304 Stainless Steel Investment Castings
Milwaukee Precision Casting, Inc. is experienced in pouring 304 stainless steel casts for applications such as food processing equipment, medical devices, and butterfly valves. 304 ss casting is widely known and accepted as being the standard for cleanliness and corrosion resistance in the food industry, amongst others.
The 304 casting grade of stainless steel is soft and much easier to straighten than 316 or 17-4. It is comprised of a chromium-nickel content and can also be known as an “18-8” stainless steel since it is approximately 18% chromium and 8% nickel. It has the ability to be machined in the "as-cast" state and is austenitic stainless steel, meaning it is nonmagnetic, highly corrosion resistant, and can't be hardened by heat treatment.
SS 304 Chemical Composition
- Carbon: ≤ 0.08%
- Chromium: 17.50-19.50%
- Nickel: 8-10.50%
- Silicon: ≤ 1.00%
- Manganese: ≤ 2.00%
- Phosphorus: ≤ 0.045%
- Sulfur: 0.03%
- Iron: bal.
304L Stainless Steel Castings
304L stainless steel is a variation of 304 stainless steel with higher nickel and lower carbon content. This forms a stainless steel casting with lower overall mechanical properties but higher corrosion resistance. As a result, the "L" in 304L is typically interpreted as "low carbon." Milwaukee Precision Casting, Inc. can cast 304, 304L, and all other grades of stainless steel depending on your needs.
SS 304L Chemical Composition
- Carbon: ≤ 0.03%
- Chromium: 17.50-19.50%
- Nickel: 8.00-12.00%
- Silicon: ≤ 1.00%
- Manganese: ≤ 2.00%
- Phosphorus: ≤ 0.045%
- Sulfur: 0.03%
- Iron: bal.
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Additional Characteristics of 304 Stainless Steel Investment castings:
- Resistant to oxidization and rust
- Excellent spinning, welding and forming properties
- Deep drawing quality
- Excellent toughness
- Easy to clean and fabricate
- Forgeability – able to be forged with higher pressures than other stainless steel grades
- Responds well to hardening by cold working (becomes slightly magnetic when cold worked)
Common Industries & Applications of 304 Stainless Steel
Type 304 ss is considered the most frequently used types of stainless steel in both home and commercial use. Common industries and applications include for 304 stainless steel investment castings include:
If your application or environment requires resistance to seawater, check out our page on 316 ss.
- Medical - surgical equipment such as needles
- Petrochemical - containers and shipping drums
- Food - particularly for beer brewing, wine making, and milk processing
- Textile - commonly used in dyeing equipment
- Pulp and Paper
- Mining
- Valves - ball valves, butterfly valves, etc
Additional Stainless Steel Grades
Why Choose Milwaukee Precision Casting as Your 304 Stainless Steel Casting Manufacturer?
Looking for the most skilled foundry for your 304 casts? Milwaukee Precision Casting is an ISO and ITAR certified investment casting manufacturer, equipped to produce the highest quality 304 stainless steel castings.
As a full-service foundry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we can provide 304 stainless steel castings from 1/10 of an ounce to up to 50lbs. Our investment casting process allows us to create the most durable & corrosion resistant 304 castings with a smooth finish and 0.005 per inch accuracy. With some of the most competitive lead times in the entire industry and over 30 years of experience, you can trust us with all your 304 casting needs.
To request a quote for your 304 stainless steel casting project, fill out our form or give us a call today!
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