Guide to T-304 & T-316 Stainless Steel Metal Wire Mesh

Boasting unmatched strength, resilience, and versatility, stainless steel wire mesh is a critical material for countless industrial applications. The metal itself has myriad specifications and grades, the most common being types 304 (T-304) and 316 (T-316).

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What's the difference between the two, and how do you know which is best for your needs? Read on for insight.

T-304 vs. T-316 Stainless Steel Alloys

Before diving deeper into the differences in these materials, it&#;s important to understand what an alloy is. An alloy is a metal combined with other elements to create a material not found in nature. For instance, when pure silver is combined with a small amount of copper, the result is sterling silver.

Steel is created by adding chromium to iron, and the stainless variety typically contains a small amount of nickel. The exact percentages of each element determine the grade of the metal.

Stainless steel wire mesh products are used in everything from aerospace and agriculture to mining and machinery. While there's a multitude of variations, T-304 and T-316 are the most widely used.

T-304 is essentially the standard version, and T-316 is premium. Though these alloys look nearly identical to the untrained eye, they're notably different in terms of their durability and resistance to heat and corrosion.

What Is T-304 Stainless Steel?

Type 304 stainless steel is an alloy containing 18% chromium and 8% nickel. In addition to being affordable and supremely versatile, there are many advantages to using the material.

T-304 wire mesh products are:

• Heat-resistant in temperatures as high as °F

• Non-magnetic

• Operational in sub-zero temperatures

• Resistant to corrosion

• Unlikely to oxidize

This type of wire mesh is widely available and comes in a broad range of sizes, wire diameters, and weaves.

T-304 Stainless Steel Metal Mesh Applications & Industries

Many industries rely on T-304 steel hardware cloth, including mining, food production, water filtration, automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, construction, and refinery.

Industrial applications for T-304 include:

• Creation of moldings and trim

• Equipment tubing and piping

• Electrical enclosures

• Laboratory use

• Particle separation

• Screening abrasives and liquids

• Sieving

• Sorting powders and solid materials

• Storage tanks

T-304 is a go-to for various applications, so bear in mind this is by no means an exhaustive list.

What Is T-316 Stainless Steel?

Type 316 stainless steel is an alloy containing 16% chromium and 10% nickel, along with 2% of the chemical element molybdenum. While it's priced slightly higher than T-304, it's just as versatile with many notable benefits.

T-316 wire mesh products are:

• More resistant to corrosion than T-304

• Non-magnetic

• Resilient in extreme temperatures

• Resilient in harsh environmental conditions

• Resistant to spot welding

• Suitable in marine environments

• Unlikely to oxidize

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Thanks to the small amount of molybdenum, this type of stainless steel is typically recommended for highly corrosive marine environments where T-304 isn't as stable.

T-316 Stainless Steel Mesh Applications and Industries

Like T-304, several commercial sectors rely on T-316 stainless steel hardware cloth. This includes marine technology, food processing, manufacturing, automotive, shipbuilding, aerospace, and the pharmaceutical and medical industries.

Industrial applications for T-316 include:

• Boat fittings

• Chemical processing and storage

• Cisterns and piping

• Containing pressurized gasses or liquids

• Heavy welding

• Infrastructure

• Laboratory use

• Machinery

• Marine components

• Outdoor furnishings

• Particle separation

For more information into this material, check out our Stainless Steel Mesh Guide.

Where to Buy the Best Stainless Steel Industrial Mesh

Founded in Berkeley, California, in , TWP Inc. has been a premier industrial wire mesh supplier for more than 60 years. Our woman-owned company carries woven and welded stainless steel sheets, panels, rolls, and laser-cut mesh discs, including a robust selection of T-304 and T-316 grades.

Expert services from TWP Inc. include laser cutting, roll slitting, disc sizing, measuring, and cleaning. We always have a wide variety of products in stock, but if you don't see exactly what you need, we're happy to accommodate custom sizes and quantities. Request a free quote to get started!

Want to discover more about what's trending in your industry? Connect with TWP Inc. on LinkedIn for the latest on wire mesh materials and applications.

Most Common Grades of Stainless Steel Are 304 and 316

When it comes to wire mesh stainless steel, there are two grades that stand out as the most commonly used: 316 and 304. While both are stainless steel alloys, they have some differences. 316-SS has a higher resistance to corrosion than 304-SS, making it ideal for use in harsh environments such as saltwater applications. On the other hand, 304 stainless steel is more affordable.

Benefits of Stainless Steel Wire Cloth

Stainless steel wire cloth is composed of stainless steel wires woven or welded in a square or rectangular grid with tiny openings, creating a screen. Also called wire mesh or wire fabric, it&#;s utilized for aesthetic purposes like decorative fencing or window screens and performance reasons such as filtration or ventilation.

Contact us for information about our stainless steel wire mesh fabrication services. Our experts can discuss your project needs further.

