Corrosion Resistant SS · Austenitic
Stainless Steel 304L
Stainless Steel 304L is a corrosion resistant stainless steel — weldable standard stainless. Typical values: 170 MPa yield, 8 g/cm³, rated to 800 °C. Available for CNC machining, Sheet metal at FabDigit.
Properties
Typical room-temperature values in the Annealed condition. Metric first, imperial in gray. The bars show where 304L sits against the other 87 stainless steel grades in the catalog.
Datasheet
| Yield strength | 170 MPa25 ksi |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 485 MPa70 ksi |
| Hardness | 140 HB |
| Density | 8 g/cm³0.289 lb/in³ |
| Specific strength (yield ÷ density) | 21 |
| Min service temp | -200 °C-328 °F |
| Max service temp | 800 °C1,472 °F |
| Electrical conductivity | 2.4 % IACS1.4 MS/m |
| Machinability | Fair45 / 100 |
| Weldability | Excellent95 / 100 |
| Formability | Very good80 / 100 |
| ISO 513 machining group | M |
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Against other stainless steel grades
Strength versus weight in the stainless steel family
Yield strength against density for every stainless steel grade FabDigit runs. 304L is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Manufacturability
The process limits FabDigit's quote engine applies to 304L. Design inside these and the part quotes instantly; outside them it routes to an engineer.
CNC machining
| Machinability | Fair45 / 100 |
|---|---|
| ISO material group | M.1 |
| Cutting speed (rough / finish) | 150 / 180 m/min |
| Minimum wall | 0.8 mm |
| Minimum internal radius | 1.5 mm |
| Drill depth limit | 4× diameter |
| Best surface (machined / polished) | Ra 1.6 / — |
| Hardenable after machining | No |
Sheet metal
| Formability | Better80 / 100 |
|---|---|
| Weldability | Better95 / 100 |
| Bendable | Yes |
| Minimum bend radius | 1× thickness |
| Spring-back | High |
| Welding processes | TIG, MIG, SPOT, SEAM, LASER |
Conditions and tempers
How 304L is supplied and what each state is for. The default is what FabDigit quotes unless your drawing says otherwise.
| Condition | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnnealedDefault Temper | Softest supply state — for forming, or when you heat-treat after machining | 170 | 485 | 40 | 85 HRB |
Cold Rolled Cold Work | Smoother and more precise than hot rolled — panels, brackets | 380 | 620 | 25 | 92 HRB |
Cold Drawn Cold Work | Precision bar with finished OD — shafts, pins, less machining | 380 | 620 | 25 | 92 HRB |
Heat treatment and post-processing
Operations FabDigit's suppliers routinely run on 304L, ranked by how often they make sense for this grade.
Heat treatment
| Solution Anneal | Dissolve carbides; reset austenite (stainless) |
|---|---|
| Stress Relief | Reduce residual stress without changing structure |
| Quench & Temper | Achieve target hardness with controlled toughness28–55 HRC |
Post-processing
| Manual Deburr | Deburrstandard |
|---|---|
| Passivate (Citric) | Passivation |
| Edge Break (0.5mm) | Deburr |
| Passivate (Nitric / AMS 2700) | Passivation |
| Electropolish | Polish |
| Glass Bead Blast | Blast |
| Laser Mark | Marking |
| CMM Inspection | Inspection |
| FAI Report | Inspection |
| Individual Bag | Packaging |
Surface finishes for 304L
Coatings and treatments compatible with stainless steel on the processes 304L runs on. Pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing.
Passivation
- Electropolishing
- Passivation (Stainless Steel)
- Pickling
Plating
- Chrome Plating
- Electroless Nickel (EN)
- Gold Plating
- Hard Chrome Plating
- Nickel Plating
- Silver Plating
PVD Coating
- AlCrN
- AlTiN
- CrN
- DLC
- MoS2
- TiAlN
- TiB2
- TiCN
- TiN
- WC/C
- ZrN
Organic Coating
- Cerakote
- Epoxy Coating
- Painting
- Powder Coating
- PTFE Coating
CVD Coating
- CVD Al2O3
- CVD TiCN
- CVD TiN
- Multilayer CVD
Marking / Decoration
- Chemical Etching
- Dot Peen Marking
- Electro-chemical Etching
- Embossing / Debossing
- Ink Stamping
- Laser Marking
- Mechanical Engraving
- Steel Stamping
- Vibro Engraving / Scribing
Black / Phosphate
- Black Oxide
Thermal Spray
- HVOF Coating
- Plasma Spray
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Stainless Steel 304L in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- S30403
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 1.4307X2CrNi18-9
- GB (China)
- 00Cr19Ni10022Cr19Ni10
- JIS
- SUS304L
- Other
- low-carbon 304SS304L
Stock forms
Raw-material forms FabDigit sources 304L in, with the common sizes held in North American stock.
- Plate thickness
- 1/4"8 mm10 mm1/2"15 mm20 mm
- Sheet thickness
- 0.5 mm0.8 mm0.032"1 mm1.2 mm0.050"1.5 mm0.064"2 mm0.080"2.5 mm3 mm0.125"4 mm+4
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.