Which different types of stainless steel are available?

In the DIN EN 10020 three main grades are defined:

• non-alloyed steels (unalloyed high-grade steel) usually contain only carbon additives. Therefore, they are called carbon steel. Unalloyed steels are subdivided into steels designated for later heat treatment or not designated for later heat treatment. Unalloyed steels may contain small amounts of chromium, copper, nickel, lead, manganese or silicon. These are used for construction or for domestic applications.
• Stainless steel (corrosion-resistant, high-alloyed steel) refers to steel with a content of at least 11% chromium and at most 1.2% carbon by mass. This grade is used in the construction of pharmaceutical equipment, for example.
• Other steel alloys are not used in the construction of pharmaceutical equipment.

[GMP Compliance Adviser, Chapter 4.B]

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