Stainless steel is one of the most versatile metals in modern manufacturing. Thanks to its corrosion resistance, strength, and wide range of available grades, it’s a go-to material in a range of demanding sectors, from commercial aerospace to power generation.
Read on to learn four major stainless steel applications and discover how essential this material is across critical industries.
1. Commercial Aerospace
Commercial aerospace presents an incredibly demanding environment and requires materials that stand up to these conditions. Components must perform under extreme temperatures, dramatic fluctuations in pressure, and constant mechanical stress. They also must meet strict standards to maintain the safety of passengers and flight crew alike.
These unique needs make commercial aerospace an ideal stainless steel application. It’s used for:
- Aircraft fasteners: Specialized bolts, screws, rivets, and pins that join aircraft components.
- Structural support components: Brackets, beams, and other pieces that reinforce an aircraft’s frame and maintain its structure.
- Landing gear hardware: Fittings, pins, structural connectors, and other components used during takeoff, landing, and taxiing.
- Hydraulic system parts: Valves, fittings, and tubes that control pressure in brakes and flight controls.
- Ground support equipment: Tools and machinery used to service, maintain, and transport aircrafts on the ground.
Common grades of stainless steel used in commercial aerospace include:
- Precipitation-hardened stainless steel: Grades like 17-4PH and 15-5H provide a combination of strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance.
- Austenitic grades: Stainless steels 304 and 316 provide excellent corrosion resistance.
2. Space and Satellite Systems
The requirements of spacecrafts and satellite systems present a unique set of challenges for engineers and manufacturers. Materials must withstand vacuum conditions, radiation exposure, and extreme temperature swings. While many specialized alloys are used in space applications, there are plenty of stainless steel uses in space.
Common uses of stainless steel in this sector include:
- Satellite structural hardware: Stainless steel is used for the frame of a satellite, protecting sensitive internal components.
- Fasteners and brackets: These connectors secure satellite components and ensure stability during vibration and temperature changes.
- Ground testing equipment: Before equipment ever enters space, it’s ground tested. Stainless steel is used in the machinery and fixtures that simulate space conditions.
- Launch support structures: Used to stabilize and support rockets and spacecrafts during assembly, transport, and liftoff preparation.
- Fluid system components: Tubing, valves, and fittings that control fluids like fuel and coolant.
3. Medical Tools and Devices
The medical field requires extreme cleanliness and consistent performance. Medical grade stainless steel is widely used in surgical and medical devices because it’s highly durable. It can withstand repeated sterilization without corroding or becoming porous.
Examples of what stainless steel is used for in medical devices and tools include:
- Surgical instruments: Precision tools like scalpels, forceps, and scissors.
- Dental tools: Picks, mirrors, extraction tools, and other tools used to examine, clean, and perform procedures.
- Orthopedic instruments: Drills, plates, alignment devices, and other instruments used to secure joints and repair fractures.
- Sterilization trays: Used to organize, transport, and sterilize medical instruments under hygienic conditions.
- Device housings: Protective outer casings that protect sensitive medical device components.
Stainless steel grades 304 and 316 are preferred in medical manufacturing due to their corrosion resistance and ease of sterilization. They also help support the tight tolerances required in medical tool and device manufacturing.
4. Power Generation
Both traditional and renewable power generation facilities require materials that can perform in high heat and high stress environments. There are many common applications of stainless steel for power generation due to its durability.
Common stainless steel uses in power generation include:
- Valve components: Used to control the flow and pressure of liquids, gases, or steam in power generation systems.
- Pump shafts: Mechanical components that move fluid through pumps.
- Heat exchanger parts: Help to transfer heat between fluids and increase efficiency.
- Structural supports: Loan-bearing components that keep heavy equipment stable and secure.
- Turbine hardware: Used to convert energy from steam, gas, and water into power.
Stainless steel is favored in power generation due to its flexible use cases. Depending on the type of power a facility is generating, its specific requirements when it comes to material selection can vary wildly. Engineers may choose different stainless steel grades according to their corrosion resistance, strength, or performance under extreme temperatures.
Matching the Right Stainless Steel Grade to the Right Application
Stainless steel grades aren’t interchangeable. Selecting the right grade depends on the performance requirements of its application. Consider the following applications for these grades:
- 304 stainless steel: A general versatile stainless steel with strong corrosion resistance and durability, plus excellent formability.
- 316 stainless steel: Often chosen when high corrosion resistance is required.
- 17-4PH stainless steel: Selected for high-strength applications.
- 15-5PH stainless steel: Used for its toughness and reliability.
Fry Steel: Your Source for Common and Specialty Stainless Steel Grades
Stainless steel’s range of applications make it a common choice for specialized industries. Whether used in precision medical devices or heavy industrial equipment, this material is selected for its dependable performance across critical applications.
For a reliable source of high-quality stainless steel with full traceability, choose Fry Steel. We bring more than 75 years of expertise to the precision metals industry. Find a Fry Steel rep in your region today.
