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317L Round Bar

What is 316 Stainless Steel Pipe?

It is a steel tube made of molybdenum, chromium, and nickel alloy with molybdenum added to it. The material is highly wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant compared to the ordinary 304 steel material, due to its high wear-and-tear resistance, strength, and corrosion resistance. A stainless steel tube of the gra 316, which is high-quality stainless steel, is ideal for applications requiring high strength and corrosion resistance. Stainless steel 316 is the world’s second most widely used grade in the world. Because of its resistance to corrosion and stress cracking caused by chloride ions in chloride ion networks, stainless steel 316 tubings are employed in a wide range of applications in some of the most important industries such as food processing, marine industry, seawater processing, nuclear power plants, heat exchangers, and boilers. Because of this, this material can survive in environments with a high concentration of chloride ions.

Benefits  of 316 Stainless Steel

Stainless Steel 316 is not only excellent for its durability, but it also has a number of other advantages, including the following:

  •  It retains its strength at elevated temperatures for a longer period of time than Type 304 steel
  •  In addition, it is weldable to a high degree of precision
  •  The machinability of this material is excellent
  •  There is a good level of corrosion resistance with this product
  •  A high level of resistance to pitting is provided by this material
  •  Due to its austenitic structure, it is very tough even at cryogenic temperatures, which is why it is so widely used
  •  Potable water is not considered to be a concern for the material
  •  Superior resistance to chloride is one of its most important attributes
  •  Molybdenum adds corrosion resistance to the metal, which can withstand acetic, sulfuric, and sulfurous acids as well as other industrial chemicals. Inks, textiles, photographic chemicals, papers, textiles, rubber, and bleaches are some of the products made with these types of corrosive process chemicals.
  •  – Stainless Steel 316 has superior resistance to corrosion, cracking, and pitting. This stainless steel offers a reduced risk of stress corrosion cracking, improved creep resistance, as well as better resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion than other stainless steels.
  •  There are several types of stainless steel that are used in the pulp and paper industry to avoid iron contamination of the product; Type 316 is one type that is commonly used in the paper industry. 

What is a 316L Seamless pipe?

These austenitic stainless steels are similar to 304 and 304L, except with the addition of molybdenum. 316L seamless stainless steel tubes are composed of 316 material and have a low carbon content. In chloride environments, molybdenum improves corrosion resistance, particularly pitting and crevice corrosion resistance.

Steel has become extremely popular for use in severe corrosion environments with the addition of molybdenum due to its resistance to boundary carbide precipitation (sensitization) as a result of the addition of molybdenum. It is commonly used in heavy gauge welded components, and annealing is usually not required where the material will be used in a high-stress environment. As a result of the high corrosion resistance of 316L, it has a wide range of applications, especially in the marine industry.

316 Stainless Steel Pipe vs 316L Seamless Pipe

Advantages of seamless pipes:

1) There are several advantages to seamless pipes, including their weight, which is only 1/5 that of square steel;

2) Continuous seamless pipes have excellent corrosion resistance, regardless of the nature of the environment in which they are used. They are corrosion-resistant to acids, alkalis, salt, and atmospheric environments. They are also highly temperature resistant, impact-resistant, and fatigue-resistant and do not require regular maintenance.

3) Seamless pipes have greater tensile strength, better elastic modulus, excellent creep resistance, corrosion resistance, and shock resistance than ordinary steel; their tensile strength is between 8-10 times that of ordinary steel;

4) As well as the excellent mechanical properties and ease of machining, seamless pipes also have many other advantages;

5) In addition to being very elastic, seamless pipes can be reused in mechanical equipment, have no memory, are not deformed, and are antistatic as well.

In recent years, seamless pipes have gained extensive use in a wide range of industries. These pipes are in increasing demand, and there are an increasing number of companies that are producing seamless pipes, but the quality of those pipes is even more uneven. How can one decide whether seamless pipes are of good quality? Woolen cloth?

First of all, we would like to point out that high-quality seamless pipes will have a distinct wall thickness because the thicker the wall thickness in a product, the more economical and practical it will be, since the thicker the wall thickness in a product, the thicker the wall thickness in the product. The higher the cost of resources, the higher the cost of resources; Secondly, the production process also determines the limitations of the seamless pipe; the general seamless pipe has poor precision and uneven wall thickness, is not bright on the inside and the outside of the tube and is extremely expensive to buy fixed lengths. Moreover, the inside and outer surfaces of the tube have pits and black spots that can be very difficult to remove; as a result, they must be detected and shaped offline in order to be detected and shaped correctly. In addition to high pressure, high strength, and mechanical structural materials, it is also reflected in their superiority in terms of high pressure, high strength, and mechanical structural materials.

Seamless pipes have also become more popular due to the increasing market demand, but there are many fakes and cheap products on the market, so everyone must choose carefully.

