Stainless Steel 304H · supply condition
Stainless Steel 304H Cold Drawn
Properties of the Cold Drawn condition, compared with the other 304H tempers.
Choose for straight, close-tolerance bar or tube where higher yield strength and better surface finish are needed below the sensitization range.
What is 304H Cold Drawn?
304H Cold Drawn is 304H supplied in the Cold Drawn condition — choose for straight, close-tolerance bar or tube where higher yield strength and better surface finish are needed below the sensitization range. 304H Cold Drawn has a yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 690 MPa (100 ksi) — stronger than 70% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 32% and the elastic modulus is 193 GPa (28 Msi). 304H Cold Drawn has a density of 7.9 g/cm³ (0.285 lb/in³), heavier than 67% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F). Solution Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Cold Drawn is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Tough — resists crack growth — 220 MPa·√m (200.2 ksi·√in), better than 97% of stainless steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 80/100, better than 89% of stainless steel grades
- Readily welded — 85/100, better than 86% of stainless steel grades
- High service temperature — 815°C (1,499 °F), better than 77% of stainless steel grades
304H Cold Drawn properties
Typical room-temperature values for 304H Cold Drawn — 9 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every 304H temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the stainless steel grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical3
304H Cold Drawn has a density of 7.9 g/cm³ (0.285 lb/in³), heavier than 67% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F).
Mechanical16
304H Cold Drawn has a yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 690 MPa (100 ksi) — stronger than 70% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 32% and the elastic modulus is 193 GPa (28 Msi).
Thermal6
304H Cold Drawn is rated for continuous service to 815°C (1,499 °F). It conducts heat at 16.2 W/m·K (9.36 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 64% of stainless steel grades. Thermal expansion is 17.3 µm/m·K (9.61 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
304H Cold Drawn conducts electricity at 2.4 % IACS, better than 67% of stainless steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (62/100), worse than 53% of stainless steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 304H Cold Drawn takes about 53 MJ of energy and emits 4.5 kg of CO₂ — less than 67% of stainless steel grades. Typical recycled content is 65%.
Manufacturability8
304H Cold Drawn's machinability is fair (40/100, better than 73% of stainless steel grades); weldability excellent (85/100); formability good (60/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other 304H tempers and conditions
304H is also supplied in 5 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the 304H overview.
- Solution AnnealedDefaultStandard supply condition for plate, tube and forgings used in ASME high-temperature service; maximum ductility and carbide dissolution.260 MPa yield · 150 HB
- Cold DrawnChoose for straight, close-tolerance bar or tube where higher yield strength and better surface finish are needed below the sensitization range.450 MPa yield · 210 HB
- AnnealedGeneral mill-annealed condition for sheet, strip and bar where the ASME coarse-grain solution treatment is not separately certified.265 MPa yield · 155 HB
Working with 304H Cold Drawn
Is 304H easy to machine?
Gummy and work-hardening like 304 — use rigid setups, positive-rake sharp carbide, heavy constant feed and flood coolant; ~45 % of AISI 1212.
Can 304H be welded?
Readily welded by GTAW/GMAW/SMAW with 308H filler to match creep strength; no preheat, keep interpass low, and remember the high carbon means sensitization risk if slow-cooled through 425–870 °C.
Can 304H be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability (deep drawing, roll forming, bending), but high work-hardening rate demands more power and generous bend radii; hot work at 1150–1200 °C then solution anneal.
What surface finishes work on 304H?
Not anodizable; passivate per ASTM A967, or pickle/electropolish welds — mechanical polishing to No.4/No.8 is straightforward.
304H 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Craised carbon is the defining feature of the H grade | 0.04 – 0.1 | 0.06 |
| Mn | ≤ 2 | 1.5 |
| Si | ≤ 0.75 | 0.5 |
| P | ≤ 0.05 | 0.03 |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | 0.01 |
| Cr | 18 – 20 | 18.5 |
| Ni | 8 – 10.5 | 9 |
| N | ≤ 0.1 | 0.05 |
| Fe | balance | — |
304H Cold Drawn — frequently asked
What is 304H Cold Drawn used for?
304H Cold Drawn is typically used for pressure vessels, welded boiler tubes, superheater and reheater components, high-temperature process piping and flanges, heat exchanger shells and furnace hardware and supports. In short: high-temp 304 plate.
What is the yield strength of 304H Cold Drawn?
304H Cold Drawn has a typical yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 690 MPa (100 ksi) — stronger than 70% of stainless steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is 304H Cold Drawn easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (40/100, better than 73% of stainless steel grades). Gummy and work-hardening like 304 — use rigid setups, positive-rake sharp carbide, heavy constant feed and flood coolant; ~45 % of AISI 1212.
Can 304H Cold Drawn be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (85/100). Readily welded by GTAW/GMAW/SMAW with 308H filler to match creep strength; no preheat, keep interpass low, and remember the high carbon means sensitization risk if slow-cooled through 425–870 °C.
What surface finishes work on 304H Cold Drawn?
Not anodizable; passivate per ASTM A967, or pickle/electropolish welds — mechanical polishing to No.4/No.8 is straightforward.
Can 304H Cold Drawn be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability (deep drawing, roll forming, bending), but high work-hardening rate demands more power and generous bend radii; hot work at 1150–1200 °C then solution anneal.
What is the maximum service temperature of 304H Cold Drawn?
304H Cold Drawn is rated for continuous use to about 815°C (1,499 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 304H Solution Annealed and 304H HRAP?
Solution Annealed is the default condition — standard supply condition for plate, tube and forgings used in ASME high-temperature service; maximum ductility and carbide dissolution. HRAP: standard heavy plate condition (>4 mm) for pressure vessels and furnace parts; matte pickled 1D surface. Yield strength is 260 MPa in Solution Annealed versus 255 MPa in HRAP.
Can FabDigit make parts in 304H Cold Drawn?
Yes — 304H Cold Drawn is available for CNC machining and sheet metal with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASTM A240/A240M — Chromium and Chromium-Nickel Stainless Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip — ASTM International (2023)
- ASTM A213/A213M — Seamless Ferritic and Austenitic Alloy-Steel Boiler, Superheater and Heat-Exchanger Tubes — ASTM International (2022)
- ASTM A182/A182M — Forged or Rolled Alloy and Stainless Steel Pipe Flanges and Fittings — ASTM International (2022)
- ASME BPVC Section II Part D — Materials, Properties — ASME (2023)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- Outokumpu Corrosion Handbook / Stainless Steel Datasheets — Outokumpu (2021)
- EN 10028-7 (1.4948 X6CrNi18-10) — CEN (2016)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.