Glossary of Terms
This glossary provides definitions for common terms related to stainless steel, particularly focusing on its properties, applications, and the structural products offered by Stainless Structurals America.
A
AISI (American Iron and Steel Institute): A professional organization that sets standards for steel products, including stainless steel. Their designation system (e.g., 304, 316) is widely used to classify different stainless steel grades.
Alloy: A metallic substance composed of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron with a minimum of 10.5% chromium.
Alloy 304: The most widely used stainless steel grade, known for excellent corrosion resistance and formability.
Alloy 316: (Marine Grade) A stainless steel grade with added molybdenum, offering superior resistance to chlorides and harsh environments.
Angle (L-Profile): An L-shaped stainless steel structural profile commonly used for bracing, framing, and edge protection.
Annealing: A heat treatment process that alters the microstructure of a material to increase its ductility and reduce its hardness, making it more workable.
Architectural Stainless Steel: Stainless steel used in building facades, handrails, and other aesthetic or structural architectural elements.
Austenite: A crystalline metallic phase of iron, characterized by a face-centered cubic (FCC) structure. Austenitic stainless steels (e.g., 304, 316) are the most common type and are non-magnetic in their annealed state.
Austenitic Stainless Steel: The most common family of stainless steels, characterized by their high corrosion resistance, ductility, and excellent weldability. They are non-magnetic in the annealed condition and cannot be hardened by heat treatment. Examples include 304, 316, and 304L.
B
Beam (Stainless Steel Beam): A load-bearing structural profile with high strength, available in I-beam, H-beam, and custom configurations.
Brushed Finish (No. 4 Finish): A popular stainless steel surface finish with a uniform, satin-like appearance, ideal for architectural applications.
Brittleness: The tendency of a metal to fracture without significant deformation, typically minimized in stainless steel through alloying.
C
Channel (C-Profile / U-Channel): A C- or U-shaped stainless steel structural profile, used in framing, support, and load-bearing applications.
Chromium (Cr): The key alloying element in stainless steel, present at a minimum of 10.5%. Chromium reacts with oxygen to form a thin, passive, self-healing oxide layer on the surface, which provides corrosion resistance.
Cold-Formed Stainless Steel: Stainless steel shaped at room temperature, resulting in increased strength through work hardening.
Corrosion: The deterioration of a material, usually a metal, due to a chemical reaction with its environment. Stainless steel's primary advantage is its resistance to corrosion.
Corrosion Resistance: The ability of a material to withstand deterioration caused by chemical reactions with its environment. This is the defining characteristic of stainless steel, primarily due to the passive chromium oxide layer.
Custom Profiles: Non-standard stainless steel structural shapes manufactured to meet specific project requirements.
D
Deburring: The process of removing sharp edges or burrs from cut stainless steel profiles for safety and improved finish.
Ductility: The ability of a material to deform under tensile stress without fracturing. Ductile materials can be drawn into wires or stretched.
Duplex Stainless Steel: A family of stainless steels with a mixed microstructure of both austenitic and ferritic phases. They offer a combination of high strength and excellent corrosion resistance, particularly against pitting and stress corrosion cracking. Examples include 2205 and 2507.
F
Fabrication: The process of manufacturing and assembling components from raw materials. In the context of structural steel, this includes cutting, welding, bending, and forming.
Ferrite: A crystalline metallic phase of iron, characterized by a body-centered cubic (BCC) structure. Ferritic stainless steels are magnetic and offer good resistance to stress corrosion cracking.
Ferritic Stainless Steel: A family of stainless steels that are magnetic and derive their corrosion resistance primarily from chromium. They offer good resistance to stress corrosion cracking but are generally less ductile and weldable than austenitic stainless steels. Examples include 430.
Finish (Surface Finish): The appearance and texture of stainless steel surfaces, ranging from matte (No. 2B) to polished (mirror finish).
G
Galvanic Corrosion: Corrosion caused when stainless steel contacts a less noble metal in the presence of an electrolyte.
Grade (Stainless Steel): A specific alloy composition of stainless steel, designated by a numbering system (e.g., 304, 316, 2205) that indicates its chemical composition and typical properties.
H
H-Beam: A structural beam with a wide flange, providing excellent load-bearing capacity.
Hot Extruded: A manufacturing process where a heated metal billet is forced through a die to create a desired cross-sectional shape. Stainless Structurals America specializes in hot extruded stainless steel profiles, offering design flexibility and high precision.
Hot Rolled: A manufacturing process where steel is rolled at high temperatures (above its recrystallization temperature) to shape it into various forms, such as beams, channels, and angles. Hot rolling generally produces a coarser grain structure and may have a less precise surface finish than cold rolling.