There is a difference between 316L stainless steel and 316. It is softer and more malleable due to this difference. The steel is also more corrosion resistant because of the lower carbon content. Both stainless sheets of steel have similar mechanical properties, but 316L is more expensive. If you require strength, durability, and quality material for your project, you should consider 316L.

SS There is less carbon in 316L stainless steel pipe compared to 316 grade, which makes it more corrosion resistant in most environments, and it reduces the chances of weld decay after welding. This stainless steel is also very strong and is often used to fabricate pharmaceutical equipment, and it has a maximum carbon content of 0.03%. Due to its low carbon content, 316L stainless steel is an excellent choice for welding because it has a very low carbon content.

A stainless steel pipe 316L is austenitic stainless steel. Nickel, chrome, and carbon have been added to it to improve its corrosion resistance and create a favorable pH balance in the alloy. It is known that adding too much carbon to stainless steel will result in a phenomenon known as “sensitization,” which will result in the precipitation of chromium carbides at grain boundaries, consuming chromium from adjacent regions in the process. Consequently, stainless steel is more prone to intergranular corrosion as a result.

Construction engineering often uses stainless steel pipes of the 316L type. The shaped tube is an oblong hollow steel tube that is widely used in construction engineering. The 316L stainless steel pipe is widely used in machinery, petrochemical equipment, medical equipment, food processing equipment, and light industry transmission pipelines and mechanical parts, but many friends will confuse it with 316. A brief explanation of the differences between stainless steel pipe 316L and stainless steel pipe 316 will be given below.

 

Differences Between 316L Stainless Steel Pipe and 316 Stainless Steel Pipe

1. Differences in production costs

Carbon content plays a primary role in the difference between 316 and 316L stainless steels. There is less carbon in 316L and less carbon in 316 steel tubes. Carbon is an element that causes intergranular corrosion in austenitic stainless steel. Because the lower the carbon content, the less likely it is that intergranular corrosion will occur. Therefore, 316L has a stronger corrosion resistance than 316, and the price is higher.

2. The difference in the strength of stainless steel tubes

A stainless steel pipe made of 316 is stronger than a pipe made of 316L. Its tensile strength is higher than that of (316L) stainless steel pipe. 316 stainless steel pipes have a tensile strength only greater than 480Mpa. Carbon forms austenite, so stainless steel pipes can be significantly stronger because carbon is a strong austenite-forming element.

3. Differences in practical applications

There are various stainless steel 316 tube sizes. The cost difference between 316L stainless steel and ss316 stainless steel tube is not large. However, 316L stainless steel is much more corrosion-resistant and weldable than ordinary 316 stainless steel. Because the demand for ordinary 316 stainless steel is extremely low, stainless steel factories are reluctant to produce it. Therefore, the actual stainless steel in circulation in the market is mostly 316 L stainless steel with a low carbon content. If there is a particular requirement for 316 stainless steel, then it is seldom sold unless there is a large quantity available.

4. Differences in welding

Especially for stainless steel pipes that require welding, carbon has a negative effect on the corrosion resistance of stainless steel pipes. As a result of welding, corrosion resistance after welding is lower for low-carbon 316L stainless steel than it is for high-carbon 316 stainless steel. In the case of 316L stainless steel, solution annealing after welding is required in the welding section, while when using 316L stainless steel, solution annealing is not required after welding. 316L stainless steel has good corrosion resistance, and the welding section has to be solution annealed after welding.

5. Difference in corrosion resistance

It is recommended to consider the previous conditions when it comes to 316L stainless steel pipe that has stronger corrosion resistance. In addition, 316 ss pipe is not recommended for areas with strong corrosion, such as seaside areas.

 6. The difference in the scope of use

In most cases, 304 stainless steel pipe is sufficient to meet the application requirements. Since 316L stainless steel pipe is more expensive than 304 stainless steel pipe, it is necessary to customize the amount of 316L steel pipe because the use of 316L stainless steel pipe from a material cost perspective is 1.5 times higher than the amount of 304 stainless steel pipe.

7. Magnetic Properties

Stainless steel (like 316 stainless steel) has a very low response to magnetic fields. In contrast to basic stainless steels (such as 430 stainless steel), which are ferromagnetic, most stainless steels (such as 316 stainless steel) are austenitic, or non-magnetic in nature.

The austenitic crystal structure of 316 stainless steel may, however, be converted into ferromagnetic martensite through processes, like cold forming and welding, when the austenitic crystal structure is transformed into ferromagnetism. This is the case, especially for 316L stainless steel.

8. Practical Applications

It is true that stainless steel can be used in a wide range of industries. However, 316 is the most common type of stainless steel that is commonly used in construction and infrastructure because it is strong, resistant to pitting, and corrosion-resistant in most cases. Because of its ability to withstand welding and corrosion, 316L is often used in pharmaceutical and photography equipment.

Sarth Maru
Sarth Maru