A Consumer’s Guide To Purchasing Stainless Plates

Stainless steel plate suppliers have multiple stainless steel grades available for consumers to choose from, like Ronsco. No doubt that the choices can be overwhelming to the uninitiated. If consumers want to know what grades to choose, they first need to figure out in what environment the stainless steel will end up being used. In other words, the industry the consumer is in determines what degree of corrosion resistance will be needed by the consumer. Will it be an indoor or an outdoor environment? Will it be used in a bathroom, a kitchen, or for architectural paneling or automotive parts? This article is a concise guide to help our customers to select the proper stainless steel grade, size, surface for whatever the job may be.

Stainless Steel Plate Grades:

Stainless steel grades are determined by a chemical formula. The level of corrosion resistance of stainless steel is determined by the content of carbon and chromium, which is also why stainless steel does not rust. The corrosion resistance of the many stainless steel grades stems from alloying the base iron with at least 10.5 % chromium and a maximum of .15% carbon. The chromium provides a passive film of chromium oxide that rises to the surface, coats the steel, and blocks corrosion from spreading into the metal’s internal structure. Therefore, increasing the amount of chromium gives an increased resistance to corrosion.

In all the stainless steel, approximately 70% is austenitic, a nonmagnetic, solid solution of mostly iron and carbon which relates to its primary crystalline structure. Ronsco has many grades of stainless steel plates available, including 300 Series (304, 304L, 304H, 309, 309S, 310, 310S, 316, 316L, 317, 317L, 321, 321H, 347, 347H), 400 Series (409, 410S, 416, 420, 430, 439, 440, 444, 446), Duplex and Others (2205, 2507, S31803, S32205, S32750, S32760, 253MA, 254SMO, 904L etc). The 300 series grade is the most common, which has the most corrosion resistant, most ductile, and can be easily formed and welded. Of which, 304 stainless steel grade is the most commonly used, its versatility and strength make it the most widely used, and is available in more forms and finishes than any other stainless steel grades, widely used in many industrial, architectural, and transportation related applications.

Stainless Steel Plate Thickness:

Stainless steel plate is formed by an industrial process into thin, flat pieces, which can be cut and formed into a variety of shapes, many everyday objects all around us are fabricated from stainless steel plate. Ronsco is specialize in the stainless steel plate. The rolling production line has annual output of 30,000 tons of stainless steel. At the same time, the company keep regular stock of 3000 tons coils and plates from TISCO, POSCO, TSINGSHAN, DELONG Etc. Main size range for plate: thickness up to 200mm, width up to 4000mm, length up to 12500mm, single sheet rolling weight up to 15 tons. Note that cut sheets are generally sheared to size, but we can waterjet, plasma, or laser cut any sheet to any size upon special request.

Stainless Steel Plate Finishing:

According to the use of stainless steel, not only to choose the grade of stainless steel, but also to choose the various finishing of stainless steel, such as NO.1, 1D, 2D, 2B, NO.4, BA, HL, Mirror, Embossing, Sandblasted. In Ronsco, various finishing of stainless steel are available.

NO.1: NO.1 surface treated by heat treatment and pickling after hot rolling. The appearance is silver white, matt and bright. This surface is suitable for industries that require heat resistance and corrosion resistance, and the surface brightness is not important. Common applications include industrial tank and chemical industrial plants etc..

2D: 2D surface treated by heat treatment and pickling after cold rolling. The appearance is silver white, smoother but of matt grain. Common applications include petrochemical production equipment, automotive components, building materials and water pipes etc..

2B: After 2D treatment, the final process is lightly cold rolled by a polishing roller to obtain proper gloss. The appearance is smooth and bright, and easy to re-grind to make the surface more brighter.  Common applications include building materials, tableware etc..

NO.4: NO.4 is a product ground with a grinding belt of size 150-180. It has better gloss, discontinuous rough lines and finer stripes than No.3 stainless steel castings commonly used polished and sanded surfaces. Common applications include food processing equipment, home electrical products, medical equipment etc..

BA: BA surface is also produced by cold rolling and de-scaling. It has excellent surface gloss, high reflectivity. In addition, The very smooth surface also makes this surface highly suitable for further finishing processes such as mirror polishing and chrome plating. Common applications include catering equipment etc..

HL: HL use a polishing abrasive belt with an appropriate particle size (150-320 mesh) to grind, with obvious straight stripes. The surface is beautiful, good texture and scratch is not obvious, durable,  wear-resistant. Common applications include building decoration, elevators, vehicle parts, etc..

As stainless steel plate suppliers, we offer a wide selection of grades, cuts, sizes, and finishing that can be customized for the job at hand. If you can’t find the size or grade you’re looking us feel free to contact us for email at service@ronsteel.com.