Stainless Steel 204
AISI/SAE 204 · UNS S20400
204 (S20400) is a low-nickel Cr-Mn-Ni austenitic stainless in which manganese and nitrogen replace part of the nickel, developed as a cost-reduced substitute for 304 in less demanding corrosive environments.
Reference datasheet — 204 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the ANN condition
204 tempers and conditions
204 is supplied in 7 conditions, soft to hard. ANN is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 7 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ANNDefault Annealed | Default stocked condition for sheet, coil, plate and tube where forming, deep drawing or welding follows. | 500 | 730 | 45 | 210 HB | — |
1/8 Hard | Choose when slightly higher yield and better flatness/stiffness are needed but forming is still required. | 550 | 800 | 30 | 23 HRC | 2.4 % IACS |
Quarter hard | Use for spring-back-tolerant panels, clamps, straps and structural strip needing ~2× the yield of annealed material. | 690 | 930 | 20 | 25 HRC | — |
Cold drawn | Bar and wire condition with improved straightness, surface finish and yield strength for machined fittings and fasteners. | 700 | 900 | 18 | 24 HRC | 2.4 % IACS |
Half hard | For flat springs, brackets and abrasion-exposed strip where only mild bending is done. | 830 | 1,070 | 12 | 32 HRC | 2.4 % IACS |
Three-quarter hard | High-strength strip for clips and shims where forming is limited to gentle radii. | 960 | 1,210 | 8 | 36 HRC | 2.4 % IACS |
Full hard | Maximum-strength flat strip for spring clips and wear strips; essentially no formability beyond flat blanking. | 1,070 | 1,320 | 5 | 40 HRC | 2.4 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways 204 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
2B | Cold rolled, annealed, pickled and skin-passed finish | Surface finish |
BA | Bright annealed (hydrogen atmosphere) finish | Surface finish |
HRAP | No.1 / HRAP | Surface finish |
What is 204?
204 (S20400) is a low-nickel Cr-Mn-Ni austenitic stainless in which manganese and nitrogen replace part of the nickel, developed as a cost-reduced substitute for 304 in less demanding corrosive environments. Annealed sheet and strip run about 500 MPa yield, 730 MPa tensile and 45 % elongation at 210 HB (95 HRB), and the grade is stocked in tempers from annealed to full hard plus 2B, BA and HRAP surfaces for formed and drawn parts. Corrosion resistance is rated below 304 (score 45) and the work-hardening rate is high, so keep it out of chloride-rich outdoor or marine service; 304 is the nearest alternative when corrosion margin matters. 204 has a density of 7.8 g/cm³ (0.282 lb/in³), heavier than 50% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F). 204 has a yield strength of 500 MPa (72.5 ksi) and a tensile strength of 730 MPa (106 ksi) — stronger than 77% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 45% and the elastic modulus is 197 GPa (28.6 Msi).
What is 204 used for?
- appliance panels
- sinks
- decorative trim
- cookware
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 3.6 kg CO₂/kg, better than 83% of stainless steel grades
- Forms and bends easily — 70/100, better than 79% of stainless steel grades
- High strength — 500 MPa (72.5 ksi), better than 77% of stainless steel grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 45%, better than 76% of stainless steel grades
Limitations
- Needs corrosion protection — 45/100, worse than 85% of stainless steel grades
204 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 204-ANN; bars are the position among stainless steel grades.
Physical3
204 has a density of 7.8 g/cm³ (0.282 lb/in³), heavier than 50% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F).
Mechanical16
204 has a yield strength of 500 MPa (72.5 ksi) and a tensile strength of 730 MPa (106 ksi) — stronger than 77% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 45% and the elastic modulus is 197 GPa (28.6 Msi).
