Speciality Stainless Steel long

products for high end

applications
K R Srinivasan, Dominic Savio, Sunil Nair
INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Technological changes in manufacturing

THEN ( 1980s)

NOW

Conventional Electric Arc Furnace for melting,

decarburisation and chemistry control.

EAF is only for melting.

Lengthy and expensive process.

Thermodynamically favorable condition for

Carbon removal. Shorter cycle time.

Low Carbon/ high Chromium as demanded in

specialty stainless steels difficult to achieve.

Capability to achieve low carbon/ high

chromium and high nitrogen as desired.

Conventional continuous casting.

Caster with SEN, AMLC , EMS ; computerised

secondary cooling system.

Non-mechanised rolling mills and lack of heat

treatment & downstream facilities.

Mechanised rolling mills with heat treatment

and downstream facilities

Austenitic with some Martensitic grades 304,

316,410,420

All varieties including Ferritic, Stabilised, PH

and Duplex

Application coverage:
Mainly kitchen utensils

Application coverage:
Wide industrial applications

VOD/ AOD process for decarburization and

chemistry control.

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Duplex v/s Triplex Process

Duplex Process
EAF - AOD
- Short Treatment Time
- Flexibility w.r.t

Triplex Process

AOD

Ferroalloy-Scrap Ratio

EAF
EAF
EAF - VOD
- Low Argon Consumption
- Low FeSi Consumption
- Low Carbon/ Gas levels

VOD

Convertor

VOD

- Low Argon Consumption

- Low FeSi Consumption
- Low Carbon/Gas levels
- Flexibility in Ratio of Ferroalloy to Scrap
- High Refractory life of Convertor
- High Chromium Yield

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Improved availability of grades

(AISI 904L)
(AISI 310)
(AISI 314)

Additional Cr. Ni. For

Strength and high
temperature applications
Oxidation resistance

(AISI
347)
Ti, Nb added to
reduce
Sensitisation
Lower C to 0.030
Max to reduce
Sensitisation

(AISI
321)

Mo added for
Pitting resistance

(AISI 304L)
(AISI 316L)

Controlled
C&N
(AISI 304LN)
(AISI 316LN)
(AISI 317L)

317 LN

AISI 304)
18-20 Cr
8-10 Ni

Add Ti
reduce
Sensitisation
(316 Ti)

Lower C to
reduce
Sensitisation
High N2 to
increase strength

(AISI 316)
AISI 317
Increase Cr, Mo
and N; Reduce
Ni; Strength,
Reduce SCC
Duplex 2205
2304

N2, Mn replacing
S added for
Machinability
Cu added, NI
Lowered for
Precipitation
Hardening

(AISI 416)
High Cr & Mo
added to improve
corrosion resistance
1.4104 (AISI 430F)

(AISI
303)
(AISI 630,
17-4PH)

No Nickel
General Purpose
Martensitic
(AISI 410)
(AISI 420)
S added for
Machinability

AISI 201, AISI 202,

204Cu

(AISI 434

Cr, Mo added
for Pitting
resistance

Cr Increased
to make
Ferritic

Improve heat
treatment by
increasing Ni
(AISI 431)

(AISI 430

Ti, Nb added
to reduce
Sensitisation
430LNb
(430 Ti)
(409)

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Application change over the years

Industrial%

Kitchenware%
2011-12,
65%
2007-08,
70%

2011-12,
35%

1990-91,
90%

2007-08,
30%

2000-01,
75%

1990-91,
10%

2000-01,
25%

Breakup of industrial application for 35% of SS production for 2011-12

Manufacturing

Tubes

Construction

Transportation

Others

10%

8%

6%

6%

5%

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Process Metallurgy Of Speciality

Stainless Steels

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Metallurgical Objectives
ALLOY LEVEL> 30% (AUSTENITICS)
PITTING RESISTANCE EQUIVALENT NUMBER AS PER CUSTOMER
SPECIFICATION :
- %Cr + 3.3 % Mo + 16 % N for austenitics
- % Cr + 3.3% Mo
for ferritics

