2024-11-22
Stainless steel-Understanding Magnetic properties of 304 and 316 stainless steel
It’s important to understand when selecting a grade of stainless steel (SS) for your application or prototype, if the material needs to have magnetic properties or not. Before determining this, it is good to understand what makes a grade of stainless steel magnetic or not.Stainless steels are iron-based alloys particularly known for their generally excellent corrosion resistance. There are several different types of stainless steels. The two main types are austenitic (MicroGroup items: 304H20RW, 304F10250X010SL for example) and ferritic (automotive applications, kitchenware, and industrial equipment), each contains a different chemical arrangement. Due to this difference, ferritic stainless steels are generally magnetic while austenitic stainless steels are not. A ferritic stainless steel owes its magnetism to two factors: its high concentration of iron and its fundamental structure.