Stainless Steel Supplier

Introduction

COMMONLY STOCKED Stainless Steel

301 STAINLESS STEEL

We stock 301 stainless steel in quarter-hard to full-hard tempers. AISI 301 stainless steel is austenitic, and due to its lower chromium-nickel content, it hardens through the cold working process more quickly than other grades. It offers excellent corrosion and heat resistance. AISI 301 stainless steel is especially well-suited for applications requiring drawing, stamping, or forming.

302/304 STAINLESS STEEL

Mead Metals carries 302/304 stainless steel in annealed through full hard tempers. AISI 302/304 stainless steel is austenitic, and it delivers even greater corrosion and heat resistance than 301 stainless steel. The increased chromium-nickel content of 302/304 stainless steel causes it to work-harden less rapidly than other grades. Our 302/304 stainless steel is ideal for applications that employ laser and etching processes.

STAINLESS STEEL VALUE-ADD SERVICES

Based on the needs of our customers, we will slit stainless steel to size and level the material to length. We accommodate high-volume and low-volume orders of stainless steel sheet metal, with sizes to match your requirements.

Product Specification

Stainless Steel Product Specifications

Stainless steel is ideal for use in a broad range of industries: automotive, food processing and handling, and medical, to name a few. Our stainless steel offerings are available in thicknesses ranging from 0.005 to 0.134.

Due to its malleable nature, stainless steel has wide applications. Once it's utilized, it offers good corrosion and oxidation resistance, and doesn't require treating such as painting or coating. Stainless steel has excellent characteristics including:

Extremely corrosion-resistant
Telecommunications products
Very durable
High tensile strength
Attractive
Low maintenance

Stainless Steel Physical & Chemical Properties

Here are the physical and chemical properties of the 301, 302, and 304 stainless steel that we regularly stock - including the free bend requirements for each alloy.

301 Physical Properties
UNS Designation S30100
	Tensile	Yield	Elongation	Thickness
Condition	ksi	ksi	in 2" min %	0.015 in	0.015 - 0.030 in	> 0.030 in
Annealed	75	30	40	45
1/4 Hard	125	75		25	25	25
1/2 Hard	150	110		15	18	18
Full Hard	185	140		8	9	9

301 Free Bend Requirements
UNS Designation S30100
	Thickness 0.050 in	Thickness > 0.050 to 0.1874 in
Condition	Bend Angle	Bend Factor	Bend Angle
1/4 Hard	180°	1	90°
1/2 Hard	180°	2	90°
Full Hard	180°	4	90°

302 Physical Properties
UNS Designation S30200
	Tensile	Yield	Elongation	Hardness Max	Thickness
Condition	ksi	ksi	in 2" min %	Brinell/Rockwell B	0.015 in	0.015 - 0.030 in	> 0.030 in
Annealed	75	30	40	201/92
1/4 Hard	125	30			10	10	12
1/2 Hard	150	110			9	10	10
Full Hard	185	140			3	4	4

302 Free Bend Requirements
UNS Designation S30200
	Thickness 0.050 in	Thickness > 0.050 to 0.1874 in
Condition	Bend Angle	Bend Factor	Bend Angle
1/4 Hard	180°	1	90°
1/2 Hard	180°	2	90°

304 Physical Properties
UNS Designation S30400
	Tensile	Yield	Elongation	Hardness Max	Thickness
Condition	ksi	ksi	in 2" min %	Brinell/Rockwell B	0.015 in	0.015 - 0.030 in	> 0.030 in
Annealed	75	30	40	201/92
1/4 Hard	125	75			10	10	12
1/2 Hard	150	110			6	7	7

304 Free Bend Requirements
UNS Designation S30400
	Thickness 0.050 in	Thickness > 0.050 to 0.1874 in
Condition	Bend Angle	Bend Factor	Bend Angle
1/4 Hard	180°	1	90°
1/2 Hard	180°	2	90°

