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301 stainless steel hardness standard details: selection guide and application scenarios

Release time: 2024-12-11

What is 301 stainless steel?

Ningbo Yaoyi New Material has been engaged in the production of 301 stainless steel for 28 years, 301 stainless steel is a kind of high-strength austenitic stainless steel, which is widely used in industry and life field due to its excellent corrosion resistance and processing performance. Its hardness is one of the important indexes to evaluate the performance of the material, if you have any questions about the hardness of any 301 stainless steel strip, welcome to consult us! 


301 stainless steel hardness standard analysis

The hardness standard of 301 stainless steel is mainly based on the processing state, usually expressed in Brinell hardness (HB), Rockwell hardness (HRB/HRC) or Vickers hardness (HV). The following is the range of hardness in different processing states:


Annealed condition (soft state)

1. Hardness range: 90-120 HB

2. Characteristics: High toughness, non-magnetic, suitable for scenarios requiring deep stretching or bending processing.


Cold working state

1. 1/4 hard: hardness approx. 250-290 HV

2. 1/2 hard: hardness about 310-370 HV, this kind we also call semi-hard 301 stainless steel strip

3. full hard: hardness up to 450-550 HV

4. Characteristics: The hardness is greatly increased after work-hardening, and at the same time, it produces a certain degree of magnetism, which is suitable for elastic parts or high-strength parts.


Standard specification

1. According to ASTM A240 and JIS G4305 standards, the hardness of 301 stainless steel can be adjusted according to the application requirements, please contact us to confirm for you.

How to choose the right hardness?

Choosing the hardness of 301 stainless steel requires comprehensive consideration of the actual application scenarios:

1. Applications requiring high elasticity and strength: it is recommended to choose 301 stainless steel in cold working hard state, which is suitable for springs, clips and other fields.

2. applications requiring high moldability: annealed state 301 stainless steel is more suitable, such as deep-drawn parts or complex bending parts.

3. equipment sensitive to magnetism: annealed state is non-magnetic; cold worked may be magnetic, need to pay attention to the material properties. Specifically, you can refer to our 301 stainless steel strip magnetic.


Common test methods used to test the hardness of 301 stainless steel

Rockwell hardness test (HRB/HRC)

1. Suitable for quickly testing the surface hardness of 301 stainless steel, easy to use.


Vickers hardness test (HV)

1. For testing finer hardness range, suitable for thin materials and small workpieces.

Ningbo Yaoyi Stainless Steel has professional hardness tester, which can provide accurate hardness data.


Brinell hardness test (HB)

1. Mostly used for hardness determination of large materials, with stable and reliable results.



Conclusion:

The hardness standard of 301 stainless steel varies depending on the processing state, and choosing the right hardness not only enhances the product performance, but also meets the needs of different industrial applications. Ningbo Yaoyi New Materials Co., Ltd. is dedicated to providing you with high quality 301 stainless steel and customized solutions, welcome to contact us at any time!


Choose the right material, start from understanding the hardness!