Stainless Steel HE-F (As fabricated)
Temper · default condition
UNS J93403
Standard supply condition for HE furnace hardware; best as-manufactured ductility, no post-cast heat treatment needed for oxidation service.
Values for the F condition
Other HE tempers and conditions
HE is listed in 4 conditions; see the grade overview at HE.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solution annealed | Occasionally specified to dissolve grain-boundary carbides and relieve casting stresses before machining or for improved as-installed ductility. | 300 | 620 | 24 | 185 HB | 2 % IACS |
FDefaultThis page As fabricated | Standard supply condition for HE furnace hardware; best as-manufactured ductility, no post-cast heat treatment needed for oxidation service. | 310 | 655 | 20 | 14 HRC | 2 % IACS |
Centrifugally cast | Choose for radiant tubes, rolls and sleeves where the denser, directionally solidified wall gives better soundness and slightly higher strength than static castings. | 330 | 690 | 18 | 210 HB | 2 % IACS |
Thermally aged / service-exposed | Represents properties after prolonged high-temperature service — use these numbers for repair, restart and shutdown-load design, not the as-cast values. | 380 | 620 | 10 | 27 HRC | 2.1 % IACS |
What is HE-F?
HE-F is HE in the F temper — standard supply condition for HE furnace hardware; best as-manufactured ductility, no post-cast heat treatment needed for oxidation service. HE-F has a yield strength of 310 MPa (45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 655 MPa (95 ksi) — weaker than 63% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 195 GPa (28.3 Msi). HE-F has a density of 7.6 g/cm³ (0.275 lb/in³), lighter than 98% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,370°C (2,498 °F).
Advantages
- High service temperature — 1,095°C (2,003 °F), better than 94% of stainless steel grades
Limitations
- Hard to polish — 40/100, worse than 99% of stainless steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 40 MPa·√m (36.4 ksi·√in), worse than 97% of stainless steel grades
- Limited formability — 10/100, worse than 95% of stainless steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 40/100, worse than 83% of stainless steel grades
- Limited ductility — 20%, worse than 79% of stainless steel grades
HE-F properties
Typical room-temperature values for HE-F; 24 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are HE reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among stainless steel grades.
Physical3
HE-F has a density of 7.6 g/cm³ (0.275 lb/in³), lighter than 98% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,370°C (2,498 °F).
Mechanical17
HE-F has a yield strength of 310 MPa (45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 655 MPa (95 ksi) — weaker than 63% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 195 GPa (28.3 Msi).
Thermal6
HE-F is rated for continuous service to 1,095°C (2,003 °F). It conducts heat at 15 W/m·K (8.67 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 59% of stainless steel grades. Thermal expansion is 14.5 µm/m·K (8.06 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
HE-F conducts electricity at 2 % IACS, worse than 77% of stainless steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (60/100), worse than 58% of stainless steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of HE-F takes about 50 MJ of energy and emits 4.2 kg of CO₂ — less than 80% of stainless steel grades. Typical recycled content is 80%.
Manufacturability8
HE-F's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 70% of stainless steel grades); weldability fair (40/100); formability not recommended (10/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with HE-F
Is HE easy to machine?
Machine with rigid setups, positive-rake carbide (or ceramic for skin cuts), low speed and heavy feed to get under the work-hardened, sand-scaled surface; avoid dwelling.
Can HE be welded?
Weldable by SMAW/GTAW with matching HE or AWS E312/ER312 duplex filler; preheat 150–300 °C, low heat input, and slow-cool or post-weld anneal to limit carbide/σ cracking.
Can HE be formed, bent or molded?
Sand, investment or centrifugal casting only — the high-carbon duplex structure has essentially no cold formability; design generous fillets and uniform sections to avoid hot tears.
What surface finishes work on HE?
Shot blast and pickle/passivate after casting; for extreme oxidizing or carburizing duty apply aluminizing or a high-temperature ceramic coating rather than plating or paint.
HE 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chigh C for creep strength; source of carbide embrittlement | 0.2 – 0.5 | 0.35 |
| Mn | ≤ 2 | 1 |
| Siaids oxidation resistance | ≤ 2 | 1.3 |
| P | ≤ 0.04 | — |
| S | ≤ 0.04 | — |
| Cr | 26 – 30 | 28 |
| Ni | 8 – 11 | 9.5 |
| Moresidual, unless otherwise specified | ≤ 0.5 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
HE-F — frequently asked
What is HE-F used for?
HE-F is typically used for furnace fixtures, burner parts and heat-treat furnace components. In short: low-nickel heat-resistant casting; oxidation resistance to 1095 °C; lower cost than 25-20 grades.
What is the yield strength of HE-F?
HE-F has a typical yield strength of 310 MPa (45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 655 MPa (95 ksi) — weaker than 63% of stainless steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is HE-F easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 70% of stainless steel grades). Machine with rigid setups, positive-rake carbide (or ceramic for skin cuts), low speed and heavy feed to get under the work-hardened, sand-scaled surface; avoid dwelling.
Can HE-F be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (40/100). Weldable by SMAW/GTAW with matching HE or AWS E312/ER312 duplex filler; preheat 150–300 °C, low heat input, and slow-cool or post-weld anneal to limit carbide/σ cracking.
What surface finishes work on HE-F?
Shot blast and pickle/passivate after casting; for extreme oxidizing or carburizing duty apply aluminizing or a high-temperature ceramic coating rather than plating or paint.
Can HE-F be formed, bent or molded?
Sand, investment or centrifugal casting only — the high-carbon duplex structure has essentially no cold formability; design generous fillets and uniform sections to avoid hot tears.
What is the maximum service temperature of HE-F?
HE-F is rated for continuous use to about 1,095°C (2,003 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between HE-F and HE Aged?
F is the default condition — standard supply condition for HE furnace hardware; best as-manufactured ductility, no post-cast heat treatment needed for oxidation service. Aged: represents properties after prolonged high-temperature service — use these numbers for repair, restart and shutdown-load design, not the as-cast values. Yield strength is 310 MPa in F versus 380 MPa in Aged.
Sources
- ASTM A297/A297M — Steel Castings, Iron-Chromium and Iron-Chromium-Nickel, Heat Resistant, for General Application — ASTM International (2019)
- ASTM A743/A743M — Castings, Iron-Chromium, Iron-Chromium-Nickel, Corrosion Resistant, for General Application — ASTM International (2019)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys (Heat-Resistant Castings) — ASM International (1990)
- Steel Castings Handbook, High Alloy Data Sheets — Heat Series — Steel Founders' Society of America (2004)
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.