304 Stainless Steel Wire UNS S30400

304 Stainless Steel Shaped, Flat, Square, Round, Fine Wire, Plated and Bare Wire ASTM A240, ASTM A276, ASTM A 313, ASTM 479,AMS 5513, AMS 5910, AMS 5911, AMS 5912, AMS 5913, AMS 5501, ASTM A666

304 Steel Alloy Description

Alloy 304 is the standard 18/8 (18% chrome, 8% nickel) austenitic stainless steel wire and is the most commonly used grade of stainless steels used in the wire industry. It is a non-magnetic alloy in the annealed condition but becomes magnetic as it is cold worked. Alloy 304 can be easily welded and is the choice for many deep drawn, spun or formed parts due to its high ductility.

304 Stainless Applications

• Screens for oil and water wells
• Fish screens
• coal
• pulp and paper
• Architectural applications
• Circuit breaker components
• Surgical instruments
• Home appliances
• Food processing equipment
• Hose clamps and fasteners
  

Chemistry Typical

Carbon: 0.08 max
Manganese: 2.00 max
Phosphorus: 0.040 max
Sulfur: 0.030 max
Silicon: 1.00 max
Chromium: 18.00- 20.00
Nickel: 8.00- 10.00
Copper: 0.75 max
Molybdenum: 0.75 max

Physical Properties of 304 Stainless Steel

Density: 0.29 lbs/in³ 8.03 g/cm³

Electrical Resistivity microhm-in (microhm-cm):
At 68°F (20°C): 28.4 (72)
At 1200°F (659°C): 45.8 (116)

Specific Heat, BTU/lb/oF (kJ/kg•K):
32-212°F (0-100°C): 0.12 (0.50)

Thermal Conductivity, BTU/hr/ft²/ft/oF (W/m•K):
At 212°F (100°C): 9.4 (16.2)
At 932°F (500°C): 12.4 (21.4)

Mean Coefficient of Thermal Expansion, in/in/oF(μm/m•K):
32-212°F (0-100°C): 9.4 x 10 (16.9)
32-600°F (0-315°C): 9.6 x 10 (17.3)
32-1000°F (0-538°C): 10.2 x 10 (18.4)
32-1200°F (0-649°C): 10.4 x 10 (18.7)

Modulus of Elasticity, KSI (MPa)
28.0 x 10³ (193 x 10³) in tension
11.2 x 10³ (78 x 10³) in torsion

Magnetic Permeability, H = 200 Oersteds:
Annealed: 1.02 max

Melting Range, °F (°C): 2550 – 2650 (1399 – 1454)

Mechanical Properties of 304 Stainless at Room Temperature

Ultimate Tensile Strength – 75 KSI min (517 MPA min)
Yield Strength (0.2% Offset) – 30 KSI min (205 MPA min)
Elongation – 40% min
Hardness – B92 max

Properties Tempered

1/4 Hard
Ultimate Tensile Strength: 125-150 KSI (861-1034 MPa)
Yield Strength (.2% offset): 100-130 KSI (689-827 MPa)
Elongation: 10 % nominal

Full Hard
Ultimate Tensile Strength: 155-170 KSI (1068-1172 MPa)
Yield Strength (.2% offset): 130-150 KSI (896-1034 MPa)
Elongation: 2-8%

•Alloy 304 can be supplied in a wide range of rolled tempered condition. Contact Ulbrich Wire Technical Service for details

Additional Properties

Corrosion Resistance of 304 Stainless

Alloy 304 stainless steel wire has excellent corrosion resistance and is used in many corrosive environments and atmospheres. Please refer to NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) for recommendations.

Standard Wire Finishes

Extra Clean: Extra clean is also referred to as “bright annealed” or “bright annealed and cold rolled”
Grease (round wire only): Drawn in a heavy grease produces an “Ultra bright” finish for
decorative applications
Soap (round wire only): Soap is used as a lubricant in the drawing process and is not
removed. It acts as a lubricant during customer part forming operation. A soap finish is
available in tempered products

Plated: Many plating options are available
•Special finishes are available: Contact Ulbrich Wire Sales with special finish and plating requests

Forms

Continuous Coils
Cut to lengths
Precision cutting

Cold Forming

Alloy 304 is ductile and can be cold worked by stamping, drawing, bending or forming
methods.

Heat Treatment

Alloy 304 cannot be heat treated for hardness

Stress Relieving

300 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit for cold worked parts with times typically no more than 120 minutes.

Welding 304 Stainless Steel

Refer to SSINA’s ‘Welding of Stainless Steels and Other Joining Methods’ for best practices. Limitation of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty: In no event will Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc., be liable for any damages arising from the use of the information included in this document or that it is suitable for the ‘applications’ noted. We believe the information and data provided to be accurate to the best of our knowledge but, all data is considered typical values only. It is intended for reference and general information and not recommended for specification, design or engineering purposes. Ulbrich assumes no implied or express warranty in regard to the creation or accuracy of the data provided in this document.