SS 202 vs SS 304: composition, cost and where each belongs
202 trades nickel for manganese and nitrogen. It costs less and is stronger when annealed, but resists corrosion less. Here is where each one fits.
SS 202 (UNS S20200, EN 1.4373, JIS SUS 202) and SS 304 are both austenitic stainless steels. They look alike, polish alike and are both non-magnetic when annealed. The difference is inside the alloy: 304 relies on 8 to 10.5 percent nickel, while 202 replaces much of that nickel with manganese and nitrogen. That one change explains its lower price, its higher strength and its lower corrosion resistance.
Composition
| SS 202 | SS 304 | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickel | 4.0 – 6.0 % | 8.0 – 10.5 % |
| Manganese | 7.5 – 10.0 % | 2.0 % max |
| Chromium | 17.0 – 19.0 % | 18.0 – 20.0 % |
| Yield strength, annealed | 260 MPa min | 205 MPa min |
| Tensile strength, annealed | 515 MPa min | 515 MPa min |
Scroll the table horizontally to see all columns.
Why 202 costs less
Nickel is the most expensive element in 304 and its price moves sharply. Manganese is far cheaper and steadier. By substituting manganese and nitrogen for part of the nickel, mills produce 202 at a lower cost and with less exposure to nickel price swings. We state the difference as relative rather than quoting a percentage, because the gap changes with the market: ask for a current quotation.
Where SS 202 is the right choice
- Kitchenware, cookware and utensils
- Decorative and architectural tube and trim indoors
- Furniture frames and interior railings
- Elevator, escalator and interior wall panels
- Domestic appliances and general dry fabrication
Where it is not
202 has lower corrosion resistance than 304, and far lower than 316. Keep it out of coastal air, chloride-bearing water, chemical process service and any wet or washdown environment. In those places the cheaper grade becomes the expensive one, because it has to be replaced. 202 also deep-draws less well than 304, so complex pressed shapes are better in 304.
How to choose
Start from the environment, not the price. Dry, indoor and decorative: 202 is a sound saving. Food contact, outdoor, mild chlorides or general process: 304. Marine, brackish or chloride-rich: 316 or a duplex grade. If you tell us the application and the country of use, we will say plainly which grade we would specify.
Products covered
Specifying for a live project?
Send the service conditions and we will tell you what we would specify, and what we hold.