Stainless Steel
Boston Centerless processes a wide variety of stainless grades including austenitic, martensitic, precipitation hardening and maraging grades. Many of these grades are available from our large inventory. For the hardenable grades, Boston Centerless will provide the material in the heat treated or aged condition. We are experts at sourcing stainless bar as well as many other materials.
Stainless steel is an alloy of iron that contains chromium, and exhibits superior strength and excellent corrosion resistance. These properties typically result in lower maintenance and a longer life span for stainless products. While there are many variants, there are 5 general categories of stainless steel. As noted below, the chemistry of each category varies which impacts the properties and applications of the material.
- Austenitic (300 Series): these metals, namely 304, are the most common stainless steel alloys. Austenitic metals contain a high amount of nickel, chromium, and molybdenum. This chemistry results in an alloy known for malleability, corrosion resistance, strength, and versatility. Austenitic stainless steels are also able to tolerate high temperatures and heavy loads. These metals are known for formability and weldability, making them a good fit for a variety of applications including automotive, aerospace, construction, petrochemical, and marine.
- Ferritic (400 series): this variant contains a greater amount of chromium, with little to no nickel and few carbon consistencies. Ferritic stainless steels are magnetic and deliver excellent resistance to temperature oxidation and stress corrosion cracking. These metals work well at elevated temperatures and are common in automotive, petrochemical, and food processing applications.
- Martensitic (400 series): this variant is structurally similar to ferritic but contains a greater amount of carbon. This chemistry enables martensitic metals to be hardened to yield a higher strength. For example, martensitic 440 stainless steel is one of the strongest alloys available. In general, martensitic metals are not as corrosion resistant as austenitic types. Martensitic stainless steels are often used in surgical instruments, medical tools, firearms, cutlery, and scissors.
- Duplex: this variant combines the desirable properties of ferritic and austenitic metals – and is considered the best of both worlds. Duplex is incredibly strong while delivering excellent resistance to corrosion and stress corrosion cracking. Its higher strength often enables appreciable part weight reductions. Duplex metals are often employed in demanding environments such as pressure vessels, impellers, pipes, mining equipment, and food processing applications.
- Precipitation Hardening: these are called high strength stainless steels and achieve their properties through heat treatment. These materials deliver the superb corrosion resistance of austenitic stainless steel combined with a hardened strength similar to martensitic metals. Precipitation hardening metals are often utilized in chemical, aerospace, petrochemical, and food processing applications.
At Boston Centerless, we have been in the precision machining industry for many years and have established a strong network with long term relationships with various mills and material suppliers. We are committed to providing reliable precision materials and only buy materials from the US or EU to ensure the material quality meets our standards. Due to our ability to process high volumes, our team is able to achieve economies of scale and attain a constant flow of incoming supply; this allows us to be more nimble and help our customers adjust to fluctuating market conditions as well as changes in their own customer demand. At Boston Centerless, we know the value of a robust and healthy supply chain is priceless. We encourage our customers to leverage our expertise and our vast network for their material acquisition.
- PH13-8 MO*
- 304 Condition B
- – H1025
- 304/304L ESR / VAR
- – H1075
- 304/304L Premium Machinability
- – H1150
- 316 Premium Machinability
- – H1150M
- 316/316L Condition B
- 15-5PH*
- 316/316L ESR / VAR
- – H1025
- 317
- – H1075
- 321
- – H1150
- 347
- – H1150M
- 410*
- 17-4PH*
- 410 ESR
- – H900
- 416 Condition T*, Condition H*
- – H1000
- 418 (Greek Ascoloy)
- – H1025
- 420*
- – H1075
- 420F
- – H1150
- 430
- – H1150M
- 430F SE
- 302
- 430FR
- 302 Condition B
- 440A*
- 303
- 440B
- 303 Condition B
- 440C*
- 303 Premium Machinability
- 440C Vacuum Melted
- 303 Se
- 440F
- 304/304L
- 440F SE
- Alloy 20
- Monel 400®
- AM 355®
- Monel 404®
- Custom 455®
- Monel K500®
- Custom 465®
- Monel R405®
- Custom 630®
- Nitronic 50®
- Gall Tough®
- Nitronic 60®
- Gall Tough Plus®
View all materials and tolerances supplied by Boston Centerless
*Also available in heat-treated or aged condition.*
