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Type 304 vs. type 202 stainless steel

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Mini-tutorial:
Type 304 stainless steel (which is also known as 18/8 because it contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel) has long been a traditional favorite for a wide variety of applications. But nickel is expensive and prone to shortages, so there is always pressure for a less expensive material.

Type 202 stainless steel is 4% to 6% nickel, thus offering a good economic advantage.

This thread discusses and offers opinions about the suitability of Type 202 as a substitute for Type 304 in a number of different applications.

Readers are encouraged to read this whole thread, but here are shortcuts to some of the specific discussions:

· Is 202 Food-Safe?

· Is Type 202 Good for Kitchen Utensils?

· How to Recognize SS202 vs. 304?

· Welding 202SS?

· Is Type 202 Magnetic?

· Type 202SS for Stair Railings?

· SS202 for Modular Kitchens?

· Can't thread SS 202 material

· SS202 grade for low & high temperature applications



Is SS202 food-safe?

Q. I purchase housewares for a US retailer, a foreign manufacturer has told me that 202 grade SS is also approved for the food industry. I have not been able to verify this with the FDA. Other than the low Ni content of 202 SS, how different is it from SS 304? Are there any known implications or reactions in the human body? Any references would also be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Ann Nurouz
Buyer - New York, New York
October 7, 2008


"Stainless Steels"
by ASM

on AbeBooks

or Amazon

(affil links)

A. The major differences between 202 and 304 stainless steels are in the nickel and chromium contents. 202 has 16-18% chromium and 0.5-4.0% nickel, whilst 304 has 18-20% chromium and 8-10.5% nickel. There are other minor differences in the amount of carbon (0.08% in 304 and 0.12% in 202), manganese (2% in 304 and 5.5-7.5% in 202), as well as slight differences in the silicon, phosphorus and molybdenum contents. Both are austenitic steels and are essentially non-magnetic, but will become temporarily magnetic by working them. The manganese helps preserve the austenitic phase in the steels, as does the nickel. I can see an attraction in some people for using the 202 steel as it contains less nickel, and there is concern amongst some folk that they are sensitive to nickel. However. as far as I am aware, nickel containing stainless steels have not been shown to cause nickel sensitivity - however, I am willing to be shown to be wrong here.

trevor crichton
Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK


Q. Is SS202 safe for food usage? Why is SS 304 grade steel food grade more costly than others?

Deepa Jayant Miringkar
Govt Servant - ponda goa India
January 31, 2015


A. Hi Deepa. The short answer is that type 304 contains 8% nickel which is much more expensive than iron, so it will cost more than nickel-free or low-nickel stainless steels while being more corrosion resistant.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. I want to make steel rack and tray for cooling of bread.
Please tell me whether I should use steel 202 or 304.

Abdul khalik
Food Product - Thane maharastra-India
May 10, 2016


A. Hi Abdul. I'm confident that there are educational/trade organizations in India which serve the baking industry and can warn you about sanitary codes, food & drug manufacturing rules, etc. Lacking such info, type 316SS is the only construction material which I would have confidence in as being fully approved. Although even 4xx grades are used by major suppliers of flatware these days

I would specifically not go into a cost-cutting program from 304 to 202 in the food industry. Just a personal opinion from someone on a different continent :-)

Readers: a great way to learn is to try to teach. You'll learn far more, far quicker, by attempting to answer an open question here than by adding yours to the list :-)

Good luck and Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. Hi, have read the whole thread above and understand that 304 is more resistant to corrosion than 202 and more expensive due to nickel content. I'm specifically looking at products like steel lunch boxes and bottles. Would 202 be sufficient for all practical purposes? Also what about 4xx steel? I'm thinking of 4xx to use the magnetic properties - but any concerns in using it for food? Thanks so much!

Sirisha Gi
- Mumbai, India
February 21, 2017


A. Hi Sirisha. This page is only opinion & non-official, and the pages age & get out of date, so it cannot substitute for a "code check", but I don't know why SS202 or 4XX couldn't be used although they are not as corrosion resistant as SS304, and will rust quicker.