I
I-Beam (I-Profile): A structural steel beam with an I-shaped cross-section, commonly used in construction for its excellent strength-to-weight ratio. Stainless Structurals America offers hot extruded stainless steel I-beams.
ISO Standards: International standards ensuring the quality, safety, and consistency of stainless steel products.
L
Laser Fusion (Laser Welding): A high-precision welding process that uses a concentrated laser beam to join metal components. This method is used by Stainless Structurals America to create custom structural profiles with high accuracy and minimal distortion.
L-Angle (Angle): A structural steel member with an L-shaped cross-section, commonly used for bracing, framing, and support. Stainless Structurals America provides stainless steel L-angles.
Load-Bearing Profiles: Structural stainless steel shapes engineered to support significant weights in construction and engineering.
Laser Welded Stainless Steel Profiles: Custom or standard shapes produced by laser welding technology, offering sharp corners and high precision.
M
Machinability: The ease with which stainless steel can be cut, shaped, and drilled.
Marine-Grade Stainless Steel: Alloys like 316, specifically designed for saltwater and coastal environments.
Martensitic Stainless Steel: A family of stainless steels that can be hardened and strengthened by heat treatment (quenching and tempering). They are magnetic and offer high strength and hardness but generally have lower corrosion resistance than austenitic grades. Examples include 410, 420.
Mirror Finish (No. 8 Finish): A highly polished stainless steel surface with a reflective, mirror-like appearance.
Molybdenum (Mo): An alloying element added to some stainless steel grades (e.g., 316, 2205) to enhance their corrosion resistance, particularly against pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride environments.
N
Nickel (Ni): An alloying element added to stainless steel, primarily in austenitic grades (e.g., 304, 316), to improve ductility, weldability, and corrosion resistance.
Nickel Content: The amount of nickel alloyed into stainless steel, enhancing corrosion resistance and toughness.
Notching: Cutting or shaping stainless steel profiles to fit specific design or fabrication requirements.
P
Passive Layer (Passivation Layer): A thin, stable, and self-healing chromium oxide film that forms on the surface of stainless steel when exposed to oxygen. This layer acts as a barrier, protecting the underlying metal from corrosion.
Passivation: A process that enhances the natural oxide layer on stainless steel, improving its corrosion resistance.
Pickling: A metal surface treatment process used to remove impurities, rust, and scale from stainless steel, typically using an acid solution. This process helps to restore the passive layer.
Pitting Corrosion: A localized form of corrosion that results in small holes or "pits" on the surface of a metal. Stainless steel with higher molybdenum content generally has better resistance to pitting.
Polishing: A finishing process that uses abrasive materials to smooth and refine the surface of stainless steel, resulting in a bright, reflective, and aesthetically pleasing appearance. Polishing can also enhance corrosion resistance by creating a smoother surface where fewer impurities can accumulate.
Profile (Structural Profile): The cross-sectional shape of a structural steel member, such as an I-beam, channel, angle, or tee. Stainless Structurals America specializes in manufacturing a wide range of standard and custom stainless steel profiles.
S
Square Corner Profiles: Stainless steel shapes with sharp, 90-degree corners, often required for architectural and precision applications.
Stainless Steel: A family of iron-based alloys containing a minimum of 10.5% chromium, which forms a passive, self-healing oxide layer on the surface, providing excellent corrosion resistance.
Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC): A form of corrosion that occurs when a material is subjected to both a corrosive environment and tensile stress, leading to unexpected brittle fracture. Certain stainless steel grades (e.g., duplex) offer improved resistance to SCC.
Structural Steel: Steel products specifically designed and manufactured for load-bearing applications in construction and other industries.
Structural Stainless Steel: Stainless steel designed for load-bearing and structural uses in construction, industrial, and marine environments.
Surface Finish: The texture and appearance of a material's surface, which can affect its corrosion resistance, aesthetic appeal, and functional properties. Common stainless steel finishes include mill finish, brushed, and polished.
T
T-Beam (T-Profile): A structural steel member with a T-shaped cross-section, often used as a support or for framing. Stainless Structurals America offers stainless steel T-beams.
Tolerance: The permissible variation in the dimensions of a stainless steel profile during manufacturing.
W
Welding: A fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. Various welding methods are used with stainless steel, including TIG, MIG, and laser welding.
Weldability: The ease with which a material can be welded without defects or significant degradation of its properties.
Welded Profiles: Stainless steel or carbon steel structural shapes fabricated by welding together individual components.
Work Hardening: Strengthening of stainless steel through plastic deformation during processing.
Z
Z-Profile (Z Bar): A Z-shaped structural stainless steel profile, commonly used in architectural cladding and support systems.
Zinc Coating: Although not typical for stainless steel, zinc coatings are sometimes applied to carbon steels for corrosion resistance.
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