Austenitic Stainless Steel

Stainless Steel 304 / 304L

304 is the most widely used austenitic (18-8) stainless steel. It offers good corrosion resistance, formability, and weldability, and is non-magnetic in the annealed condition (it can become slightly magnetic after cold work). Request a quote or browse all materials.

Typical Properties

Stainless Steel 304 at a glance

Property	Typical value
Density	8.00 g/cm³ (0.289 lb/in³)
Ultimate tensile strength	515 MPa min (ASTM A240); ~505–620 typical
Yield strength (0.2%)	205 MPa min; ~215 typical
Elongation at break	40% min; often 50–70%
Hardness	~123–201 HB (annealed)
Elastic modulus	193 GPa
Thermal conductivity	16.2 W/m·K
Composition	~18% Cr, ~8% Ni

Annealed condition. 304L (low carbon) is preferred for welded parts to limit sensitization. These are typical reference values from standard published data, not guaranteed minimums. Request material certificates in your RFQ if properties must be verified.

Advantages

Why engineers choose Stainless Steel 304

Corrosion resistance

Good in atmospheric, food, and many mild chemical environments.

Formability

Bends and draws well for sheet metal parts.

Weldability

Easily welded; use 304L for heavy weldments.

Cleanability

Common for food, beverage, and lab equipment surfaces.

Design considerations: Work hardens quickly, so it machines slower than aluminum or 303; susceptible to pitting in chloride environments, where 316 is usually preferred; cannot be hardened by heat treatment.

Applications