Luck & Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. Is ss 202 good for food grade?
There is any chemical reactions when we use it??
Or SS304? Which is best for food grade?
Please suggest?

v rama krishna
- Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, India


A. Hi cousin. I answered that question to the best of my ability as someone from the metal finishing industry in the USA. But hopefully someone from the food service industry in India will do a code check and chime in with a better answer for you.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. This may not be the proper place for my question, but I need to start somewhere. In craft making, what type of stainless steel should I use for a cake tester? Does it need to be food grade since you stick it into food in the oven for a few seconds? Or can I just use a 16 gauge coil of rust proof stainless steel? Thanks.

Cindy Sullivan
- Merritt Island, Florida, USA
May 17, 2018


A. Hi Cindy. Although I suppose it might be possible to find stainless steels that aren't 'food grade', most stainless steel is. Your flatware may be type 304, your steak knives type 420 or 440A, your pots & pans type 316 for example. If you are selling these, then good stewardship demands that you know exactly what kind of stainless you intend to use; but if it's for yourself and gifts to a few family & friends it will probably be alright.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


thumbs up sign Thanks Ted for your answer to my question re. SS cake testers. I get the impression I won't kill anybody with my homemade testers. (After all, they're just for family!)

Cindy Sullivan [returning]
- Merritt Island, Florida USA
May 25, 2018


Q. Is 202 grade SS is food grade? I meet many SS utensils manufacturer's near me to buy 304 SS food grade home appliances. But, they all says they manufacture only 202 grade SS utensils. Can I sell them as a food grade utensils? Will it be safe for customers?

Vishal Nagar
- Ahmedabad City, India
August 27, 2020


Q. I am into baby Cutlery products like forks and spoons. I am baffled between 202 ss and 304 ss as manufacturers are recommending me both. I know 202 ss rusts fast and 304 doesn't. But what's your say. Which one should I use for kids' Cutlery. And one more thing I have noticed in baby Cutlery is that manufactures on-line are mentioning nickel-free and bpa-free steel in kids' Cutlery. What's that? I am baffled about what material are they using for baby Cutlery which is both nickel and bpa free :-)

Juhi Sharma
Employee - Kerela, India
June 13, 2022


A. Hi Juhi. 202 stainless seems to be a relatively new composition for many applications which have traditionally used 304 stainless steel. I think there is little doubt that 304 is "better" thanks to its higher nickel content, but more expensive for the same reason.

BPA is related to plastics manufacturing & composition and as far as I know has nothing to do with steel or stainless steel ... but I imagine that some baby flatware products are made of plastic or have plastics on their handles.

Some flatware today is made of nickel-free type 4xx stainless steels, and although it is not as corrosion-resistant as type 304 or type 202 stainless, apparently those manufacturers feel it is good enough.
Luck & Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Type 202 for Kitchen Utensils?

Q. Can we use magnetic steel for kitchen utensils (is it hygienic and non-rusting)?
And what's the best choice of ss types, and cheapest also to make stainless steel kitchen utensils like basins, mugs, milk pots, etc.
Thank you, and awaiting your kind reply

Dr. Abbas Sholgami
hollowware factory - UAE
December 6, 2008


A. You can use magnetic stainless steels if you want to, but the most usual stainless steels are 304 and 316 grades

trevor crichton
Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK


A. True, but knives are usually some variant of 400 SS which is magnetic. So, what is a utensil?

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida


A. Hi Dr. Abbas. Some major suppliers of flatware have switched from 18/8 stainless to 18/0. It is not as corrosion resistant but quite a bit less expensive.

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. CAN WE USE STAINLESS STEEL KITCHEN UTENSILS LIKE DEEP AND FLAT BASINS, TRAYS, BOWLS USING STAINLESS STEEL GRADE SS410? HOW HYGIENIC IS IT AND WHICH IS MORE EASY TO PRESS (WHICH IS SOFTER) SS410 OR SS304?
ALSO HOW TO POLISH MANUALLY SS410 SURFACE BA?

