Comprehensive Guide on Melting Point of Stainless Steel

What Factors Affect the Melting Point of Stainless Steel?

Many factors affect stainless steel melting point. Listed below are some major factors:

• Alloy Composition

The presence of elements such as carbon, chromium,nickel, and molybdenum can raise or lower stainless steel’s melting points.

• Grain Size and Structure

The sizes and Structure of grains in the steel can affect its melting point, with finer grains leading to a lower melting point.

• Impurities

Impurities in alloys can greatly affect the melting point by increasing or decreasing it, depending on their concentration and nature.

• Pressure

Pressure changes can affect the melting point of stainless steel. Higher pressures increase the melting point.

• Phase Composition

The melting point of stainless steel is easily affected by its phase composition due to the unique melt characteristics of different phases.

• Heating Treatment

Heat treatment can alter stainless steel’s internal structure, affecting its melting point and other properties. Processes such as quenching and annealing can also impact these properties.

• Manufacturing Methods

Manufacturing Methods like rolling, forging, and casting can introduce variations in microstructure and impurity levels, influencing the melting point.

How to Melt Stainless Steel?

Understanding the various methods of melting stainless steel is essential.

• BOF(Basic Oxygen Furnace)

Basic Oxygen Furnace involves blowing oxygen through molten iron to reduce carbon content and produce steel. Scrap steel and other materials are placed into the furnace, then oxygen is blown through it to achieve the desired composition.

• EAF(Electric Arc Furnace)

Electric Arc Furnace is a method uses high-voltage electric arcs to melt scrap metal and other raw materials. The electrodes generate intense heat, melting the steel. EAF is primarily used to recycle and produce large quantities of stainless steel.

• Induction Furnace

Heat is generated from within the metal using electromagnetic induction.

• Plasma Arc Furnace

Plasma Arc Furnace uses a plasma torch to generate very high temperatures for melting metal. When gas is passed through electric arcs, plasma is formed, resulting in high heat levels.

• VAR(Vacuum Arc Remelting)

An electric arc under vacuum conditions melts consumable electrodes. The molten metal drips into water-cooled molds and melts into refined ingots.

• VIM(Vacuum Inductioting)

Vacuum Induction Melting is a method that a vacuum setup is combined with induction heating to produce steel of the highest purity while reducing contamination.