National Kwikmetal Service (NKS) products

Type 301 Stainless Steel is an austenitic chromium-nickel stainless steel that provides high strength and good ductility when cold worked. The chromium and nickel contents are lowered to increase the cold work-hardening rate. This generates higher tensile strengths when cold rolled with a lower loss of ductility than with Types 302 and 304. The grade is essentially non-magnetic when annealed. When cold worked, it becomes slightly more magnetic than other standard austenitic stainless steels. NKS is your stainless steel distributor for 301 Stainless Steel.

Type 304 Stainless Steel is the most widely used of the austenitic (chromium/nickel) stainless steels. In the annealed condition it is essentially non-magnetic and becomes slightly magnetic with the application of cold work. Type 304L Stainless Steel is preferred in welding applications to exclude the formation of chromium carbides during cooling in the heat affected region of the weld. These alloys represent an excellent combination of corrosion resistance and fabricability.

Type 316 Stainless Steel is an austenitic chromium nickel stainless steel containing molybdenum. This addition increases general corrosion resistance, improves resistance to pitting from chloride ion solutions, and provides increased strength at elevated temperatures. Properties are similar to those of Type 304 except that this alloy is somewhat stronger at elevated temperatures. Corrosion resistance is improved, particularly against sulfuric, hydrochloric, acetic, formic and tartaric acids; acid sulfates and alkaline chlorides. Type 316L Stainless Steel is an extra-low carbon version of Type 316 that minimizes harmful carbide precipitation in the heat affected zone during welding.

Type 201 Stainless Steel is an austenitic chromium-nickel-manganese stainless steel which was developed to conserve nickel. Type 201 is a lower cost alternative to conventional Cr-Ni stainless steels such as 301 and 304. Nickel is replaced by additions of manganese and nitrogen. It is non-hardenable by thermal treatment, but may be cold worked to high tensile strengths. Type 201 is essentially nonmagnetic in the annealed condition and becomes magnetic when cold worked. Type 201 can be substituted for Type 301 in many applications.