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The 3 Common Uses of Austenitic-316 Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is one of the most useful metals in the manufacturing process. Without the alloy, items such as planes, motor vehicles, boat parts and even smaller items such as kitchen cutlery would not exist as we know them. However, not many people realise that stainless steel is a generic term that is used to refer to a wide variety of alloy grades which serve different uses in industry and domestically. Austenitic-316 is one of the grades of stainless steel alloys. Here are the three most common applications of the alloy.

1. Surgical equipment

Certain qualities make certain metals excellent for the creation of surgical equipment. Top of the list of these qualities is corrosion resistance. The medical environment—especially the operating room—is full of substances that have alcohol content in them, and also water, surgical tools need to be completely resistant to corrosion if they are to survive the environment. All austenitic steel alloys are known to be corrosion-resistant. The hospital environment also usually has a lot of magnetic machinery such as MRI machines. Small tools have to be non-magnetic, so they do not adhere to the large devices. Austenitic 316 steel is non-magnetic, which makes it safe for use in the hospital. 

2. Marine tools

The marine environment is rough for metallic equipment. The salty water normally causes a lot of corrosion. It is, therefore, important to have tools made out of materials that don't corrode easily. 316 steel is also referred to as marine grade stainless steel because it can survive the marine environment without getting corroded. The 316 units are also very economical to produce, which makes them ideal for large equipment such as boat parts.

3. Biomedical implants

Titanium is currently the most preferred material in the creation of biomedical implants. However, some fixtures cannot be made out of titanium because it is expensive to produce and maintain. Austenitic steel is used for tools such as bone fixation screws, prostheses and jewels that pierce the body. It has been the preferred product for a long time. The metal offers maximum support with the minimum possibility of corrosion or rejection by the body.

Austenitic steel is also used in applications such as making household cutlery and crockery. The corrosion resistance of the alloy makes it perfect for the kitchen because there is always water in it, and contact almost always leads to rusting for alloys that are prone to oxidation. 

For more information, contact a company like Ready Steel today.


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