What are Ferritic Stainless Steels?

Blog | January 25th, 2018

Considering the advanced makeup of this metallurgical discipline, the fact that there are different types of stainless steel shouldn’t come as a surprise. There are numbered gauges to peruse, like the ever-popular 304 series, then there are the proprietary alloyed materials. Packed with chromium strength, ferritic stainless steels occupy this category. Low in carbon but high in this alloying metal, what role is reserved for this specially graded steel?

Deconstructing Ferritic Stainless Steels 

The metal divulges its secrets. It has a low carbon grain, a structure that shows off a body-centred cubic build. The chromium content in the alloy is notably high. We’re looking at a workpiece that’s rich with this strength-reinforcing metal, so more than twenty-percent of the entire piece is likely chrome-based. Sure, most of the stainless steel is still iron, plus there are trace amounts of carbon in the mix, but that’s still a high percentage of property augmenting chromium. What impact will the body-centred grain and high alloy ratio have on the ferritic stainless steel?

Resists Stress-Loaded Cracking 

This is a metal amalgam that prospers in stress-heavy catering environments. Remember, cracks are bacteria hidey-holes, so they’re the enemy of a hygiene-savvy cooking area. Ferritic stainless steels don’t fracture, don’t experience stress-loaded cracks, and they certainly don’t corrode. It’s because of this stellar reputation for resisting stress-induced fractures that the alloy is making headway in many applications. Look for the metal in car exhaust systems, catalytic converters, and other load-heavy applications. Then, when that chromium content is raised, expect ferritic stainless steels in the most aggressive kitchens and food processing environments. In that food processing factory, equipment made from this strengthened alloy easily retains its polished good looks, even when there are food acids or sulphur gasses at work.

Working With Ferritic Stainless Steel 

Before saying anything else, let’s remember that this alloy is magnetic. Next, it’s not a metal that responds well to certain heat treatment techniques, so the best way forward here is to employ cold work fabrication, followed by a material softening annealing stage. Finally, this is a weldable metal, but there are limitations to this fusion-joining capability. In truth, this alloy is entirely workable, but there are, as we say, limitations to this assertion.

Basically, this is a workable alloy, one that can be bent, cut, and welded, but there are limitations to this workability attribute. Otherwise, this magnetic stainless steel is stress-fracture resistant, stress-corrosion resilient, and it’s quite capable of shrugging off most acidic foods. Check out the 400 type ferritic stainless steel family in an engineering journal for more material characteristics.

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