Stainless Steel SS410

Cutlery and Kitchen Utensils – Used for making knives, blades, and kitchen tools due to its good edge retention and polishability. Pump and Valve Components – Ideal for shafts, valve seats, and pump rods exposed to water or mild chemicals. Turbine Blades and Engine Parts – Suitable for components that must endure stress and wear at moderate temperatures. Fasteners and Bolts – Used in applications that require both strength and a clean finish. Automotive and Aerospace Parts – For components such as springs, bushings, and bolts that face friction and heat. Petrochemical Equipment – In mild corrosive environments where wear and durability are important. Steam and Gas Turbine Buckets – Due to its resistance to oxidation and scaling at moderate temperatures.

Stainless Steel SS410 has a wide range of hardness depending on its heat treatment condition. In the annealed condition, it typically has a hardness of around 180 to 200 Brinell (HB), making it softer and easier to machine or form. When hardened by quenching, its hardness can increase significantly to about 400 to 500 HB, which is equivalent to approximately 40 to 50 HRC, providing excellent strength and wear resistance. After tempering, the hardness generally lies between 270 and 400 HB (about 25 to 45 HRC), offering a good balance of toughness and durability. This ability to vary hardness through heat treatment makes SS410 suitable for applications such as cutlery, valve components, shafts, and mechanical parts where both hardness and corrosion resistance are essential.

Annealing: SS410 should be heated slowly to a temperature range of 815°C to 900°C, followed by furnace cooling or air cooling. This process helps to relieve internal stresses, improve ductility, and soften the material for further machining or forming. Hardening: To achieve maximum hardness, heat the steel to 980°C to 1030°C, followed by oil or air quenching. This transforms the structure into martensite, resulting in high strength and wear resistance. Tempering: After hardening, tempering is carried out between 150°C and 370°C, depending on the desired hardness and toughness balance. Lower temperatures yield higher hardness, while higher tempering temperatures improve toughness but reduce hardness. Stress Relieving: Heating to around 650°C to 750°C and air cooling helps remove machining or forming stresses without significant changes to mechanical properties.

Process Overview: SS410 is a martensitic stainless steel, which means it can be hardened by heat treatment. The process involves heating, quenching, and tempering to achieve the desired hardness and mechanical strength. Hardening Temperature: The steel is heated to a temperature range of 980°C to 1030°C. It must be held at this temperature long enough for the structure to become fully austenitic. Quenching: After heating, SS410 is oil quenched or air cooled rapidly to transform the austenite into martensite, a very hard and brittle phase. Oil quenching is preferred for achieving maximum hardness, while air cooling is used to minimize distortion or cracking. Tempering: The hardened material is then tempered at 150°C to 370°C to reduce brittleness and improve toughness. Lower tempering temperatures retain higher hardness, while higher tempering improves ductility.

Weldability: SS410 has limited weldability compared to austenitic stainless steels due to its martensitic structure, which makes it prone to cracking during and after welding. However, with proper precautions and post-weld treatments, strong and sound welds can be achieved. Preheating: Before welding, SS410 should be preheated to 150°C–260°C to minimize the risk of cracking. This helps reduce thermal stresses and ensures smoother fusion. Filler Material: Use AWS E410 or E309 electrodes/fillers when matching corrosion and strength properties are needed. E309 is often preferred when welding SS410 to dissimilar steels (like mild or carbon steel). Welding Methods: Suitable processes include TIG (GTAW), MIG (GMAW), and Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW). Controlled heat input is important to avoid excessive grain growth and cracking. Post-Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT): After welding, SS410 should be annealed or tempered at around 650°C–750°C, followed by air cooling. This relieves internal stresses and restores ductility and corrosion resistance.

General Machinability: SS410 offers moderate machinability, comparable to most martensitic stainless steels. It is easier to machine in the annealed condition but becomes more difficult once hardened due to increased strength and hardness. Machining Condition: Best results are achieved when the steel is in the annealed state (around 200 HB). Machining hardened SS410 (above 35 HRC) requires carbide or coated tools and lower cutting speeds to prevent tool wear. Cutting Speed and Tools: High-speed steel (HSS) tools can be used for light machining. For high productivity, carbide-tipped tools are recommended. Cutting speeds should be reduced by 30–50% compared to carbon steels to extend tool life. Lubrication and Cooling: Use plenty of coolant or cutting oil to dissipate heat and avoid work hardening. A steady feed rate helps prevent surface glazing and tool chatter.

If you’re looking to purchase Stainless Steel SS410, you can source it from authorized steel dealers, distributors, and suppliers who specialize in stainless and alloy steels.