321 stainless steel, as the name suggests, is a stainless steel material with corrosion resistance. It is composed of 18% chromium and 8% nickel, with a small amount of titanium. This special chemical composition gives 321 stainless steel excellent high temperature resistance and can maintain good mechanical properties at temperatures up to 800 ℃. In addition, it also has good oxidation resistance and stress corrosion cracking resistance, and can be used for a long time in harsh environments without damage. Compared to other stainless steel materials, 321 stainless steel is more durable and stable, and is widely used in fields such as aerospace and petrochemicals.

Production Process

● The production process performance of austenitic stainless steel is very good, especially chromium nickel austenitic stainless steel, because it can smoothly produce various commonly used specifications of plates, tubes, strips, wires, rods, forgings and castings using conventional methods for producing special steels. Due to the high content of alloying elements (especially chromium) and low carbon content, and the use of arc furnace argon oxygen decarburization (AOD) or vacuum deoxidation decarburization (VOD) methods for large-scale production of such stainless steel materials, vacuum or non vacuum non induction furnace smelting can be used for * grade small batch products, and electric slag remelting is also required when necessary.

● The excellent thermoplastic properties of chromium nickel austenitic stainless steel make it easy to undergo hot processing such as forging, rolling, hot piercing, and extrusion. The heating temperature of the steel ingot is 1150-1260 ℃, and the deformation temperature range is usually 900-1150 ℃. Steel grades containing copper, nitrogen, and stabilized with titanium and niobium tend to rely on low temperatures, while high chromium and molybdenum steel grades tend to rely on high temperatures. Moreover, due to poor thermal conductivity, the insulation time should be longer. Therefore, the workpiece can be air cooled after hot processing.

Application Area 

● Due to its excellent high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, 321 stainless steel is widely used in high-end fields such as aerospace, petrochemicals, and nuclear industry.

● In aviation engines, 321 stainless steel can be used as the material for the combustion chamber wall to withstand the impact of high temperature and high pressure gases;

● In the petrochemical industry, it can be used as a material for pipelines, containers, and other equipment to resist the erosion of corrosive substances such as acid and alkali;

● 321 stainless steel is also widely used in nuclear reactor pressure vessels and piping systems in nuclear power plants.