Grades of Steel and Their Effects on Your Food Business
Blog | December 11th, 2017
Not all toughened steel alloys are created equal. Like most robust materials, there are different grades to consider. For example, during the forging stage, special alloying materials manipulate the mechanical characteristics of a cited steel. Further down the line, a post-processing heat treatment stage augments those newly purposed material properties. Considering the sheer number of heat treated and graded steels, which ones suit the food industry?
Food-Grade Stainless Steel
Look to food-safe 316 steel. Loaded with chromium and nickel, 316 stainless steel is built to handle high temperatures. Expect unimpeachable performance all the way up to 800°C. This steel grade forms the backbone of contemporary catering establishments. It’s used to construct toughened oven panels and hot trolley plating. Additionally, acidic and alkaline compounds won’t damage the stainless steel material, nor will a salt spillage.
Grade 430 Food Steel
When the nickel content is lowered, we get 430 steel, an alloy that’s high in quality but not quite as corrosion resistant as that other high-performing alloy. Yes, the metal is more prone to oxidation, but it’s also equipped with stress corrosion resistance. If a corrosive patch does develop, the material won’t crack. Imbued with strength, the alloy also rejects the influences of organic acids. Incidentally, due to the lessened nickel, this is a more affordable option.
The Pros and Cons of Duplex Steels
Super-tough steels are fabricated to form containment units in vinegar factories and mustard processing businesses. However, duplex steels are not fabrication-friendly. That innate strength translates to poor formability. Hard to work with, this grade of steel is reserved for the most corrosive food-based conditions. Still, rich in chromium, this potentially expensive proposition is designed to withstand all but the most disruptive compounds.
Application-Based Steel Grading
Expect to find 304 and 316 stainless steel in the toughest appliances and equipment. Those two alloys are simply the best when it comes to all-around performance. They absorb heat, reject corrosion, and rebuff chemical attacks. Next, the 400 group is more affordable than the 300 family, so it’s often employed as a material base in kitchen splashbacks, stove enclosures, and catering equipment. At the top of the heap, duplex steels perform with tank-like strength, but they’re not the easiest alloys to work with, nor are they the cheapest.
The 300 and 400 grades of steel hit a performance sweet spot. They combine fabrication versatility with an essential food-safe feature. Easy to clean, built to handle thermal extremes, and blessed with corrosion resistance, they’re also the more affordable option. The two groups are further divided into austenitic, martensitic, and ferritic alloys, the latter of which is magnetic by default.
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