Your upcoming stainless steel welding project requires attention to detail and the right materials for a positive final outcome. Before we start the actual welding process, however, you need to pick the right stainless steel grade for your project. To do this, we ask you to consider the following:
- Formability—If your stainless steel welding project requires forming the steel into a unique shape, you want to avoid martensitic steels, as they tend to be brittle and not easily formable. Generally speaking, austenitic steels are the better choice for projects that require extensive formability.
- Corrosion resistance—For many projects, stainless steel is chosen for its corrosion resistance properties. However, different grades provide different levels of corrosion resistance. Since austenitic steels contain high amounts of chromium, they usually provide the most corrosion resistance. While this may be true, martensitic and ferritic stainless steels are usually more affordable because they contain less nickel.
- Strength requirements – For building and industrial projects in particular, it is essential to consider the strength grade of the stainless steel. Martensitic stainless steels often boast very high strengths, as do austenitic stainless steels.
- Typical applications – In many cases, the best way to choose a stainless steel grade is to see what grades have been used for what projects in the past.
If you need help selecting a stainless steel grade for your upcoming stainless steel welding project, we are ready and waiting to help. For reliable advice and professional guidance, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Master Metal Fabrication.