Description
The Workhorse of Stainless Steel – Our 304 General Purpose Round Bar
In our 15+ years supplying stainless steel, 304 round bar remains the most consistently requested grade. Why? It strikes that perfect balance between performance, machinability, and cost-effectiveness—whether you’re building a food-grade mixer or a marine handrail. Unlike pricier 316, it handles most corrosive environments (think coastal areas or acidic foods) without breaking the bank. We’ve seen it survive 10 years in a brewery’s washdown zones and still look pristine.
What sets ours apart? Precision matters. Our bars hold tighter tolerances (±0.02mm for diameters under 50mm) than typical mill specs because we fine-tune the drawing process. The 304 alloy (UNS S30400) comes with 18% chromium and 8% nickel—that’s the “18/8” you often hear about—giving it a passive oxide layer that self-heals. For critical applications, we offer optional solution annealing for stress relief, which helps prevent warping during machining.
From Prototyping to Production – Real-World Fit
We stock diameters from 3mm up to 200mm, but here’s where it gets practical:
– Smaller bars (3–20mm): Ideal for shafts, custom fasteners, or even 3D-printed part supports. One client used our 6mm bars as alignment pins for robotic arms—zero corrosion after 18 months.
– Mid-range (20–80mm): The sweet spot for structural components like brackets or valve stems. We often recommend cold-drawn bars here for better straightness and surface finish.
– Larger sizes (80mm+): Go hot-rolled for cost savings on big frames or chemical tank supports.
A common question we get: “How does it handle welding?” Good news—304 is forgiving. With proper filler (ER308L), it maintains corrosion resistance at weld seams. Just avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures above 800°C (like exhaust manifolds) where carbide precipitation can occur.
Why Partner With Our China-Based Mill?
Our ISO-certified facility uses ladle-refined steel with strict batch testing (spectrometer-verified chemistry, hardness checks). While we meet ASTM A276 and EN 10088-3, we can tweak parameters for niche needs—say, a slightly higher nitrogen content for better pitting resistance. Need polished bars for architectural use? We’ve got a proprietary buffing process that leaves a 0.2Ra mirror finish.
No project is too small or large. We’ll cut to length, machine centers, or even laser-etch your part numbers. Drop us a line with your specs. We’ll reply with actual lead times (not generic estimates) and honest advice—sometimes suggesting 201 or 430 grades if they’ll save you money without sacrificing function. That’s how we’ve kept clients coming back for over a decade.