THANK YOU

Dr.Abbas Sholgami [returning]
hollowware factory - SUDAN
October 2, 2009


"Stainless Steel for Design Engineers"

on AbeBooks

or Amazon

(affil links)

A. Hi Dr. Abbas. 4xx stainless steels are less expensive than type 304 because they contain no nickel. They are less corrosion resistant and more prone to rusting, but they are sometimes used for kitchen utensils. Type 304 work hardens, so it is probably harder to press complicated shapes; I don't really know about type 410, but it probably doesn't work harden. (Please search the site for "polishing SS410" or similar search terms so readers can more easily follow all the discussions on that topic).

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. I wish to manufacture SS hotpots or casserole which keeps hot food hot. Can I use SS 202 or 304? I tried to press SS 202 but it is developing cracks on the sides. I was told to use steel with high nickel content. As far as to my knowledge, high nickel content only prevents corrosion and rusting. Why is the hotpot or casserole cracking from the sides?

Parimal kumar
appliances - kolkata, India
March 9, 2018


A. Hi Parimal,
Nickel makes stainless more resistant to rust in certain conditions, but more than that, it is the responsible for its austenitic structure. Nickel makes austenite stable and improves speed of self-passivation, and makes all the part non-magnetic.

200-series replaces nickel with manganese, and this element doesn't stabilize austenite as nickel, so you can find other structures after or during cold-forming. You can find more sulfur in the alloy, if it is not informed in some certificate you should ask for it AND measure the raw material, you could be surprised what you can find in these low cost alloys.

Well, keep us posted! Best of luck!

Daniel Montañés
TEL - N FERRARIS - Cañuelas, Buenos Aires, Argentina


thumbs up sign Thank you Daniel for your comment that "you could be surprised what you can find in these low cost alloys". You have reminded me, and probably other readers, of the truism that when you are shopping for low price, the low priced supplier most certainly is as well :-)

Luck & Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




How to recognize 304SS vs. 202SS

Q. How to recognize between SS304 and SS202, what is the method?

Ajaz peerzade
engineering - nasik, Maharashtra, India
September 27, 2012


A. Hi, Ajaz. X-ray fluorescence is fast and non-destructive, but the instruments are quite costly ($35,000+ USD)

There may be spark tests or chemical spot tests, but the widespread use of SS202 is relatively new, it is apparently intended to be hard to tell from 304 but be cheaper, and I haven't seen any real easy cheap tests yet, sorry.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. Is there any method to physically identify the difference between the SS304 & SS202, or any equipment available in market?

Abhilash Parakkalakath
- Kochi, Kerala, India
August 12, 2013


A. Hi Abhilash. Your question appears to be similar to Ajaz Peerzade's. A hand-held x-ray fluorescence alloy sorter / scrap sorter [on eBay or Amazon] should do the job quickly & easily ... but they are very expensive. If you have a friend in a junk yard, he probably has one. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. How can I detect SS304 and SS202 jars using simple methods?

ANAND P
- India
October 5, 2013


Hi Anand. An x-ray fluorescence alloy sorter is a very 'simple' method. But it's very costly. See if a nearby scrap yard can sort them for you. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. Sir I have SS pipe, size is 1" x 1" square. Sir it attracts the magnet with full force. Please guide if that one is 202 or what grade it can be of ??
Regards,

Amit gupta
steel - Moga, Punjab, India
September 1, 2015


A. Hi Amit. If stainless steel is strongly magnetic, it's not austenitic stainless steel (202, 304, 316, 347) unless it has been so strongly cold-worked that it lost much of its austenitic structure. That's all the information that can be gleaned from a single binary digit of information like magnetic vs. non-magnetic. Apologies but you need more data; you cannot tell what grade of stainless steel you have from this one single quality.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Welding 202SS

Q. Is 202 grade SS as easy to weld as 304? Or is 202 is similar in weldability to 430?

Thank you

Phillip Dakhnovets
- Athens, Ohio, USA
October 2, 2012


A. 202 is actually easier to weld than 304. although it might be more prone to corrosion at the welded joints whereas 304 is not very prone to rusting at the welded joints.