Stainless steel is a family of iron-based alloys that contain a minimum of roughly 11 percent chromium, which produces a surface oxide layer that protects against degradation. Specific performance characteristics vary by grade, but the material offers many benefits.

• Resists corrosion
• High strength
• Long cycle life
• Low weight
• Easy to clean
• Recyclable
• Stands up to extreme temperatures
• Simple to sterilize
• Shiny appearance
• Good weldability
• Strong formability
• Resists magnetism, in some cases

When subjected to impact forces the surface oxide layer self-heals as long as there is Oxygen, even in small amounts. As a result, stainless steel wire mesh that sustains nicks, marks, scratches, or other forms of damage won&#;t rust.

Stainless Steel Grades &#; Chemical Composition

Alloy #CRNiCMn.Max.Si-Max.P.Max.S.Max.Other Elements .0/20.08.0/11.00.08 Max.2.01.00..030.......... 304L18.0/20.08.0/11.00.03 Max.2.01.00..030.......... .0/19.010.0/13.00.12 Max.2.01.00..030.......... .0/21.010.0/12.00.08 Max.2.01.00..030.......... .0/24.012.0/15.00.20 Max.2.01.00..030.......... .0/26.019.0/22.00.25 Max.2.01.00..030.......... .0/26.019.0/22.00.25 Max.2.01.00..030.......... .0/18.010.0/14.00.08 Max.2.01.00..030Mo. 2.00/3.00 316L16.0/18.010.0/14.00.03 Max.2.01.00..030Mo. 2.00/3.00 .0/20.011.0/15.00.08 Max.2.01.00..030Mo. 3.00/4.00 .0/19.09.0/12.00.08 Max.2.01.00..030Ti 5xC Min. .0/16.035.0/37.00.25 Max........................... .0/19.09.0/13.00.08 Max.2.01.00..030Cb+Ta 10xC Min. .5/13.5....0.151.01.00..030.......... .0/18.0....0.12 Max.1.01.00..030.......... 904L

Stainless Steel Wire Cloth Options

Marco Specialty Steel is a leading provider of metal products for demanding architectural, commercial, and industrial applications. We specialize in the fabrication of custom wire cloth products from high-quality stainless steel.

Styles of wire mesh we manufacture include:

At Marco Specialty Steel, we supply two types of wire cloth products. They are welding and weaving. Each one has unique benefits.

Stainless Steel Welded Wire Mesh

For this type of wire cloth, rows and columns of stainless steel wire are welded together at each intersection. The wire is drawn down to a specific diameter and then fed through a machine that binds the rows together. At the same time, a parallel line of welds is performed.

Stainless Steel Woven Wire Mesh

In this process, wires running in one direction are woven over and under wires running perpendicularly creating woven wire mesh. The machine bends the wires until proper dimensions are reached, and then the sheet is cut to the desired size.

Stainless Steel Wire Cloth Applications

Stainless steel wire cloth creates a savings in weight or permits the passage of light, liquid, sound, and air. It&#;s also used to generate a decorative or ornamental effect. As a result, the product is suitable for a range of applications.

• Architectural wire cloth
• Handrail wire cloth infill panels
• Column covers
• Concrete reinforcement
• Vessel internals
• Wall cladding
• Sifters and filters
• Exterior facade covers
• Room partitions
• Sunscreens
• Safety barricades
• Fountain covers
• Lighting screens
• Ventilation grilles
• Metal fencing
• Security screens
• Speaker grilles
• Signage
• Separators

Stainless Steel Grades

Marco Specialty Steel can create wire mesh products from customer-supplied stainless steel or acquire it ourselves. Letting us source the material saves you time and hassle, enabling you to focus on your core business. Our technicians can handle an array of stainless steel types.

• Austenitic stainless steel
• Ferritic stainless steel
• Duplex stainless steel
• Martensitic stainless steel

Custom Woven and Welded Wire Mesh

Marco Specialty Steel customizes stainless steel wire mesh products using your print take-off, specification, or purchase order requirements. Those with a unique need but no vetted design are welcome, too.

Various industries can benefit from integrating stainless steel wire cloth products into their applications.

• Oil and gas
• Architecture
• Petrochemicals
• Mining
• Pulp and paper
• Pharmaceuticals
• Automotive
• Agriculture
• Construction
• Retail Stores and restaurants
• Textiles
• Material webbing, converting, and rolling processes

The Stainless Steel Wire Cloth Experts 

At Marco Specialty Steel, client satisfaction is paramount. We&#;re dedicated to delivering stainless steel wire cloth products that fit and function as intended on time and within budget.

Please contact us today to learn more about how we can provide a high-quality stainless steel solution for your specific needs.

Other metal options: Inconel wire mesh

At Marco Specialty Steel, we&#;re all about three things: Quality, Speed, and Reliability.

Want more information on 304 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh? Feel free to contact us.