17-4 stainless steel 17-4 stainless steel SAE type 630 stainless steel (more commonly known as 17-4; also known as UNS 17400) is a grade of martensitic precipitation-hardened stainless steel. It contains approximately 15–17.5% (17) chromium and 3–5% (4) nickel, as well as 3–5% copper. 17-4 can be heat treated to high levels of strength and hardness, and features corrosion resistance and machinability comparable to austenitic 304 stainless. Being martensitic, 17-4 is magnetic. 17-4 is capable of being hardened up to approximately 44 Rc when heat treated to condition H900. Overaging (aging beyond the peak strength condition) improves resistance to stress corrosion cracking. Uses
Stainless steel there are other materials that are corrosion-resistant but not stainless steel. There are over 150 grades of stainless steel, of which 15 are most commonly used. There are a number of systems for grading stainless and other steels, including US SAE steel grades. Standard mill finishes can be applied to flat rolled stainless steel directly by the rollers and by mechanical abrasives. Steel is first rolled to size and thickness and then annealed to change the properties of the final material. Any oxidation that forms on the surface (mill scale) is removed by pickling, and a passivation layer is created