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Stainless Steel

Stainless Steel 304

The benchmark stainless — food-safe, corrosion-resistant, universally available.

Tensile Strength

515 MPa

Density

7.93 g/cm³

Max Temp

870°C continuous

Machinability

Stainless Steel 304 (also known as A2 stainless or 18/8 stainless) is the world's most widely used stainless alloy. Its excellent balance of corrosion resistance, strength, hygiene, and weldability makes it the default choice for food processing, kitchen equipment, architectural hardware, chemical handling, and general engineering where rust resistance is required but seawater exposure is not. OrangeSea CNC machines 304 stainless daily, with dedicated fixtures for the thin-wall and deep-pocket features common in food industry components.

Technical Data

Material Properties

Tensile Strength

515–720 MPa

Yield Strength

205–310 MPa

Elongation

40%

Hardness

≤201 HB (annealed)

Density

7.93 g/cm³

Thermal Conductivity

16.2 W/m·K

Machinability

Moderate (3/5)

Weldability

Excellent

Corrosion Resistance

Good (non-chloride environments)

Max Service Temp

870°C continuous

Capabilities

Why CNC Machine SS 304?

Universal Availability

304 is the most-stocked stainless alloy worldwide — rapid availability in bar, plate, tube, and sheet for quick-turnaround machining.

Food & Hygiene Safe

FDA-acceptable for food contact, easy to clean, and resists bacterial growth — the default for food processing and kitchen equipment.

Good Corrosion Resistance

Excellent resistance to oxidation and corrosion in most environments except chloride-rich (seawater) — use 316L for marine applications.

Weldable

All standard welding processes (MIG, TIG, resistance) work well — essential for fabricated assemblies in food and chemical industries.

Non-magnetic (annealed)

304 in annealed condition is non-magnetic — important for electromagnetic applications and some medical equipment designs.

Use Cases

What We Machine in SS 304

Food & Beverage

Processing equipment fittings, sanitary clamps, conveyor parts, vessel nozzles

Architecture

Decorative fixtures, structural brackets, handrail fittings, facade hardware

Industrial

General engineering components, machine brackets, fasteners, pipe fittings

Medical

Non-implant medical instrument parts, lab equipment components

Chemical

Storage tank fittings, non-aggressive chemical handling parts

Engineering Tips

Design for Machining — SS 304

For seawater or chloride environments, upgrade to 316L — 304 will pit-corrode in salt water within months

304 work-hardens aggressively — always machine with sharp tooling and continuous cuts. Dwell, rubbing, or blunt tooling causes rapid work-hardening and poor surface finish

Passivation (ASTM A380) is recommended for food contact and medical applications — removes free iron and maximises corrosion resistance

304H (high carbon) and 304L (low carbon) variants exist — for welded assemblies, specify 304L to prevent sensitisation

Surface Options