Advantages of Food Grade 304 Stainless Steel

Food grade 304 stainless steel is favored for its excellent performance and wide application. The following are its main advantages:

Corrosion resistance: 304 stainless steel contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel, which makes it have excellent corrosion resistance and can withstand a variety of acid and alkali environments.

Durability: The high chromium content of 304 stainless steel gives it excellent high temperature resistance and can remain stable at temperatures up to 800°C.

Aesthetics: 304 stainless steel has a smooth surface, is not easy to rust, and has good aesthetics.

Easy to maintain: 304 stainless steel has a smooth surface, is not easy to absorb dirt, and is easy to clean and maintain.

Processing flexibility: 304 stainless steel has good machinability and can be processed by deep drawing, welding and forming.

The chemical composition of food-grade 304 stainless steel mainly includes: Chromium (Cr): 17.5% - 19.5% Nickel (Ni): 8.0% - 10.5% Carbon (C): less than 0.08% Manganese (Mn): less than 2.0% Silicon (Si): less than 1.0% Phosphorus (P): less than 0.05% Sulfur (S): less than 0.03%1213

Process flow

The production process of food-grade 304 stainless steel mainly includes the following steps:

Smelting: Mix raw materials such as iron, chromium, and nickel in proportion, and melt them through an electric furnace or induction furnace to form stainless steel liquid.

Casting: Pour the smelted stainless steel liquid into a mold and form a stainless steel billet after cooling.

Hot rolling: Heat the stainless steel billet to a high temperature and roll it through a hot rolling mill to form a stainless steel sheet or bar.

Cold rolling: Further cool the hot-rolled stainless steel sheet and roll it through a cold rolling mill to improve its mechanical properties and surface quality.

Annealing: Anneal the cold-rolled stainless steel to eliminate internal stress and improve its ductility and toughness.

Surface treatment: Polish, pickle, passivate and other surface treatments are performed on the stainless steel as needed to improve its corrosion resistance and aesthetics.

Application range

Food grade 304 stainless steel is widely used in food processing, catering equipment, medical equipment and other fields. Its main applications include:

Food processing equipment: such as storage tanks, fermentation tanks, blenders, etc.

Catering equipment: such as kitchen utensils, tableware, cooking utensils, etc.

Medical equipment: such as surgical instruments, medical equipment, etc.

Food grade 304 stainless steel has become an important material in food processing, catering equipment and medical equipment due to its excellent corrosion resistance, durability, aesthetics and processing flexibility. Its rigorous production process ensures the high quality and stability of the material. In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology, the application field of 304 stainless steel will be further expanded, bringing more convenience and safety to people's lives.