Is there a difference between stainless steel 1.4404 and aisi 316l?

1.4404 and 316L stainless steel are actually the same material, and 1.4404 is the European standard model of 316L stainless steel.
But sometimes in practical applications, people may have different naming habits or emphases for them. The following is a detailed description of their characteristics:

1.4404 and 316L stainless steel  Chemical Composition (in % by weight)

Element	1.4404 (EN)	316L (AISI/ASTM)
C	≤ 0.030	≤ 0.030
Si	≤ 1.00	≤ 1.00
Mn	≤ 2.00	≤ 2.00
P	≤ 0.045	≤ 0.045
S	≤ 0.015	≤ 0.030
Cr	16.5 – 18.5	16.0 – 18.0
Ni	10.0 – 13.0	10.0 – 14.0
Mo	2.0 – 2.5	2.0 – 3.0
N	≤ 0.11	≤ 0.10

1.4404 and 316L stainless steel Mechanical Properties (Annealed Condition)

Property	1.4404	316L
Tensile Strength	≥ 500 – 700 MPa	≥ 485 MPa
Yield Strength (Rp0.2)	≥ 200 – 250 MPa	≥ 170 – 200 MPa
Elongation (A5)	≥ 40%	≥ 40%
Hardness (HB)	≤ 215	≤ 217
Density	~7.98 g/cm³	~7.98 g/cm³

 

stainless steel 316l price per kg

Price of Stainless Steel Bars ASTM A276 316 : US $900-2100 / Ton (FOB Price)

Price of Stainless Steel ASME SA276 316 Bars : US $900-2100 / Ton (FOB Price)

 

stainless steel 1.4404 and aisi 316l Corrosion resistance
Equally excellent: 1.4404 and 316L stainless steel have excellent corrosion resistance, especially in chloride-containing environments, and they are excellent in preventing pitting, crevice corrosion and intergranular corrosion. They can resist the erosion of many chemicals, including acetic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid.

 

stainless steel 1.4404 and aisi 316l Processing performance
Cutting: The cutting difficulty of both is slightly greater than that of ordinary carbon steel, but by selecting suitable tools and cutting parameters, such as sharp carbide tools or coated tools, using lower cutting speeds and appropriate feed rates, better processing results can be obtained.

Cold processing: Both have good cold processing performance, and can be cold rolled, cold drawn, cold bent and other processing operations, and can be made into various shapes of plates, pipes, wires and profiles. During the cold working process, a certain degree of work hardening will occur, but through appropriate intermediate annealing treatment, the plasticity of the material can be restored, which is convenient for subsequent processing.

 

stainless steel 1.4404 and aisi 316l Hot working performance
Between 1150℃-1200℃. In this temperature range, the material has good plasticity and forgeability and is easy to form. After hot working, solid solution annealing is usually required to eliminate stress and restore the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the material.

 

stainless steel 1.4404 and aisi 316l Welding performance
No need for preheating: Both have excellent welding performance and usually do not require preheating. Various welding methods such as TIG, MIG, and arc welding can be used.
Filling material: Generally, the same 316L type filler material as the base material is used for welding to ensure that the performance of the welded joint is similar to that of the parent material.

 

stainless steel 1.4404 and aisi 316l Application field
High overlap: Due to similar performance, the application fields of the two are basically the same. They are widely used in chemical, marine engineering, food processing, pharmaceutical, medical equipment and other industries. They are used to manufacture various corrosion-resistant and high-temperature resistant equipment and parts, such as chemical equipment, storage tanks, heat exchangers, pipelines, valves, surgical instruments, implants, etc.