CONTROL ON S, P & TRAMP LEVELS

NITROGEN CONTROL AS PER SPECIFICATION
PROPER STABILISATION RATIOS Nb &Ti
ALLOY BALANCE FOR MICROSTRUCTURE
HIGH CLEANLINESS
SATISFACTORY SURFACE QUALITY

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Mukand Process Flow

Scrap

Ferro Alloys

Ultra High Power - 36 MVA

Nominal Capacity 40 MT
Eccentric Bottom Tapping
Computerised Process Control
Bulk Alloy Addition System

Energy

Ultra High Power Electric Arc

Furnace (40T Capacity)
Oxygen

Ferro
Alloys

Converter (40T)
(Oxygen Top & Bottom Blown)

VOD/VD Station (40T)

Closed
Stream
Casting

Bloom Caster with

AMLC & EMS
(10.5m Radius)

Blooms & Billets

Trimming of
Chemistry
under Vacuum
Computerised
Process
Control

40 MT Nominal Capacity
Bulk Alloy Addition System
Five stage steam ejectors
Suction capacity

1700 Kgs / hr at 40 mbar

167 Kgs / hr at 0.67 mbar

Microprocessor controlled alloy
addition system
Inert gas purging Argon / Nitrogen
Wire injection for Ti, Ca, C, S
250x250 mm2 or 160x160 mm2
Submerged nozzle casting
Auto Mould Level Control
Electro Magnetic Stirrers (Mould/
Secondary)
Level II automation for Primary /
Secondary cooling

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Achieving Desired Chemistry

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

C Cr Relation

10

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Carbon-Chromium relation in VOD for 904L

20,4

0,40

- Decarburisation
- VCD
- Reduction

0,38

20,2

0,35

20,20

0,30
0,25

19,80
19,8
19,75

19,75

0,20

19,6
0,15

Cr

19,45

19,4

C
19,2

Carbon (wt%)

Chromium (wt%)

20,0

0,10
0,05

0,015

0,01

0,01

0,01

19,0

0,00
0

50

70

130

180

Time (min)
11

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Properties and Applications

12

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Specialty Steels Made At Mukand

Name

Duplex

Austenitic
Ferritic

Electrode
Precipitation Hardening
13

Grade
Duplex 2205
Lean Duplex 2304
317LM
904L
430FSiHMo
430FR
409
ER 2209
ER 312
ER347Si
430LNbTi
ER309LSi
17-7PH
INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Duplex Stainless Steel applications

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INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Applications covered
Round billets for manufacture of seamless tubes through hot
extrusion. User industries Oil and Gas Exploration,
Petrochemical & Refineries, Fertilizer plants, Food and Dairy .
Bars for bowl forging for separator application in crude oil
refineries.
Wires for well screen for use in desalination plants.
Paper and pulp industry.
Chemical Composition:
Duplex
Grade

15

Major alloying elements, wt%

Product

Cr

Ni

Mo

forms

2205

0.015

22.70

5.40

3.15

0.17

Bar &
Wire rod

2304

0.015

22.60

4.40

0.30

0.115

Mechanical property
UTS

%EL

%RA

75

44

76

73

45

78

kg/mm

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Corrosion Properties
Pitting Resistance

: PRE No. >35

Absence of detrimental Phases :

Test method

Corrosion
medium and
condition
ASTM A-923 6% ferric
Method C chloride
solution: 24hrs
at 25oC

Max. limit or Desired

result

Actual results

No visual signs of
No visual signs of
pits. Corrosion rate: pits. Corrosion rate:
0.0001g/sq.cm (max) 0.000003 - 0.00001
g/sq.cm

Pitting Potential
Microstructure free from chromium rich or Molybdenum rich phases
like sigma / alpha prime

Cleanliness with respect to non-metallic inclusion

16

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Pitting Potential Curves for OK and NOT OK Samples