Stainless Steel Chemical Composition
ASTM A240/A666
Annealed, 1/4 Hard, 1/2 Hard, Full Hard
	UNS Designation	Carbon	Manganese	Phosphorus	Sulfur	Silicon	Chromium	Nickel	Other Elements
301	S30100	0.15	2.00	0.045	0.03	1.00	16.0-18.0	6.0-8.0	N 0.10
302	S30200	0.15	2.00	0.045	0.03	0.75	17.0-19.0	8.0-10.0
304	S30400	0.03	2.00	0.045	0.03	0.75	18.0-20.0	8.0-10.5	N 0.10

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Ordering

MINIMUM ORDER QUANTITies

Our Minimum Order Quantities enable us to suit metal product orders of all sizes. Every metal product we provide has its own MOQ, and for stainless steel, our MOQ is 10-12 lbs. While we can, and will, support orders for quantities smaller than this, the minimum lot charge will remain the same for any quantities ordered at, or below, a metal’s MOQ. Additional variables apply depending on material thickness, width, and additional processing.

Production Process

1

Raw materials are melted together in an electric arc furnace for 8-12 hours, tuning the chemical composition

2

The molten steel is cast into forms

3

The semi-finished steel is heated and passed through rollers (hot rolled)

4

Slabs are formed into sheets and strips

5

An annealing heat treatment relieves internal stresses and softens the metal

6

The metal is cold rolled, further reducing its thickness

7

The metal undergoes a final annealing and descaling before being cold rolled again

Pros/Cons

Pros:

Easy to sterilize
Corrosion-resistant
Rust resistant
Stain-resistant
100% recyclable

Cons:

Expensive
Vulnerable to staining in inclimate conditions
Poor electrical conductivity

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Applications

Food Processing & Handling

Stainless steel is the gold standard in the food processing industry. Its impermeable surface makes the metal anti-microbial and a blank slate for food-safe use. It's easy to clean and reduces the risk of cross-contamination from one food product to the next.

Medical

Stainless steel continues its gold standard streak as it crosses over into the medical industry, where its widely known attributes uphold rigorous standards. From surgical tools and equipment to functional design of healthcare environments, stainless steel is the right metal for the job.

Architecture

Architecture and infrastructure alike relies on stainless steel for its uncompromisable foundation. It's commonly present in bridges, monuments, sculptures, and airport roofs. Stainless steel is also prevalent in automotive and aerospace applications which include vehicle bodies, rail cars, and aircraft.

Blogs

Common Uses for Stainless Steel

Discover the common uses of stainless steel, as well as the products and applications of this versatile metal.

Will Stainless Steel Rust?

Despite being known for its extremely corrosion-resistant features, stainless steel is prone to rust in certain circumstances. Learn how to remove or repair it.

How Market Volatility Affects Steel Prices and What That Means for Order Quantities

Let’s look at what market volatility means in the steel industry, what some of the causes may be, and how it’s currently affecting demand and price.

Amazing and Surprising Benefits of Stainless Steel

Learn what stainless steel is used for, what it's made of, the types of stainless steel, and the cost benefits of choosing stainless steel for a project.

What are the Different Grades of Steel?

Steel grades are an interesting topic. And with over 3,500 grades of steel, there is no shortage of things to discuss. Let's dive deeper.

Mead Metals Customer Feature: Engel Diversified Industries

I asked Kristina Engel-Douma, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Engel Diversified about her experiences working with Mead Metals.

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Are you in need of stainless steel? Let us know the quantity, specifications, and delivery date you need, and we'll provide you with a quote typically within 2 hours or nearly guaranteed same day.

Stock Items

Looking for Stock Stainless Steel?

Mead Metals stocks 301 and 302/304 stainless steel in gauges from 0.004 up to 0.125. We offer annealed, quarter hard, half-hard, 3/4 hard, and full hard tempers. All our stainless steel products are available in sheet and coil.

See a full list of 301 stainless steel stock items here.
See a full list of 302/304 stainless steel stock items here.