AISI 316 / 316L stainless steel sheets and plates

Different grades of stainless steel, also called inox, are distinguished according to their chemical composition. Depending on the amounts of special additives contained in the steel alloy, the different proportions determine the physical properties of the material and therefore its possible applications.

One of the most popular stainless steel grade for applications in architecture, industry and especially in the chemical industry, is the material AISI 316 or AISI 316L.

At mirrorINOX, we offer a wide range of surface finishes for 316 stainless steel sheets, which can be selected in different thicknesses (0.5 mm, 1mm, 2mm, etc.) and custom-sized:

• Mirror polishing
• Bead blasting
• Circular polishing
• PVD coating
• And many more

What is stainless steel AISI 316 / AISI 316L?

AISI 316 / AISI 316L, also known in German-speaking countries as "Edelstahl 1.4401/1.4404" and "V4A", is a higher-quality alloy compared to the material AISI 304 ("1.4301" and "V2A" in German-speaking countries) with added molybdenum and an increased chromium and nickel content, which means that the material has a higher resistance to corrosion.

The addition of molybdenum makes 316 stainless steel sheets more corrosion and oxidation-resistant and very suitable for applying for instance in areas near the sea or a slightly alkaline environment. In addition to these properties, this material is easy to process, form and weld.

The abbreviation AISI stands for "American Iron and Steel Institute", which set up the standards to which stainless steel grades AISI 304, AISI 316 and AISI 316L should correspond.

The ending "L" has been added to some of the alloys. When comparing AISI 316 and AISI 316L, we can see quite identical chemical compositions. However, there is a significant difference – L stands for "low" in relation to the slightly lower carbon content.

V4A, X2CrNiMo17-12-2, 1.4404 – Synonyms of AISI 316 / AISI 316L

AISI 316 / 316L inox sheets and plates have become a popular material in today's markets and are being manufactured in various countries around the globe.

The rules for forming the grade’s name, which consists of alphabetical and numerical symbols, are governed by the regulations and ordinances of each country. In the USA, as well as in European and non-European countries, different specific designations systems are used for this stainless steel grade.

1.4404

1.4404 is the numeric designation for the 316 / 316L grade of austenitic stainless steel according to the European Standard, where for the exact designation of the material, experts use this option (as for other grades, designations such as 1.4301, 1.4571 or 1.4404 are preferred).

V4A

Already before the end of the 19^th century, it was discovered that the corrosion resistance of steel could be improved by adding nickel and chromium. The decisive step was taken in Germany in 1912. By adding nickel and chromium and by means of the right heat treatment, the optimal combination of excellent corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties was achieved for the first time.

The abbreviations "V2A" and "V4A" consist of the letters "V" for the German word "Versuch" (which means "trial", "test", "experiment") and the letter "A" for "Austenit” ("austenite") plus the figures 2 and 4 indicating the ordinal number of the successful tests in which the inventors reached the required properties of the alloy.

These designations are very common in colloquial language of German-speaking countries and some others when talking about AISI 316 stainless steel plates for example.

X2CrNiMo17-12-2

The historical German name for AISI 316L is "X2CrNiMo17-12-2". This classification was developed by the German Institute for Standardization (Deutsche Institut für Normung), which is colloquially often referred to as "according to DIN standards" or simply "according to DIN".

The characters X2 in this classification mean that the stainless steel material contains less than 0.03 percent by weight of carbon which improves significantly the weldability of the material. (For your information: X5 stands for less than 0.07 wt%, X10 – less than 0.10 wt%).

Further symbols in this designation indicate the mass fraction of the alloy elements chromium, nickel and molybdenum in the steel composition, namely:

• Chromium 17.5 wt%
• Nickel 12.5 wt%
• Molybdenum 2.5 wt%

The properties of AISI 316 / 316L stainless steel sheets

The inox steel type with the material number AISI 316 / AISI 316L is characterized by properties such as:

• Excellent resistance to various aggressive media
• Heat resistance
• Higher expansion rate
• Higher stability, forexample when used in an environment with salty or acidic air.

AISI 316 / 1.4404 stainless steel has excellent mechanical and anti-corrosive properties even at more extreme temperatures. It is easy to process and weld and has increased ductility and better formability.

Is AISI 316 / AISI 316L stainless steel magnetic?

AISI 316 stainless steel sheets, just like 316L plates, are rather non-magnetic or only very weakly magnetic.

The magnetic or non-magnetic properties of stainless steel depend on the nickel content in its composition. Only when the nickel content is reduced to 9 % or less does the stainless steel begin to magnetise, even if it is austenitic stainless steel.

The inox grade AISI 316 / AISI 316L usually contains between 10 and 13 wt% of nickel, which makes this steel basically non-magnetic. Due to its lower carbon content, AISI 316L / 1.4404 is however easier to machine and to weld than the otherwise equivalent stainless steel AISI 316 / 1.4401.

Density of AISI 316L

The density of the material AISI 316L is 8,0 kg/dm³ and the electrical resistance at 20 °C is 0.75 (Ω·mm²/m).

316 stainless steel: mechanical and physical properties

The tensile strength, but also density and other mechanical, physical and chemical properties of AISI 316 stainless steel (whether sheets, plates, or other material) are presented in the chart below:

Applications and uses of stainless steel AISI 316 / AISI 316L

Due to their properties, 316 and 316L stainless steel plates are used in many fields and sectors of industries:

• Architecture or construction: for façades, roofs, all types of cladding and other architectural elements, especially for outdoor and technical applications
• Construction of specialised industrial plants: in the chemical, food, paper and cellulose production,
• Mining, pharmaceutical, and petrochemical industries: for the construction of containers, silos, vessels, tanks, pipes, etc.

Everything you need to know about AISI 316L in one table

mirrorINOX: processing AISI 316 stainless steel sheets and other grades

mirrorINOX processes the surfaces of different types of stainless steel using traditionally established and proven metal processing technologies, as well as the newest and most advanced ones.

We very often refine the more common stainless steels such as:

• 1.4016
• AISI 304 (1.4301)
• AISI 316L (1.4404)

but also the less conventional, rarer grades such as:

• 1.4435
• 1.4571
• 1.4509

We even treat special inox grades such as duplex stainless steel sheets, including 1.4462 ("Duplex") and 1.4410 ("Super Duplex").

We look forward to your inquiry – whatever stainless steel grade you require!