Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is iron alloyed with at least 10.5% chromium, which forms a self-healing passive film that resists corrosion. Bright Tubes stocks and supplies 32 stainless grades, from 200-series and 18-8 austenitics to H grades for boilers, super-austenitic SS 904L and 254 SMO, and duplex and super duplex, in every major product form.
Stainless Steel grades
Austenitic (Cr-Ni) (14)
The workhorse family: non-magnetic when annealed, easy to weld and form, tough down to cryogenic temperatures. Molybdenum (SS 316, SS 317) adds chloride pitting resistance; titanium or niobium (SS 321, SS 347) stabilise against sensitisation; H grades carry higher carbon for creep strength.
- SS 301
- SS 302
- SS 304
- SS 304L
- SS 304H Focus
- SS 316
- SS 316L
- SS 316Ti Focus
- SS 317 Focus
- SS 317L Focus
- SS 321
- SS 321H Focus
- SS 347 Focus
- SS 347H Focus
Heat-resisting austenitic (5)
High chromium and nickel for oxidation resistance at furnace temperatures. Used for furnace parts, burners, kilns and heat-treatment fixtures.
Super-austenitic (2)
Highly alloyed austenitic grades with high molybdenum (and copper in SS 904L) for strong acids and seawater-type chlorides where SS 316L is not enough.
Duplex & super duplex (2)
Mixed austenite-ferrite microstructure: about twice the yield strength of SS 316L with much better resistance to chloride stress corrosion cracking.
Ferritic (5)
Nickel-free or low-nickel, magnetic grades with good resistance to stress corrosion cracking. Mostly flat products and welded tube for exhausts, appliances, wagons and heat-resisting parts.
Martensitic (2)
Hardenable by heat treatment. Used where strength, hardness and wear resistance matter more than maximum corrosion resistance: shafts, valve trim, pump parts and cutlery.
200 series (Cr-Mn-Ni) (2)
Manganese and nitrogen replace part of the nickel. A lower-cost alternative to SS 304 for indoor, decorative and light-duty applications.
Stainless Steel products by form
- Stainless Steel Pipes
- Stainless Steel Tubes
- Stainless Steel Plates
- Stainless Steel Sheets
- Stainless Steel Coils
- Stainless Steel Bars
- Stainless Steel Fittings
- Stainless Steel Flanges
- Stainless Steel Angles
- Stainless Steel Channels
- Stainless Steel Bolts
- Stainless Steel Nuts
- Stainless Steel Washers
- Stainless Steel Gratings
Choosing a stainless steel grade
| Service condition | Usual starting grades |
|---|---|
| General process, food, indoor | SS 304 Stainless Steel, SS 304L Stainless Steel |
| Chlorides, marine air, mild acids | SS 316L Stainless Steel, SS 317L Stainless Steel |
| Sensitising temperatures (425–815 °C) | SS 321 Stainless Steel, SS 347 Stainless Steel, SS 316Ti Stainless Steel |
| Creep-range pressure parts | SS 304H Stainless Steel, SS 321H Stainless Steel, SS 347H Stainless Steel |
| Furnaces and kilns | SS 309S Stainless Steel, SS 310S Stainless Steel, SS 253 MA Stainless Steel, SS 446 Stainless Steel |
| Strong acids, seawater | SS 904L Stainless Steel, SS 254 SMO Stainless Steel |
| Chloride SCC, high strength | Duplex 2205 Stainless Steel, Super Duplex 2507 Stainless Steel |
| Exhausts, wagons, flat products | SS 409 Stainless Steel, SS 409M Stainless Steel, SS 430 Stainless Steel, SS 441 Stainless Steel |
| Shafts, valve trim | SS 410 Stainless Steel, SS 420 Stainless Steel |
Stainless Steel: comparisons, charts & tools
Industries using stainless steel
- Oil & Gas
- Petrochemical & Refining
- Chemical Processing
- Power Generation
- Nuclear
- Pharmaceutical & Biotech
- Food & Beverage Processing
- Marine & Offshore
- Shipbuilding
- Aerospace
- Automotive & Transport
- Construction & Architecture
- Infrastructure
- Heavy Engineering
- Process Equipment Manufacturing
- Heat Exchanger Manufacturing
- Boiler Manufacturing
- Pressure Vessel Fabrication
- Water & Wastewater Treatment
- Desalination
- Fertilizer
- Mining & Minerals
- Cement
- Sugar
- Engineering & Fabrication
Frequently asked questions
Which stainless steel grade is best?
No grade is best everywhere. SS 304/304L suits general service, SS 316L adds chloride resistance, H grades serve high-temperature pressure parts, and duplex or super-austenitic grades handle aggressive chlorides and acids.
What is the difference between L and H grades?
L grades have low carbon (≤ 0.030–0.035%) for weld-zone corrosion resistance. H grades have controlled higher carbon (0.04–0.10%) for creep strength at high temperatures.
How many stainless steel grades do you supply?
32 grades and products, in 14 product forms: pipes, tubes, plates, sheets, coils, bars, fittings, flanges, angles, channels, bolts, nuts, washers, gratings.
Which standards apply to stainless steel?
Do you export worldwide?
Yes: to the GCC, Southeast Asia, Europe, the USA, the UK and beyond, with export packing and documentation.
Looking for stainless steel?
Tell us the grade, form, specification, size, quantity and destination.