Diya Saraswat
- India
December 23, 2022


Q. Which welding is possible to weld in SS202?

Ilam parithi
engng. college - Ramanathapuram, Tamilnadu, India
July 22, 2014


Q. CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE WELDING ROD REQUIRED TO WELD SS202 MATERIAL LIKE HAND RAILING, AND LIGHT STRUCTURE? ALSO PLEASE MENTION THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND NAME OF THE WELDING ROD.

BIRANCHI RATH
- BHUBANESWAR, ODISHA, India
July 16, 2020


thumbs up sign Hi Biranchi. That question hasn't attracted enough interest to get an answer yet :-(

But you can improve that by telling us if you've you tried welding it, what welding rod you tried and what results you got that make you hope/think there's a better rod. Thanks!

Luck & Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Is 202 stainless non-magnetic?

Q. Hi

I work with NMR instrument which has a ultra shielded superconducting magnet (9.4T) as one part of the instrumentation, other being electronic console. We typically need to climb few wooden steps to reach top of the cylinder which houses the magnet. I want to install railings on both side of these wooden steps to prevent falling from the steps. Is it OK to use SS 202 as material of construction for the railing? I want non-magnetic SS which will not get attracted to the magnet.

Thanks for your help.

Vivek K
- India
January 13, 2014


A. Hi Vivek. I believe that SS202 is non-magnetic but can become somewhat magnetic through cold-working like SS304. This sounds to me like an application where true and complete freedom from magnetism is essential. Is there a good reason you can't use aluminum railings?

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. SS 202 material is Magnetic or Non-Magnetic.

Please confirm.

DINESH NITHIANANDAM
cement - Trichy, Tamilnadu, India
August 5, 2014


A. Hi Dinesh. The short answer is that 202 is an austenitic, non-magnetic, stainless steel. But please detail your situation ... because the longer answer starts with "Why do you want to know?"
Although it is non-magnetic as annealed, cold working can introduce various degrees of magnetic effects. Due to it's lack of molybdenum, it is more subject to magnetism from cold-working than type 316; I think it's perhaps slightly less subject to such effects than type 304 -- but such answers aren't yes or no. A neodymium magnet may attract it too. If your situation is like Vivek's, I'd say 202 is NOT safely non-magnetic. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Type 202SS for stair railing

Q. Can I use SS202 in my city for stair railing? Is it good?

Surendra Taparia
- Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
October 5, 2013


Q. What is the difference between 202 and 304 finish in terms of quality and durability?

Shabbir Sajjadhusain
Building Hardware Materials - Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
October 9, 2013


Q. If SS304 is used instead of SS202 in stair railing in a residential building, is there any extra benefit in terms of look and durability?

Ikbal Ahmed Choudhury
Civil Engineer - Karimganj, Assam, India
February 5, 2014


A. For an interior handrail, I'd consider 304 and 202 to be pretty identical, because I'm thinking of corrosion resistance in that application (both acceptable) and strength (again, both acceptable). I'm not sufficiently familiar with the formability of 202 to know if it's good, but I'd bet that would be reflected in the price. If the price was right, I'd go with the 202.

Good luck!

lee gearhart
Lee Gearhart
metallurgist - E. Aurora, New York


Q. Sir
Which grade (202 or 304) is better, economical, lasting to use for window grills?

ABHILASH KP
- calicut, Kerala, India
September 20, 2014


A. Hello friends ...

I am working last 5 years in stainless steel fabrication.
Just I want to say that 304 and 316 grade is best of all ... for furniture, railing, etc. Type 304SS Railings 50226-1a  Type 304SS Railings 50226-1b

But don't forget about gauge (thickness) -- 16 gauge is better.

Pravin joshi
October 29, 2014
classic steel - Ahmedabad , Gujarat , India


A. S/S 304 type is better economically although it's quality is in the middle of 316 and 202, the cost also lies between the prices of 316 and 202.

