have less corrosion resistance than grade 304. The end result has been corrosion failures in some applications and dissatisfied customers.
Source: Australian Stainless Steel Development Association

This paper outlines the approach developed in the UK in relation to the cost effective use of stainless steel reinforcement.

Overview of a broad range of stainless steels; their compositions, properties, fabrication and use. Offers guidance on selecting the proper stainless steel by weighing four elements: corrosion or heat resistance; mechanical properties; fabrication operations; and total cost.
Source: Specialty Steel Industry of North America

Topics covered: Background - Key properties -- Composition -- Mechanical Properties -- Physical Properties -- Grade Specification Comparison -- Possible Alternative Grades - Corrosion Resistance - Heat Resistance - Heat Treatment - Welding - Machining - Dual Certification - Applications
Source: The A to Z of Materials

This extract from the pages of Wikipedia, the web’s free encyclopedia, contains some general information and an interesting summary of the historical evolution of the iron-chromium alloys.
Source: Wikipedia

A compact 6-page folder has been produced, entitled "What Is Stainless Steel?" Addressed to designers, fabricators and stockholders, it provides a concise summary of the principal families, main properties, commonly available finishes and process routes. Three graphs show how the various austenitic, ferritic and Duplex grades are interrelated and what the alloying elements confer to their technical properties.

The folder is available in Czech, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish
[clicking on the language will open the folder]

A book to help everyone along the supply chain gain a basic understanding of Stainless Steel.
Source: British Stainless Steel Association