Free-machining of stainless steels can be greatly improved by changing the alloying elements within the composition but without drastically changing the basic property characteristics of the material.
Some exceptions to the rule can include free-machining grades with high sulfur levels which can lead to a reduction in ductility.
Category Archives: Stainless Steel
Lean Duplex Stainless Steel
The early grades were alloys of chromium, nickel and molybdenum. Thermodynamically, because the austenite is forming from the ferrite, it is impossible for the alloy to go past the equilibrium level of austenite.
Lean Duplex Stainless Steels have many end uses in oil and gas due to their high strength and good corrosion properties. They have been used for subsea applications including flexible flowlines, umbilical tubing, subsea manifolds, water injection lines and downhole chemical injection tubing.