Basically, S/S 202 is more prone to corrosion when exposed to water and acid solutions. The longevity of S/S 304 is longer than that of 202 although both will corrode over time. But still there are ways to prevent S/S from rusting such as grinding sand paper and buffing.

Jay Alimento
- Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippies


"Stainless Steels: An Introduction and Their Recent Developments"

on from AbeBooks

or Amazon

(affil links)

A. In all of these stainless steels, Cr is trying to form ferrite while the austen-itizing elements, Ni, N, Mn and Cu, are trying to form austenite. The higher the Cr content, the more austen-itising elements are needed to change all the ferrite to austenite. J4 is a good example -- in order to get the Ni level down to 1% Ni, and so minimize the price, it has been necessary to reduce the Cr content to 15-16%. This is much lower than the 18.0 - 20.0% Cr specified for grade 304 and it is Cr which makes the greatest contribution towards corrosion resistance.

This means that such 200-series grades have lower corrosion resistance and are suitable for a much narrower range of applications than grade 304. This has not been well understood and there are many instances where 200-series grades have failed due to corrosion, such as when they have been used for components like handrails in exterior applications.

Ammit Gulati
- India. vizag
January 2, 2015


Q. Hi all,
I'm new to the SS market; I am planning to go for trading of major types in Himachal Pradesh, planning for railing, pipe and accessories. Anyone guide me which types I can stock more?
Best regards,

rajan verma
Proprietor - hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India
September 9, 2015


Q. Can I use 202 SS square pipe for my windows? My house is at Calicut Kerala. Should I opt 304 while considering quality. I want a long lasting one without any degradation in Kerala climate. My locality is not a coastal region. Kindly give a reply on terms of quality and sustainability.

Thanks
Subi

Subi K Balakrishnan
Mmm - Calicut, Kerala, India
February 26, 2018


A. Hi Subi. The answer has been offered that SS202 is cheaper than SS304 but not as corrosion resistant, not as reliable & consistent, and failures have been noted. It might prove okay or it may not; unfortunately I doubt that anyone will assure you that all will be fine nor claim that failure is certain.

Luck & Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. Which steel grade is best for steel main gate 8.6*11 foot... 202 ss or 304. Please give suggestions

PAWAN JISHI
- GULABPURA,BHILWARA RAJASTHAN
June 8, 2020


A. Hi Pawan. Please tell us who you are and what you do because ... if you are an engineer designing such gates, my answer would be that 304 is a more robustly dependable material. But if you are a consumer buying such a gate my answer is that unfortunately you will not be able to predict the quality of an item from its sales pap, only from the reputation of the supplier :-)

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. If SS304 is used instead of SS202 in stair railing in a residential building of outside, is there any extra benefit in terms of look and durability

Lucky negi
- Delhi, India
June 26, 2020


A. Hi Negi. Assuming that you are the contractor offering & installing these railings, a frequent answer for 12 years on this thread is that SS304 is more expensive, more corrosion resistant, and 'better' than SS202 -- and thus it's a safer choice for you. Some participants talked specifically about stairways, window grills, and railings and felt that only SS304 or SS316 should be used. Ammit Gulati has stated that "there are many instances where 200-series grades have failed due to corrosion, such as when they have been used for components like handrails in exterior applications"

Whether the difference will be demonstrable in any one given case, or whether SS202 will be 'good enough', is hard to say. Readers are welcome to quote exposure studies to support or refute Amit's claim but I'm not aware of any.

If you are the owner of the residence, choosing between bids, it's a different question entirely, however, because I personally feel that it is impossible to judge quality & durability from sales pap about raw materials ... you must instead choose a reputable contractor. Good luck!

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

br


Bottle washing machinery

Q. We need to know which grade of steel can be used in a machine for washing bottles. The inner tanks are SS-304, but outer body can be of MS/SS. As SS-304 makes it 1.5 times costlier, what can be other second best option.

Thanks.

