Sunita Verma, quality assurance 1 min read
Mild steel or stainless: choosing the grade for process equipment
Stainless costs more at the start and less over the life of the equipment, but only where corrosion is the real problem.
Mild steel, painted or galvanised, is the right answer for most structures and dry process equipment. It is cheaper, easier to weld and easier to repair on site.
Stainless earns its price where the equipment is wet, handles food or chemicals, or must be cleaned often. Even then, 304 is usually enough; 316 is for chlorides and acids.
Tell us what the equipment handles and how it is cleaned, and we will recommend a grade with the reasons written down.