Test method
Pitting Potential,
potentiometric test

17

Corrosion medium
and condition
0.1N, NaCl at 80oC

Max. limit or Desired

Actual results
result
Minimum potential = >350 mV
250 mV

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Desalination Plant basis of consideration for 2205 grade

Corrosion resistance as a function of temperature and

Chloride concentration

18

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Well screen for Desalination plants

Well screen material:

8mm, HRAP wire rod Drawn to

6.00mm wire Solution Annealed
Properties obtained :
TS = 780 MPa
%E( 100mm GL) = 25%
It is extremely important to avoid surface
contamination on the wire rods

19

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Petroleum Industry Application

Forged Bowls/Machined Shafts for High Speed Separator Assembly
Process for
Machined Shafts

Process steps for

forged bowls
HR Bars

Forged
bowl

Solution Annealed
Bars

Forging
Solution
Annealing
Machining
Grinding and
Polishing

20

Machining to finish
shafts
Meeting requirement of
impact at -10C of
100 J min.
(Test value = 280 J)

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Ribbed Bars for construction industry

High yield strength of Duplex Stainless Steels make them
suitable for use in bridges, and other concrete structures in
coastal areas.
Their resistance to general corrosion and SCC make them the
best choice material.
Mechanical properties specified for duplex ribbed bars :
-

0.2 PS> 500 MPa

Tensile strength> 650 N/mm
Elongation> 14 %
Surface geometry as per specification

The properties are achieved by controlling

chemistry, roll pass design, and
rolling temperature.

21

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Nuclear application grade

22

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Nuclear applications
Grade 304LN for shafts in Reactor (Controlled Rod
Discharge Mechanism, CRDM)
Welding wires 308L, 316L with Low Cobalt (<0.05%)

Quality requirements for CRDM Shaft

PARAMETERS
CHEMISTRY

REQUIREMENTS
MINIMUM SPECIFIED VALUE FOR C & N.

SULPHUR, PHOSPHORUS & SILICON LEVEL RESTRICTED.

CONTROL ON TRAMP ELEMENTS.
CHROMIUM 18.5% MIN.

MECHANICAL
PROPERTIES

0.2PS & UTS HIGHER THAN ASTM STANDARDS

PROPERTIES TO BE CERTIFIED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE AS
WELL AS AT 450C .
IMPACT STRENGTH AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

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INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Mechanical properties of 304LN grade

Typical values of Impact Strength
Impact (J)

Spec. Min.

Impact daJ/cm

50
40
30
20

10
0
1

LOT NO.
Typical values of Proof Stress
0.2% PS @ RT
0.2% PS @ 450C

300

Spec. @ RT (Min.)
Spec. @ 450C (Min.)

250

MPa

200
150
100
50
0
1

LOT NO.

24

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Special Ferritic Stainless Steel

Applications

25

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Special Ferritic Stainless Steels

Applications:
High Silicon , High Mo grade for use in Solenoid Valve
Titanium stabilised grade for Auto Exhaust Hanger
Ti & Nb stabilised grades for welding electrodes
Grade

Cr

Ni

Mo

Cu

Others

430FSiHMo

0.025 0.290

17.40

1.50

0.0190

Si = 1.50

430FR

0.017 0.290

17.40

0.20

0.0200

Si = 1.25

409

0.016 0.003

11.20

0.30

0.0125

Ti = 0.25

Quality requirements:
Soft magnetic properties for solenoid valves
Cold formability characteristics
Improved machinability

26

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Solenoid quality steel for valves

430FR /430FSiHMo grade steel in solenoid part
Typical Process Sequence:
Mill annealed rods Surface treatment Cold Drawn
Special heat treatment condition to obtain optimum metallurgical
structure to achieve special magnetic properties.
Saturation of magnetisation
Coercive Force as specified in ASTM A 838

Uses
Moderately chlorinated aqueous
environment. (e.g Beverage industry)

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INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Cold formed Exhaust hangers

409 Ti / Nb grade steel

Typical Process Sequence

Mill annealed rods
Surface treatment
Cold Drawn
Cold bending and
Heading

28

Hanger

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

904L High Alloy Austenitic

29

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Application Areas for 904L grade

Processing plant for sulphuric, phosphoric & acetic acids

Pulp and paper processing
Components in gas scrubbing plants
Wire mesh in electrostatic precipitators.