Shilpa Bajpai
dairy farming - Gurgaon, Haryana, India
August 28, 2014




Outdoor hardware

Q. Can you guide whether we should use 304 or 202 for bolts and nuts used for a VCB structure being used in outdoor application.

Md azam Khan
- Bhopal , India
July 14, 2015


A. Hi Md Azam. Sorry I don't know what a "VCB structure" is. Google suggests that you might be talking about a "vacuum circuit breaker" or a "visitor & convention bureau" :-(

But it's pretty clear that 304 is more expensive and corrosion resistant. Whether to take a chance on 202 is actually going to depend on how severe the consequences of doing so are if corrosion comes quicker than customary.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




202 for Modular Kitchens

Q. Can anyone help with the recommendation of steel type and grade for modular steel kitchen? Is there any recommended source from Bangalore India?

Raj chandra
- Bangalore, KA, India
December 9, 2014


Ed. note: Sorry, the forum is for technical info only; we don't post sourcing info or brand preferences (huh? why?).

A. Hi Raj, Modular kitchen are available in MS Steel & Stainless Steel, either 202 or 304 grade. For Bangalore weather conditions 202 grade of SS is more than sufficient; however, there is no debate in the fact that SS 304 is better.

Abhishek Kashikar
Steel & SS Modular Kitchen dealer - Bangalore, India
June 4, 2015



Q. For modular kitchen in indoor use please compare the life of SS 202 & SS 304. Regards,

SP Singh
- delhi, India
May 11, 2015


A. Hi Singh. My reading of the above is that 304 is more expensive because of its nickel content, and somewhat superior in corrosion resistance. Abhishek Kashikar, a modular kitchen dealer, stated fairly strongly his opinion that 202 is good enough but clearly not as good as 304. I doubt that anyone will be able to offer more quantitative data comparing their life in modular kitchens, but we'll see.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. Which is the most cost effective SS grade for making kitchen hoods and why? SS304, SS440, SS205, SS202?

Vikram Rajput
consultant - New Delhi, India
June 14, 2020


A. Hi Vikram. SS440 is razor blade steel and seems to me to offer strengths you wouldn't need in a range hood while not offering the corrosion resistance of the austenitics. I personally think that 304SS has proven itself over the decades and would prefer it, but yes the 2xx stainless steels are a bit cheaper.

Still, I think you may find that the logistics may end up being more important than the theoreticals. If you find one composition well-stocked locally in the needed gauges, with the finish you want, with protective paper or plastic that will suit your shears and brakes and other handling, that may be what you want -- you obviously don't want to have two hundred range hoods 99% finished in your work-in-progress only to have to wait 6 weeks for a piece not readily available in that material to finish them up :-)

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




SS 202 or CR Sheet? Which should I use for making my wax candle jars?

Q. I have to make a metal jar for wax candles. My prime concern is that it should not rust for a very long time, i.e., 4 to 5 years. Please suggest what are my options--
Can I make it in CR sheet and apply a good quality of melamine or lacquer?
Can I make it in SS 202 Grade and should I apply any melamine or lacquer also?
Please suggest.
Thanks.

Raj Rana
Raj Industry - Delhi, India
February 23, 2015


A. Hi Raj. Assuming that these are for indoor use, SS 202 sounds fine. CR has no corrosion resistance so you would need proper pretreatment followed by a paint or coating that would not be damaged by the heat.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




SS 202 cutting and polish

Q. Hi, can anyone help me out with optimum cutting edge solution for cutting 202 stainless steel tubes, ranging 3/8 - 1 inc, all 1-1.5 mm thick? Currently I'm using abrasive cutter wheel for my work.

Q2. When I do electropolishing on SS 202 , the finish isn't good enough compared to SS 304. Is it possible to get mirror finish on SS 202 via electropolishing?

Thanks
Sanjeev

Sanjeev Bordia
- Mumbai, Maharashtra , India
March 18, 2017




Can't thread SS 202 material

Q. Sir, how to do threading operation on SS 202 material? I have tried doing threading by flat die rolling machine but the die gets damaged very often, so please suggest what should I be doing?

