316 Stainless Steel Casting
316 stainless steel is the second-most common casting material with superior corrosion resistance. CFS Foundry is professional on 316 stainless steel investment casting for a variety of applications, specially for valve & pumps, marine hardwares, food machinery, etc.
- Using Advanced Investment Casting Process
- Custom Casting Service to Suit Your Specific Design
- Supporting Various Surface Finishing Types
What is 316 Stainless Steel?
316 grade is the second-most common material of stainless steel casting. It has almost the same physical and mechanical properties as 304 stainless steel, and contains a similar material make-up. The key difference is that 316 stainless steel incorporates about 2 to 3 percent molybdenum. The addition increases corrosion resistance, particularly against chlorides and other industrial solvents. So the cost of 316 stainless steel casting is slightly higher than 304 stainless steel casting.
The 316 stainless steel has better corrosion resistance due to the Mo element. It is usually used to make the corrosion-resistant parts that contact the seawater or corrosive chemical mediums, such as valve castings, chemical equipment, outdoor lamp, medical apparatus part, marine hardware, thermal exchanger part, pipe, etc. Equivalent Grade of Stainless Steel 316 is the CF8M of the US, or 1.4408 of the German.
Chemical Compositions
| Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Nickel (Ni) | Carbon (C) | Manganese (Mn) | Silicon (Si) | Phosphorus (P) | Sulfur (S) | Nitrogen (N) | Iron (Fe) |
| 16.0-18.0 | 2.0–3.0 | 10.0-14.0 | ≤0.08 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.75 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤0.03 | ≤ 0.10 | Balance |
Mechanical Properties
| Stainless Steel | Condition | Tensile Strength (PSI) | Yield Strength (PSI) | % Elongation | Hardness Range or Maximum |
| 316 (CF8M) | Solution Anneal | 70,000 to 85,000 | 30,000 to 45,000 | 30 to 55 | ~95 HRB (max) |
The Investment Casting Process of 316 Stainless Steel at CFS Foundry
The investment casting process for 316 stainless steel begins with the creation of highly accurate wax patterns, which are the exact copy of the desired shape. The quality of these patterns will directly affect the precision and surface finish of the final parts. The wax patterns are dipped into ceramic slurry to form a durable shell, which hardens to create the investment. The wax is then melted and removed, leaving a cavity that precisely replicates the desired component’s design. This stage is crucial for producing intricate and complex shapes that 316 stainless steel parts often require.
Once the ceramic shell is ready, molten 316 stainless steel is poured into it through a controlled gating system. High-precision furnaces at CFS Foundry maintain optimal temperatures to ensure uniform metal flow, minimizing common casting defects like porosity or shrinkage. The alloy’s superior corrosion resistance and mechanical strength make it suitable for demanding environments such as marine, chemical processing, and medical applications. After cooling, the ceramic shell is carefully removed, exposing the cast component. Heat treatments could be further applied to refine the microstructure and relieve internal stresses, enhancing the part’s mechanical properties.
The process may also include extra finishing techniques, including machining, and some surface finishing processes, to meet exact specifications. Rigorous quality control measures throughout ensure each part meets or even exceed our client’s requirements. CFS Foundry’s expertise in 316 stainless steel investment casting guarantees high-quality, reliable components for various applications.
Advantages of 316 Stainless Steel Casting
Investment casting offers flexibility in design and material usage, ensuring minimal waste. It supports the creation of tailored solutions to meet specific client requirements while optimizing material utilization.
316 stainless steel contains a minimum 2.0% molybdenum which makes it much more corrosion resistant than 304 stainless steel. This makes 316 stainless steel castings specially suitable for high marine and other corrosive environment.
316 stainless steel cast components made from CFS Foundry provide high strength, durability, and resistance to wear and fatigue. These properties ensure reliable performance even under challenging operational conditions.
Investment casting allows for the production of highly detailed and complex components. CFS Foundry’s advanced lost wax investment casting techniques ensure tight tolerances and intricate geometries, meeting the demands of various industries.
Investment casting produces parts with smooth surface finishes, reducing the need for extensive secondary machining and polishing. This results in cost savings and shorter production times.
Work With CFS Foundry for Stainless Steel Casting Project
As a top leading stainless steel foundry, CFS Foundry is experienced in investment casting stainless steel components with different alloys. Due to the added molybdenum and higher nickel content of 316 stainless steel, parts cast from this alloy can achieve better corrosion resistance. Therefore, 316 stainless steel casting is a good solution for applications when 304 stainless steel is not enough to resist the corrosion.
Besides, we are also able to cast parts in 316L stainless steel , which has lower carbon content than 316 stainless steel, at ≤0.03%, improving corrosion resistance and making it more suitable for welding.
With full services of investment casting, we have the ability to produce both casting blanks as well as machined castings. All the 316 stainless steel castings are manufactured following your exact drawing specifications. Apart from stainless steel casting, we can also supply other steel castings, aluminum castings as well as iron castings. Just contact us while you have any casting project at hand!
