Cold Drawn F55 and High Tensile Strength 316 are both useful types of stainless steel with very different applications. Here’s everything you need to know when deciding which to use.
Properties Of The Two Metals
Both of these stainless steels are commonly used in the oil and gas industries; however, there are some differences in their usage.
316 stainless steel has been treated with molybdenum. As a result, it is resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion, and can withstand chloride and similar substances. One of its major benefits is that it has excellent welding and forming characteristics. This leads to its frequent use in transportation and petrochemical industries, as well as oil and gas. 316 is commonly used to make engine parts, fasteners, springs, heat exchanges and valves.
F55 is valued for its resistance to seawater and is also resistant to chloride. Due to this, it has a wide range of applications in marine environments. Treatments mean that this stainless steel grade resists corrosion in both cold and elevated temperatures, making it suitable for a number of industries.
Common in sewage treatment, chemical processing, oil and gas, paper manufacturing and marine environments, F55 can be used to make a variety of components. These include propellers, shafts, pumps, bolts, fasteners, valves and precipitators.
Variants
F55 is available in three different variants, although the differences between them are minor. Unlike standard F55, the enhanced variants – FLT and FLT+ – have been tested at cryogenic temperatures of a minimum -101° C.
There are several different types of 316 available. A4-80 is a higher tensile version. Standard 316 has a tensile strength of 515 MPa, while A4-80 is treated to achieve a tensile strength of 800 MPa.
Grades of 316 can also be categorised by their carbon content. Low-carbon 316L is immune from sensitisation, while its higher-carbon equivalent, 316H, is more suitable for use at elevated temperatures.
Sizes Available
316 A4-80 is most commonly available in round bar and hexagons. At Broder Metals, we stock round bar in sizes from 10mm to 60mm, and hexagons from 10mm to 37mm. Flats and squares are also available on request, but are not held in stock.
A wide range of F55 sizes are held in stock, ranging from 12.7mm to 127mm. Additional sizes can be produced on request; again, these are not stocked as part of our standard catalogue. Feel free to contact Broder Metals if you are looking for specific sizes, and we will happily discuss your needs and help you find a solution. We are also always willing to talk about different grades of metal, allowing you to find the one that’s right for your particular application.