Vinit Kavani
- Surendranagar, Gujarat, India
January 24, 2018


A. Hello Vinit. I'm not versed in threading, but SS202 is known as 'gummy' rather than easily machinable. If you stay with SS202 you must select tools & methods that are up to the job.

Luck & Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


A. Hi Vinit,

You should check the material of the flat dies of the rolling machine, it's quite different from the ones used for carbon steel. And die material is vital for service life.

I didn't work with SS202, but SS302 and SS304L have nearly the same conformability and they can be threaded by flat die rolling machines provided the right materials for the dies and hardness of the raw material is not too high.

Hope it helps! Regards,

Daniel Montañés
TEL - N FERRARIS - Cañuelas, Buenos Aires, Argentina




Q. Hi. For Hotel Electric Room Kettles, what's the deal in using 204 stainless than 304 stainless? the 204 stainless kettle sample that I have seems more elegant and thicker in finish than the kettle with 304 stainless. Thanks!

Jenny Arienda
- Manila, Philippines
August 29, 2018


A. Hi Jenny. Unfortunately, it is generally hopeless for a purchaser to select small appliances based on their supposed composition of stainless steel :-(

As you've read on this page, type 304 stainless steel is in theory more corrosion resistant -- but that's something for manufacturers to weigh when deciding how to make their products. It's probably not a valid point for a purchaser since the designs might be different, with one or the other more likely to stay wet or be more difficult to clean ... or one may be passivated and the other not. If the one made of SS202 seems more elegant to you and thicker in finish, and you can't find trustable reviews for comparison, that's the one you should probably buy. Perhaps the two manufacturers are trying to meet the same price point and one elected to do so by using thin SS304 while the other decided to go with a heavier gauge of the less expensive SS202. Good luck.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




These are the specs, what grade Stainless is it?

Hello

Can you help me suggest grade for below composition?

T.S 668
ELONGATION 60
C 0.07
NI 8.6
CR 17

Can you suggest which grade this composition applies to?

I introduce myself: I am from Pakistan and I am an importer/wholesaler/vendor of different kinds of metal. In our country for one gov't origination we participated many times, but we are failed for price as our competitor gives a price very shocking. We test this grade in laboratory and find this content.

Per my knowledge this content applies for grade SUS303. Please you check which grade can apply. Thank you very much.

Regards

Naeem shah
Flagturn engineering & automation - Karachi, Pakistan
September 26, 2018


A. Hello Naeem,

It could either be SUS302, SUS303 or SUS304, but I don't see SUS303 with an elongation of 60% because of the addition of sulfur (which you didn't measure or inform). SUS303 elongation is usually near 35%.

Hope you can solve this!

Regards,

Daniel Montañés
TEL - N FERRARIS - Cañuelas, Buenos Aires, Argentina




Q. Can 202 stainless steel be useful for Induction cooktop.

Jatin Meshram
- Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
October 2, 2018


A. Hi Jatin. Induction cooktops are usually made of glass or ceramic, not metal, so your question is probably about the pots & pans used on an induction cooktop. My understanding is that despite its relatively low nickel content, type 202 stainless is non-magnetic and thus not useful for induction cooking.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




SS304 and SS202 Tanks for Food Oil

Q. Are SS304 and SS202 food grade Steel?
Can I use either of them for making oil storage tanks?

Ramakrishna Maganti
- Hyderabad, India
November 13, 2018


A. Hi Ramakrishna. I would expect that those materials are satisfactory for oil storage; and your inquiry will hopefully draw some additional responses.

But note that materials that will be in contact with foodstuffs tend to be highly regulated by bodies like NSFA and the FDA, and there are situations where only SS316 is allowed. I would suggest doing a code check not just relying on personal opinions. Good luck.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. Is SS202 suitable for storing foodstuffs such as grains, nuts, etc? If not, then which grade suits?

