AISI 304 Steel

What is AISI 304 Steel?

AISI 304 stands out with its good weldability with electrical methods. Even without a heat treatment, the steel is corrosion-resistant, due to its low carbon content. The carbon content must have a lower percentage than 0.08, with usual values in practice being below 0.05% in the meantime. Furthermore, it also has a very good polishability and it is flexibly moldable. It is authorised for temperature loads of up to 600 °C. Especially in its polished state, its high-quality optics is appreciated. AISI 304 is used for the construction of sinks and is very versatile. It is especially useful, if resistance to water, moisture or weak acids is required. It can be used inter alia for the construction of fittings, in the food industry, pharmaceutical industry or in mechanical engineering. Typical products for end consumers are pots or sinks for instance.

How can AISI 304 be hardened?

AISI 304 is a versatile product, but it reaches its limits for specific applications nevertheless. Among other things, its inherent positive property of polishability can manifest itself in a tendency to cold welding. In this case, the BORINOX® process is a solution. The steel can be hardened with this, with the susceptibility to cold welding decreasing. The BORINOX® process stands out due to the fact that the positive properties such as corrosion resistance are still retained while increasing the hardness. Basically, hardening processes are frequently especially suitable for AISI 304, as this steel is a relatively soft type of steel. If you require an increase in scratch resistance, the BORINOX® process can help you to achieve this.