[ Material Innovation ]
[ Material Innovation ]
Tested and validated
The comparability of 316A to 316L has been confirmed by standard electrochemical tests, as well as by industry-standard salt spray tests. The test results of the two grades are close not only for pitting and crevice corrosion at room temperature, but also for their mechanical properties. This includes performance at high temperatures( e. g., 500 ° C) and low temperatures( e. g.,-75 ° C). Independent research institutions, such as BAM( Germany’ s Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing) and CNRS( the French National Centre for Scientific Research), have reached the same conclusions. CNRS conducted advanced surface analyses and a direct comparison of the passive films formed on both 316A and 316L. Although higher molybdenum content typically enhances corrosion resistance, researchers observed a Mo – Si synergy in 316A that results in a thicker passive layer enriched in chromium.
316L
316A
Further validation came from Aperam’ s first industrial partners. Rieber, a manufacturer of high-quality mobile kitchen equipment, confirmed the strong performance of 316A in real operating conditions. In parallel, Grundfos, a leading manufacturer of energyefficient and intelligent water solutions, conducted extensive corrosion resistance tests, exposing both base materials and welds to aggressive solutions derived from a modified ASTM A923 procedure. The objective was to identify any potential susceptibility to pitting or crevice corrosion. The results demonstrated that the alloying composition of 316A ensures a stable protective mechanism under these demanding conditions, confirming its reliability as a robust,“ plug-and-play” alternative to conventional grades.
With just 0.45 % molybdenum, 316A has less than a quarter of the molybdenum content of its established counterpart, 316L. Instead, 316A uses more silicon( 0.8 – 1 %), a cost-effective alloying element that allows the material to match – or even exceed – the performance of 316L.“ Stainless steel’ s corrosion resistance generally depends on its passive layer, an ultra-thin, protective chromium oxide film that forms naturally on the material’ s surface when it’ s exposed to oxygen,” explains Audrey Allion, Surface Specialist Researcher. The optimisation of the alloying elements( Si and Mo) contributing to the performance of the passive layer raises the corrosion resistance of 316A to the level of standard 316L.“ A certain level of silicon content induces a level of corrosion resistance that exceeds what one would expect from a material with these alloying elements,” Allion says.
-25 %
Alloy surcharge *
* The full price is composed of the base price + the alloy surcharge
The new grade’ s unique blend of molybdenum and silicon is also what allows it to achieve such an attractive price point.“ By reducing manufacturers’ dependence on high-cost alloying elements like molybdenum, 316A lowers the alloy surcharge by up to 25 % compared to 316L,” explains Mattias Candetoft, Global Business Development Manager.“ Furthermore, it reduces exposure to surcharge volatility by up to 30 %, thus enabling more predictable budgeting in unstable markets.”
Plug, play and save Because 316A is designed as a technical‘ plug-and-play’ solution, manufacturers can leverage its performance and costsaving benefits without the need for investments or process adjustments. In fact, following successful test runs, several industrial fabricators have already seamlessly made the switch from 316L to the new 316A without altering any of their processing parameters. Even for complex forming operations, no process adjustments are required when switching from 1.4404( 316L) to the new 1.4682( 316A). Comparative measurements of the forming limit curves confirm the equivalent formability of both grades. There are no modifications in joining techniques either. Parameters for laser and TIG welding notably remain
32 Stainless Steel World November 2025 www. stainless-steel-world. net