Stainless Steel Materials
Find the right stainless steel material for your project in one place. This overview explains the two main families used in our products at YES Stainless International and helps you choose between 300 series stainless steel and 400 series stainless steel for pipes, tubes, and precision strip.
stainless steel material guides
300 Series Stainless Steel
What it is: Austenitic stainless steels known for strong corrosion resistance and excellent formability. Nickel content improves toughness and weldability.
Typical grades: 304, 304L, 316, 316L.
Why choose it: Reliable corrosion resistance, good low-temperature performance, easy to fabricate and weld, widely available in global supply chains.
view guide →
400 Series Stainless Steel
What it is: Ferritic and martensitic stainless steels with lower or no nickel content. Ferritic grades are magnetic and offer good scaling resistance. Martensitic grades can be heat-treated for higher hardness.
Typical grades: Ferritic 409, 430, 439, 441. Martensitic 410, 420.
Why choose it: Competitive material cost, good high-temperature oxidation resistance in selected grades, stable forming for strip and decorative tube.
view guide →
300 vs 400 Series at a Glance
Corrosion resistance: The 300 series is higher for most industrial and marine environments. Selected 400 series grades perform well in mild or high-temperature oxidizing conditions.
Strength and hardness: The 400 series martensitic grades can be heat-treated for higher hardness. The 300 series has good strength with excellent toughness.
Magnetism: The 300 series is typically non-magnetic in the annealed condition. The 400 series is magnetic.
Fabrication: The 300 series offers easier welding and forming for complex parts. The 400 series needs grade-specific practices, but is strong in strip and mechanical tube programs.
Cost balance: The 400 series often offers lower alloy cost, which is useful for large volume or price-sensitive applications.
Quality and Documentation
All the stainless steel materials are supplied under ISO 9001 quality management with heat number traceability. EN 10204 3.1 MTCs, dimensional checks, and buyer-appointed third-party inspection are available to match your PO and inspection plan.
