SAE 304 stainless steel, also known as A2 stainless steel (not the same as A2 tool steel) or 18/8 stainless steel, European norm 1.4301, is the most common stainless steel. The steel contains both chromium (usually 18%) and nickel (usually 8%) metals as the main non-iron constituents. It is an austenite steel. It is not very electrically or thermally conductive, and is non-magnetic. It has a higher corrosion resistance than regular steel and is widely used because of the ease in which it is formed into various shapes. It contains 17.5–20% chromium, 8–11% nickel, and less than 0.08% carbon, 2% manganese, 1% silicon, 0.045% phosphorus, and 0.03% sulfur.
The composition was developed by W.H. Hatfield at Firth-Vickers in 1924 and was marketed under the trade name "Staybrite 18/8".
304 stainless steel is used for a variety of household and industrial applications such as screws, machinery parts, car headers, and food-handling equipment. 304 stainless steel is also used in the Architectural field for exterior accents such water and fire features.
Most of our products adopt 304 stainless steel bracket, so the quality is very reliable.
