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Put two pieces of differently graded stainless steel side by side and, in most cases, the naked eye will never be able to tell which is which. But at a molecular level, there’s a substantial number of differences, and these differences can be extremely important to understand when you’re choosing stainless steel materials for your project.
For people selecting stainless steel materials, especially stainless steel enclosures, the question of 304 vs. 316 stainless steel is often among the most important ones to answer. These are two common grades of stainless steel which share many characteristics, but also have some unique advantages that set them apart from the other. So, what is 304 stainless steel, what is 316 stainless steel and what are the major differences between the two?
In this article, we’ll compare 304 vs. 316 stainless steel head-to-head. Our guide will examine the unique properties of both 304 and 316 stainless steel, plus the essential facts you need to know to determine which you should choose. And, of course, we’ll look at Polycase’s gold standard for stainless steel enclosures, the Polycase SA Series.
You’ll be able to understand the different types of stainless steel better if you have a basic comprehension of the materials and processes used to make stainless steel. So, in this section, we’ll offer a quick primer on the composition of stainless steel and the properties that make it such a useful material.
All grades of steel are made from iron and carbon, alloyed with other metals. Stainless steel is steel with certain elements added to it with the purpose of creating various desirable properties that improve on the performance of standard carbon steel. The special properties of stainless steel include:
Chromium is the most important element in stainless steel, and all stainless steels must contain at least 10.5 percent chromium, usually more. Chromium gives stainless steel its corrosion resistance by forming a chromium oxide coating on the outer surface of the steel that helps prevent rust. (It also creates stainless steel’s distinctive shine.)
However, steel manufacturers also often add elements, such as nickel and molybdenum, to their stainless steels to provide additional protective qualities. These additional alloy elements make a substantial difference in the performance of stainless steel, including between 304 and 316 grades.
To learn more about stainless steel and how it acquires its unique properties, read our guide to carbon steel vs. stainless steel. Next up, we’ll learn about some of the different classifications of stainless steel.
Different types of stainless steel have different characteristics and strengths. The three major types of stainless steel are:
304 and 316 are two different types of stainless steel, but both fall into the austenitic stainless steel category. Austenitic stainless steels have internal crystal structures called austenites which give them their incredible strength and corrosion resistance. Now that we know a little more about stainless steel, in the next two sections, we’ll get more specific about the properties of both the 304 and 316 grades.
304 stainless steel is by far the most common type of stainless steel available on the market today. In fact, 304 stainless steel makes up over half of the world’s stainless steel supply. That’s because 304 stainless strikes an excellent balance between price and performance. Its substantial anti-corrosion properties and extreme durability combine to make it the standard choice for many applications, and it’s relatively easy to work into a variety of forms, including durable electrical enclosures to protect sensitive equipment.
Thus, 304 is also the stainless steel you’ll find used in the widest range of everyday applications. From kitchen sinks to industrial control boxes, 304 stainless steel is the industry standard choice in many different sectors.
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316 stainless steel is another type of stainless steel popular in applications requiring hardness, durability and corrosion resistance, but it tends to have more specialized and limited uses than 304 stainless steel. The most notable property of 316 stainless steel is its extreme resistance to corrosion, particularly corrosion from chloride sources, such as seawater and many industrial chemicals.
The anti-corrosion properties that set 316 steel apart come from the inclusion of molybdenum in its composition. These properties make 316 the preferred choice for a few specific applications requiring extreme resistance to corrosion. Such applications include heavy duty marine projects and industrial applications where the steel will frequently come in contact with harsh, corrosive substances.
Now it’s time for the big matchup: 304 vs. 316 stainless steel. First, note there are various sub-grades of both 304 and 316 stainless steel, and performance ratings vary between them. With that said, let’s take what we’ve learned and organize it into a head-to-head comparison of these two types of stainless steel:
For most applications, especially where electronics enclosures are concerned, there will be functionally no difference between 304 stainless and 316 stainless. That means the difference will often ultimately come down to price, where 304 stainless steel has an unambiguous advantage.
The Bottom Line: 304 stainless steel is a highly versatile material suitable for most applications, and choosing 304 steel will almost always come with substantial cost savings. While 316 stainless steel is also a versatile and high quality grade of steel, 304 stainless steel will meet most needs unless your application requires extreme corrosion resistance. This ideal blend of cost and performance is why Polycase constructs our SA Series stainless steel enclosures from 304 stainless steel.
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Stainless steel is commonly used to make the electrical enclosures that protect electrical and electronic devices. We construct our Polycase SA Series from 304 stainless steel because of its extreme resistance to environmental hazards which allows these enclosures to protect against harsh environmental conditions, such as wind, rain, dust, hose-downs, splashing water, corrosion and almost anything else you can think of.
SA Series enclosures are NEMA 4X rated and IP66 rated for outdoor grade weather protection. Other major benefits of the Polycase SA Series 304 stainless steel enclosures include:
The SA Series is an industry-leading option for applications requiring tough NEMA 4X enclosures without sacrificing looks and ease of use. These enclosures can excel in nearly any role, from an underground junction box to a control panel for manufacturing equipment.
See our guide to stainless steel enclosure applications to find out more about the versatility of these high-performance enclosures. And if your enclosure application doesn’t require stainless steel, remember we also offer our high-performance Polycase SB Series carbon steel enclosures.
Polycase’s enclosure experts are always happy to answer questions about our materials, process, products, and more. Contact us at 1-800-248-1233 to speak to our customer service professionals or get a fast and easy instant enclosure quote online.
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