Taking steel plates as an example the cost of 316 is about 1 5 times the cost of 304.
Stainless steel grade 304 vs 316 price.
Stainless 316 contains more nickel than stainless 304 while 304 contains more chromium than 316.
As part of the five families of stainless steel 304 stainless steel and 316 stainless steel are austenitic grades that contain high levels of chromium and nickel.
Stainless 316 is made up of 16 chromium 10 nickel and 2 molybdenum.
304 vs 316 stainless steel cost aisi 304 vs 316 stainless steel cost.
Chromium increases tensile strength hardness hardenability toughness resistance to wear and abrasion resistance to corrosion and scaling at elevated temperatures.
304 is an economical and practical choice for most environments but it doesn t have the chloride resistance of 316.
This has the following impact.
At the time of this writing the price of a 304 2b stainless steel sheet was 1 55 lb.
Though the stainless steel 304 alloy has a higher melting point grade 316 has a better resistance to chemicals and chlorides like salt than grade 304 stainless steel.
When it comes to applications with chlorinated solutions or exposure to salt grade 316 stainless steel is considered superior.
Stainless 304 usually consists of 18 chromium and 8 nickel.
The 316 alloy is usually comprised of a lower amount of chromium 16 and a potentially higher amount of nickel content 10.
The two steel grades are comparable in appearance chemical makeup and characteristics.
The major difference though is the addition of 2 3 molybdenum which is needed in certain environments to increase corrosion.
The slightly higher price point of 316 is well worth it in areas with high chloride exposure especially near the ocean or by heavily salted roadways.
The price of stainless steel depends on the price of the alloying element and the amount of the alloy eg ni cr and mo.