Feb 28 2013
Topics Covered
Introduction
Chemical Composition
Mechanical Properties
Other Designations
Manufacturing Process
Applications
Introduction
The 200 series stainless steels posses a lesser content of nickel than the 300 series austentic stainless steels. Grade 201 is a cheaper alternative to traditional Cr-Ni austenitic stainless steels such as grade 304. Grade 201 and 201L provide the highest tonnage in the 200 series. Grade 201L stainless steel is a low carbon version of type 201, and provides adequate intergranular corrosion resistance. It also possesses resistance to precipitation of chromium carbides and degradation of intergranular corrosion condition. When annealed well, the grade 201L becomes a fully austenitic material with a magnetic permeability of less than 1.02.
The following datasheet provides an overview of grade 201L stainless steel.
Chemical Composition
The chemical composition of grade 201L stainless steel is outlined in the following table.
|
Element |
Content (%) |
|
Iron, Fe |
72 |
|
Chromium, Cr |
16-18 |
|
Manganese, Mn |
5.50-7.50 |
|
Nickel, Ni |
3.50-5.50 |
|
Silicon, Si |
≤ 0.75 |
|
Nitrogen, N |
≤ 0.25 |
|
Carbon, C |
≤ 0.030 |
Mechanical Properties
The mechanical properties of grade 201L stainless steel are displayed in the following table.
|
Properties |
Metric |
Imperial |
|
Tensile strength |
785 MPa |
114000 psi |
|
Yield strength |
396 MPa |
57400 psi |
|
Elongation |
56% |
56% |
|
Hardness, Rockwell B |
93 |
93 |
Other Designations
Equivalent material to grade 201L stainless steel is EN1.4371
Manufacturing Process
The heat treatment of grade 201L stainless steel involves annealing between 1010 and 1093°C (1850-2000°F). Care should be taken to prevent annealing temperatures from exceeding 1093°C (2000°F) so as to avoid excessive oxidation. This material can be welded using all the traditional methods. The hot working characteristics of grade 201L are similar to that of the 300 series stainless steels. The basic hot working range 201L is between 1150 and 1230°C (2100-2250°F).
Applications
Grade 201L is widely used as it posse sses an advantageous combination of economy and good mechanical and corrosion resistance properties, which is widely used in consumer and transportation applications.
The following are the other applications of grade 201L stainless steel:
-
Hose clamps member
-
Washing machine basket siding
-
Air bag containers
-
Door frames
-
Cookware bodies/lids transit car structural
-
Piston rings transit car roofing
-
Thermal window spacers
-
Truck trailer posts