304 Stainless Steel
The most widely used stainless grade, historically known as 18/8 for its nominal 18% chromium, 8% nickel content. Good deep-drawing properties.
Chemical Composition
| Element | Percentage (% by weight) |
|---|---|
| C | 0 - 0.07 |
| Mn | max 2 |
| Si | max 1 |
| P | max 0.05 |
| S | max 0.03 |
| Cr | 17.5 - 19.5 |
| Ni | 8 - 10.5 |
| Fe | Balance |
Physical Properties
- Density (kg/m³)
- 8000
- Melting point (°C)
- 1450
- Elastic modulus (GPa)
- 193
Mechanical Properties
- Tensile strength (MPa)
- 500 to 700
- 0.2% proof stress (MPa)
- 190
- Elongation (%)
- 45
- Hardness (HB)
- 215
Thermal Properties
- Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)
- 16.2
- Thermal expansion (/K)
- 17.2e-6
Typical Applications
- Sinks and kitchen equipment
- Food processing
- General corrosion-resistant fabrication
Buying This Grade in Pakistan
The grade behind Wazirabad's cutlery industry, Pakistan's third-largest cutlery exporter, where food-grade 304 (also marketed as 18/8) is the standard material for knives, forks, and spoons. Roughly 80 percent of the steel used there is sourced locally, the rest imported from Japan and Germany, worth knowing when discussing sourcing with buyers in that cluster.
Related reading
- Cutlery-grade stainless: what Wazirabad manufacturers actually buy
Wazirabad is Pakistan's cutlery capital and the world's third-largest cutlery exporter. Here's the stainless steel behind that industry and how sourcing actually works there.
- 304 vs 316 stainless: when Wazirabad-grade 304 isn't enough
304 stainless covers most cutlery and general fabrication work in Pakistan, but 316's molybdenum addition matters the moment chlorides or industrial chemicals enter the picture.
Grade Family
Austenitic stainless steel
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