In our daily life, we always come into contact with things made of stainless steel, whether it is utensils or tools. Some of them are used in home decoration, and some of them are used in industrial equipment. Therefore, different materials are used for different purposes of stainless steel. Of all stainless steel grades, 304 and 316 materials are the most popular. So what's the difference between them? In order to make a better distinction, we make a detailed comparison between 304 stainless steel and 316 stainless steel.
Stainless steel is an abbreviation or generic term for both stainless steel and acid-resistant steel. In the construction industry, it is customary to categorize steel into stainless steel and acid-resistant steel, roughly indicating whether steel is used in a mild or harsh environment. Stainless steel is defined in the specifications as steel that has stainlessness and corrosion resistance performance as its primary characteristics and has a chromium content of at least 10.5% and a carbon content of no more than 1.2%.
The main difference between 304 and 316 stainless steel woven mesh lies in their synthetic elements, corrosion resistance, and price. The following is our analysis:
| Type | C | Mn | P | Si | Cr | Ni | Mo | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 304 | ≤ 0.08 | ≤ 2.0 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 1.0 | 18–20 | 8–11 | - | - |
| 304L | ≤ 0.08 | ≤ 2.0 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 1.0 | 18–20 | 8–11 | - | - |
| 316 | ≤ 0.08 | ≤ 2.0 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 1.0 | 16–18 | 10–14 | 2.0–3.0 | - |
| 316L | ≤ 0.03 | ≤ 2.0 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 1.0 | 16–18 | 10–14 | 2.0–3.0 | - |
Compared to 304 stainless steel, 316 stainless steel contains more nickel and it contains molybdenum, which makes 316 stainless steel more suitable when the chlorine ion content in the filter medium is very high.
Due to the added nickel and molybdenum elements in 316 stainless steel, 316 stainless steel woven mesh costs more than 304 stainless steel woven mesh. If a piece of 304 stainless steel woven mesh costs $10 per square meter, then 316 stainless steel woven mesh costs about $11.50 per square meter. Whether you use regular 304/316 or 304L/316L, the prices of them are almost the same.
The alloy that should be used depends on the application. If the stainless steel woven mesh is going to be working in a corrosive environment then we recommend 316 due to the nickel and molybdenum in 316 stainless steel which allows it to withstand more corrosive applications. If you are just using it to screen non-corrosive materials then 304 stainless steel woven mesh is enough to get the job done.
The durability of stainless steel woven mesh makes it one of the most versatile materials available. 304 and 316 stainless steel are probably the most widely used of dozens of stainless steel specifications.
As with all alloys, 304 and 316 stainless steel mesh are classified by the quality of the steel as well as the amount of carbon and chromium it contains. That said, the alloy you choose is only one of the many specifications that go into selecting the right woven mesh.
BOEDON has been specializing in woven mesh for 20 years, and we are always ready to meet your needs for woven mesh, so if you are interested in our woven mesh, you can contact us.
Mesh count of stainless steel woven mesh measurement
Width of stainless steel woven mesh measurement
SS304 woven mesh composition testing
SS316 woven mesh composition testing
