Stainless Steel grades

Lowest-chromium ferritic stainless steel with Ti stabilization. Developed specifically for automotive exhaust systems as a cost-effective alternative to austenitic grades. Good oxidation resistance to ~800°C. Used for exhaust manifolds, catalytic converters, mufflers, and heat shields.

Ferritic chromium stainless steel with good corrosion resistance and formability. Lower cost than austenitic grades. Used for automotive trim, kitchen sinks, architectural panels, and appliance components.

17% Cr Ti-stabilized ferritic stainless. Cost-effective alternative to 304 for many applications — no Ni means ~30-40% lower cost. Immune to chloride SCC. Used for automotive exhaust systems (downstream), kitchen sinks, washing machine drums, heat exchangers, and architectural trim.

Stabilized ferritic stainless steel with Mo addition. A cost-effective alternative to 316L for applications where austenitic properties are not needed. Excellent resistance to chloride stress corrosion cracking. Used for hot water tanks, solar collectors, automotive exhaust, and catering equipment.

Free-cutting ferritic stainless — AISI 430F equivalent. S 0.15-0.35% + Mo 0.2-0.5% for machinability and slight improvement in pitting resistance. THE ferritic Automatenstahl for CNC screw machines. Used for screws, nuts, bushings, fittings, and automotive components where ferritische Korrosionsbeständigkeit with machinability is needed. Magnetic, not weldable.

Ti-stabilized ferritic stainless with Mo — 18% Cr + 2% Mo + Ti. Best pitting resistance in the ferritic family (PREN ~25, comparable to 316L austenitics). Ti stabilization prevents sensitization after welding. Used as cost-effective replacement for 316L in hot water systems, solar collectors, catering equipment, and automotive exhaust heat exchangers. No Ni = lower cost than austenitic.

Low-cost utility ferritic stainless steel (12% Cr). A cost-effective alternative to 304 where full corrosion resistance is not required. Good weldability for a ferritic grade. Used for railway wagons, bus bodies, sugar industry, mining equipment, and structural applications.

Lean ferritic stainless with just 12% Cr and ~1% Ni — the cheapest stainless option. Also called "utility ferritic" or 3CR12. Lower corrosion resistance than 304 but much better than carbon steel. Magnetic, weldable (with precautions), and formable. Used where mild corrosion resistance at lowest cost is the goal: railway wagons, coal trucks, bus chassis, sugar mills, and architectural cladding in mild environments.

THE standard ferritic stainless steel — 16-18% Cr, no Ni. Non-hardenable, magnetic, lower cost than austenitic grades. Good corrosion resistance for indoor/mild environments. Used for kitchen sinks, automotive trim, washing machine drums, architectural panels, and catering equipment. Not suitable for welding thick sections (grain coarsening). AISI 430.