There are many types of stainless steel available on the market today—hundreds of different formulations, in fact. This can make choosing the right stainless steel for your wire baskets difficult, to say the least. There are many factors that go into this decision, such as:
So, how can you choose the best stainless steel for your custom wire baskets? Here’s a quick guide:
Before settling on any formulation of stainless steel, it’s important to know the exact application the stainless steel wire basket will be used for. An application involving ultrasonic parts-washing in an organic solvent will have very different needs from a heat-treat application, after all.
Some key details about the custom wire basket application to consider before choosing a specific grade of stainless steel include:
Knowing the details of the stainless steel wire basket application is crucial for picking the stainless steel variant with the right properties to withstand the process.
There are hundreds of formulations of stainless steel, but they can be divided into three broad categories:
The best type of stainless steel to use for your custom wire basket will vary depending on your process. If you need something with a high tensile strength, hardened and stress-relieved 420 SS is an excellent option. It can be given a coating of polymer to increase its resistance to chemical attack.
On the other hand, if you have a high-temperature application, grade 304 stainless steel wire baskets might be your best choice. 304 SS has a relatively high operating temperature—870˚C (1,679˚F)—which makes it useful for many high-temp applications. Combined with its good overall resistance to chemical corrosion, it’s a better option than using coated steel, since most polymer coatings cannot survive the same temperatures.
If temperatures are much higher than that, Inconel alloys might be a better choice. Inconel wire baskets are often able to survive temperatures in excess of 1,093˚C (2,000˚F) while maintaining more of their tensile strength than stainless steel wire baskets can.
Need help choosing the perfect variety of stainless steel for your custom wire basket? Reach out to the engineers at Marlin Steel for advice! Marlin’s engineering team has years of experience in choosing the best materials for custom wire mesh baskets in a variety of applications.
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