Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel has become one of the most popular steels for various applications. Our home and medical devices, as well as our restaurant and bar accoutrements, all use this material as their exterior. It's also employed in less obvious locations, including the engine of your automobile, in manufacturing industrial machinery, and in the foundations of very sturdy buildings.
Stainless steel's durability, malleability, and low maintenance requirements contribute to its widespread application. The malleable alloy metal contains no more than 1.2% carbon and at least 11% chromium by mass. Because chromium does not oxidise as iron does, stainless steel does not rust or corrode.
Carbon Steel
Carbon steel's high iron and carbon content makes it economical and easy to manufacture. Steel that contains between 1.2% and 2.1% carbon, together with no more than 1.65% manganese, 0.605% silicon, and 0.60% copper, is known as carbon steel. Steel grows tougher and stronger as the carbon percentage rises but is less malleable; therefore, it is more prone to break than bend when subjected to severe tensile stress.
In contrast to stainless steel, carbon steel rusts and corrodes easily, making it less desirable for use in hydraulic applications and other moist settings. Carbon steel can be protected from rust and corrosion by being galvanised with a corrosion-resistant liquid zinc coating, plated with a non-corrosive metal, or painted or coated with oil.
DC Engineering is the best Fasteners manufacturer and distributes over 700 lines of fasteners, with a total of over 165,000 different stock-keeping units (SKUs), so we know how difficult it may be to find the proper fasteners for your project. When deciding on the best material for your crucial stock, pins, retention rings, grease fittings, or other fasteners, you should first evaluate the operating conditions and the needed level of strength for the procedure.
Choose Stainless Steel Fasteners For:
Components submerged in seawater or subjected to chemical corrosion
Uses for hydraulics include:
Anti-lock brakes
Accelerator-free steering
Heavy hoisting machinery
Grade 440 (surgical) and Grade 316 (other) medical devices (biomedical)
The two most common series of stainless-steel fasteners are:
Grades 304 and 316 stainless steel Fasteners are the most popular types of fasteners, and they may be found in the 300 series. As a result of their relatively high chromium and nickel content, they are frequently chosen for construction projects because of their exceptional corrosion resistance and muscular tensile strength. Fasteners made of Grade 300 steel are typically used in places with significant chemical or moisture exposure. For instance, 304 stainless steel is generally utilised in food processing, while 316 stainless steel is better suited for marine-grade applications due to its higher corrosion resistance.
The 400 series, which includes grades 409, 410, 430, and 440, is also heat treatable and has a somewhat lower corrosion resistance than the 300 series due to the absence of nickel in its composition. Because of this, 400 series stainless steel fasteners are employed in situations where extra durability is required.
Choose Carbon Steel Fasteners For:
Applications in regions that are dry or experience low humidity and rain
High volume machine parts such as:
Shafts
Spindles
Sprocket assemblies
Use in structures subjected to high temperatures and pressures.
Engine mounts
Landing gears
Power transmissions
Carbon steel may be broken down into three distinct categories: Mild (or low) carbon steel, which is the most common kind, has a carbon content of 0.30 percent or less. Medium carbon steel has a carbon content between 0.31 and 0.6 percent, which improves its load-bearing capacity and wear resistance. Furthermore, valves and pressure vessels can benefit from the high carbon steel's hardness and brittleness because the metal's carbon range exceeds 0.61 percent. Carbon steels with a carbon content exceeding 0.30 percent have the extra advantage of being direct or hardened.
The price of the fasteners you're considering is another consideration. Due to the numerous alloying elements included in stainless steel, such as nickel, chromium, and manganese, carbon steel fasteners are often more affordable. To keep costs down, carbon steel fasteners may be the way to go if they won't be exposed to any corrosion.