304 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh – Alloy Overview
Type 304 stainless steel wire mesh is the most extensively used material in the industrial wire cloth world. Type 304 (T-304, SS304) is the basic stainless steel alloy and is often referred to as 18-8 stainless steel due to its 18% chromium and 8% nickel composition. Where no specific stainless steel type is specified, it is assumed Type 304 stainless steel wire cloth is acceptable. Some characteristics of 304 stainless steel wire cloth which dictate its wide use are:
- Austenitic stainless steel.
- Non-magnetic when annealed.
- Slightly magnetic when cold worked.
- Withstands outdoor exposure without rusting.
- Excellent corrosion resistance in broad range of industrial and chemical settings.
- Not as corrosion resistant as T-316 stainless steel wire mesh, but less costly.
- Resists oxidation at 1400°F temperatures.
- Heating permitted between 900°F – 1600°F temperatures.
- Can be cut, formed, and welded.
Industries & Applications
T-304 stainless steel wire cloth is principally used with food products, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals due to its corrosion resistance, moisture-proof, and non-contaminating characteristics. T-304 wire cloth is commonly used in the sorting and screening of abrasives, liquids, powders, and other solids. Additional industries and applications which commonly use T-304 stainless steel wire cloth include:
- Aerospace
- Architectural
- Automotive
- Basket Fabrication
- Beer Brewing
- Household Appliances
- Liquid Filtration & Particle Separation
- Milk Processing
- Mining & Quarrying
- Oil Field & Refinery
- Steam Piping
- Wind Tunnels
- Wine Making
Common Aliases
Type 304 stainless steel is also commonly referred to as:
- T-304
- SS304
- UNS S30400
- 18-8 stainless steel (18% chromium + 8% nickel)
- A2 stainless steel (outside of the United States)
- SUS304 (Japan)
304 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh – Typical Chemistry
| UNS S30400 - 304 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh - Typical Chemistry | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alloy | Standard(s) | Limits (%) | Carbon (C) | Manganese (Mn) | Phosphorus (P) | Sulfur (S) | Silicon (Si) | Chromium (Cr) | Nickel (Ni) | Nitrogen (N) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Copper (Cu) |
| S30400 304 Stainless Steel | ASTM A580 ASTM A313 ASTM A478 | Min | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Max | 0.08 | 2 | 0.045 | 0.03 | 1 | 20 | 10.5 | 0.1 | ||||
| AMS 5697 | Min | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Max | 0.08 | 2 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 1 | 20 | 11 | 0.75 | 0.75 | |||
| QQ-S-763 | Min | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Max | 0.08 | 2 | 0.045 | 0.03 | 1 | 20 | 10.5 | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | ||
Typical Standards
304 Stainless Steel Wire Cloth – Harmonized Tariff Codes: Chapter 73
Woven T-304 Wire Mesh:
- 0-30 Mesh: 7314141000
- 31-91 Mesh: 7314142000
- 92+ Mesh: 7314149000
Welded T-304 Wire Mesh:
- 3.937″+ Center-to-Center AND .1181″+ Wire Diameter: 7314200000
- <3.937″ Center-to-Center OR <.1181″ Wire Diameter: 7314390000
Extensive Stock Inventory & Manufacture-to-Order Capability
Phoenix Wire Cloth carries one of the largest stock inventories of both woven and welded 304 stainless steel wire mesh, bolting cloth, milling cloth, and filter cloth in the United States, and can manufacture-to-order any combination of mesh opening size + wire diameter(s) needed to meet your specific project requirements. In addition, we can slit, cut, punch, form, heat treat, powder coat, etc. T-304 wire mesh to deliver the exact material you require.
Call or email us for a quote today!