Larry Kam
- Singapore
January 9, 2019


50226-2b

Ralls Texas Grain Silos 2010

A. Hi cousin Larry. Please introduce yourself and your situation so we don't accidentally give you a misleading answer. A homeowner might have no trouble storing rice in their kitchen canister, but that doesn't necessarily mean that SS202 is suitable for a silo farm holding grains or nuts, for example. Help us help you. Thanks, and good luck!

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. Hi,
Thanks for an excellent education into world of SS.
I understand that SS202 is more prone to corrosion than e.g. 304. However, what does that mean in practice? For example, an outdoor product such as a barbecue where everything from the hood to the work surface is made of SS202? Should I expect that such a product will show rust stains if left outdoors all year round?
The supplier markets this as a "stainless rust free" product but after reading up on this thread I am beginning to question this statement.
It would be great if I could get some advice on this as the product costs several thousand USD.
Thanks in advance! Tomas

Tomas Wolf
- Uppsala, Sweden
June 9, 2019


A. Hi Tomas. SS304 is better than SS202 which is better than SS430. But unfortunately, I think the only way to know if this particular SS202 barbecue will be satisfactory is to check better business bureau reports, Amazon reviews, references from other buyers, Yelp reviews, or reports from friends & neighbors. Sales pap never constitutes a good manufacturing process review; you won't learn whether the stainless was properly passivated, whether some of it has a clear coat on it, if the burners cause hot spots on the cover which will discolor it, whether the screws, rivets, and hinge pins are 202SS, etc.

I hope someone else can help you, but I have zero confidence in my own ability to determine good purchases from sales pap even after 50 years in metal finishing :-(
For example, I've owned many stainless gas grills in my life and the only thing I can say with confidence is that people will likely be happy with a Weber grill but unhappy with nearly any other brand.

Read the warranty carefully -- it will tell you whether the grill manufacturer promises to meet your aesthetic requirements or not. And when you clean the grill, use only what the manufacturer suggests; never use any product that has acid or bleach in it. Best of luck!

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


thumbs up sign Many thanks for your advice and above all, many thanks for taking the time to share your expertise and experiences!
All the best, Tomas

Tomas Wolf [returning]
- Uppsala, Sweden




Q. Hi I am vakil khan From Abu Dhabi. My question: can I use SS 202 on the Roof area for pump installation or not? But very near to see our building?

Vaki khan
mechanical QA and QC - Abu dhabi UAE
January 22, 2020


A. Hi Vaki. Your question is a bit vague. I think you are asking whether the appearance will be satisfactory vs. whether it will be rusty? You are quite near the sea, and I've never been to the area. Personally, I would use properly passivated 304 SS, maybe even 316 SS unless I already saw a good range of examples of 202 SS successfully employed on buildings in the area.

Hopefully an architect or HVAC engineer from the area will offer a comment.

Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


A. SS 316 is preferable near sea.

Kapil kumar
- Punjab, India
September 6, 2022




SS202 grade for low & high high temperature applications

Q. SS202 vs SS410
I have to use this material for application of 700-800 °C and I want corrosion resistance to it. Is SS202 suitable (as SS410 is getting corrosion which is causing trouble for movement application)?

Mohit Patil
Dynalec Controls - Pune, Maharashtra, India
December 5, 2018


A.
AISI 202 should be better, but for better corrosion resistance for that temperature range you should seek for a refractory SS, as AISI 310/314.

Regards,

Daniel Montañés
TEL - N FERRARIS - Cañuelas, Buenos Aires, Argentina


Q. IS 202 GRADE IS SUITABLE FOR CRYOGENIC USE?

Radhakrishnan Unnithan
Beerensgas [I]Pvt Ltd - Hospet City, Karnataka state-India
November 28, 2019


Q. Would SS202 grade serve the purpose for high temperature applications specifically between 600-800 °C if my lifespan target is for 5+ years. the application is in the high temperature ovens without any presence of corrosive chemicals.

Or do I need to use higher thickness of SS202 to serve my purpose?

Thanks,

nishat belwadi
- bardez goa, India
August 17, 2020




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