Chemical Composition:
Grade
904L

Cr

Ni

Mo

Cu

Others

0.013

0.002

19.90

24.10

4.20

1.25

0.0350

--

Corrosion Data:
Test method

30

Corrosion medium and

condition

Max. limit or Desired

result

Actual results

ASTM G-48
Method A

6% ferric chloride
solution: 24 hrs at 25oC

Corrosion rate:
0.0001g/sq.cm (max)

Corrosion rate:
0.000012 g/sq.cm

ASTM A-262
Practice C

65% Nitric acid:

48hrs * 5 boils

Rate of corrosion: 10
mpy (max)

Rate of corrosion :
5mpy (average)

ASTM A-262
Practice E

Copper-copper sulphate
solution + 16% sulphuric
acid boiled for 15 hrs

No appearance of
fissures or cracks

No appearance of
fissures or cracks

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Application in Electrostatic precipitator thermal power plants

Process Route
HR wire rod
Annealing
Pickling
Wire drawing
Eddy Current
Testing
Mesh forming

31

Mesh

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Stainless Steel Welding Electrodes

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INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Welding Electrodes
Austenitc
308L

309Si
(0.65/1.0)
312
347
12*C Nb
904L

430Ti

Ferritic

430LNbTi

- High Si for arc stability & fluidity.

- Improve the usability of filler in Gas
metal arc welding

Duplex
2209

33

Weld
2205

Less
spatter &
porosity

High ferrite more crack

resistant than 309.
347 Si

Prevents carbide precipitation. High IGC

resistance material.

H2S/ Severe corrosion condition

Good oxidation resistance in thermal cycles. (Exhaust)
- Grain growth prevention.
- Improved IGC
- Better toughness of Weld material.

430LNb
ER410
NiMo

Enables high MIG

welding speed &
better finish.

To overlay on casting
of 410/ 410NiMo.

To combat erosion corrosion in

hydro power industries (Turbine
shafts)

The weld metal gives a austenitic/ferritic weldment. ; offers very

good strength and resistance to stress corrosion and pitting.

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

Typical Chemistry & Properties of electrode grades

Mech. Properties
(Annealed)

Typical Chemistry, wt%

Grade
C

Cr

ER 309LSi

0.017

23.3

ER347Si

0.018

ER430Ti

34

Cu

Nb

Ti

12.5 0.025 0.007

70

45

76

19.5

9.4

0.025 0.008

0.30

60

63

78

0.023

16.2

0.025 0.003

0.25

42

40

82

ER430LNbTi

0.015

18.1

0.020 0.002

0.55 0.35

50

31

76

ER410NiMo

0.017

12.0

4.25 0.025 0.005 0.40

90

20

75

ER 312

0.100

30.0

9.0

0.025 0.002

73

30

60

ER2209

0.015

23.2

9.0

0.024 0.002 3.10

75

47

76

UTS,
%EL %RA
kg/mm

Mo

MiG welding wire spools

Ni

TIG welding Electrodes

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

CONCLUSIONS
Long standing process improvements and adoption of Triplex process
route could lead to development of speciality stainless steel grades

for high end applications. These steels were hitherto imported for
meeting the domestic demands of wire and tube manufacturers.

India , as a fast developing nation, is expected to post a higher GDP

growth in the coming years; this can lead to widening the application
areas for stainless steels.
In a changing global scenario, acquiring greater capability in tune with
customers changing pattern of application plays a vital role. Mukand
has the vision to radically transform itself in meeting these objectives.
35

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015

THANK YOU

36

INDINOX Gujarat 25th Jan 2015