Thermal6
204 is rated for continuous service to 760°C (1,400 °F). It conducts heat at 14.5 W/m·K (8.38 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 72% of stainless steel grades. Thermal expansion is 16.5 µm/m·K (9.17 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
204 conducts electricity at 2.4 % IACS, better than 67% of stainless steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (45/100), worse than 85% of stainless steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 204 takes about 48 MJ of energy and emits 3.6 kg of CO₂ — less than 85% of stainless steel grades. Typical recycled content is 60%.
Manufacturability7
204's machinability is fair (38/100, better than 63% of stainless steel grades); weldability good (65/100); formability very good (70/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the stainless steel family
Yield strength against density for every stainless steel grade FabDigit runs. 204 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 204
Is 204 easy to machine?
Gummy and strongly work-hardening — use rigid setups, sharp positive-rake carbide, heavy positive feed and flood coolant, avoid dwelling.
Can 204 be welded?
Weldable by GTAW/GMAW/resistance methods with 209/308L type filler; keep heat input low and interpass cool to limit hot cracking and sensitization; no preheat needed.
Can 204 be formed, bent or molded?
Good deep-drawing and roll-forming behaviour but high work-hardening rate means higher press loads, larger springback and more frequent interstage annealing than 304.
204 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Clow carbon to limit sensitization | ≤ 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Mnaustenite stabilizer replacing Ni | 7 – 9 | 8 |
| Si | ≤ 1 | 0.5 |
| P | ≤ 0.04 | 0.03 |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | 0.01 |
| Cr | 15 – 17.5 | 16 |
| Nireduced vs 304 (8–10.5%) | 1.5 – 3 | 2 |
| Nmain strengthener and austenite stabilizer | 0.15 – 0.3 | 0.22 |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 204?
Takes 2B, BA and No.4 finishes and electropolishes well; passivate after machining/welding, and avoid chloride-rich outdoor exposure to prevent tea-staining.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on stainless steel parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Passivation
Organic Coating
Thermal Spray
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Stainless Steel 204 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- S20400
How much does 204 cost?
204 is a standard-cost stainless steel ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
204 — frequently asked
What is 204 used for?
204 is typically used for appliance panels, sinks, decorative trim and cookware. In short: low-nickel 304 substitute; high work-hardening sheet; indoor-service corrosion only.
What is the yield strength of 204?
204 has a typical yield strength of 500 MPa (72.5 ksi) and a tensile strength of 730 MPa (106 ksi) — stronger than 77% of stainless steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is 204 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (38/100, better than 63% of stainless steel grades). Gummy and strongly work-hardening — use rigid setups, sharp positive-rake carbide, heavy positive feed and flood coolant, avoid dwelling.
Can 204 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (65/100). Weldable by GTAW/GMAW/resistance methods with 209/308L type filler; keep heat input low and interpass cool to limit hot cracking and sensitization; no preheat needed.
What surface finishes work on 204?
Takes 2B, BA and No.4 finishes and electropolishes well; passivate after machining/welding, and avoid chloride-rich outdoor exposure to prevent tea-staining.
Can 204 be formed, bent or molded?
Good deep-drawing and roll-forming behaviour but high work-hardening rate means higher press loads, larger springback and more frequent interstage annealing than 304.
What is the maximum service temperature of 204?
204 is rated for continuous use to about 760°C (1,400 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 204-ANN and 204-FH?
ANN is the default condition — default stocked condition for sheet, coil, plate and tube where forming, deep drawing or welding follows. FH: maximum-strength flat strip for spring clips and wear strips; essentially no formability beyond flat blanking. Yield strength is 500 MPa in ANN versus 1,070 MPa in FH.
How much does 204 cost?
204 is a standard-cost stainless steel ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM A240/A240M — Chromium and Chromium-Nickel Stainless Steel Plate, Sheet and Strip — ASTM International (2023)
- ASTM A666 — Annealed or Cold-Worked Austenitic Stainless Steel Sheet, Strip, Plate and Flat Bar — ASTM International (2015)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- Low-nickel Cr-Mn austenitic stainless (200-series) product data — Outokumpu / AK Steel (2020)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.