Stainless steel melting points

Regardless of the grade, stainless steel is a metal and as such, has a melting point.

This melting point of stainless steel is different for each grade because of the various alloys present in the metal. Stainless steel has defined quantities of each element however, there is also an allowable production tolerance of the quantity allowed. Because of this, the melting point of stainless steel is a range rather than a fixed temperature.

Below, is a list of the common grades of stainless steel along with their melting points:

GradeEN SpecificationMelting Point
1.43013011400 - 1420°C
1.43053031400 - 1420°C
1.43013041400 - 1450°C
1.4307304L1400 - 1450°C
1.48453101400 - 1450°C
1.44013161375 - 1400°C
1.4404316L1375 - 1400°C
1.45413211400 - 1425°C
1.40164301425 - 1510°C
GradeEN SpecificationMelting Point
1.43013011400 - 1420°C
1.43053031400 - 1420°C
1.43013041400 - 1450°C
1.4307304L1400 - 1450°C
1.48453101400 - 1450°C
1.44013161375 - 1400°C
1.4404316L1375 - 1400°C
1.45413211400 - 1425°C
1.40164301425 - 1510°C

Every element has a specific melting point however, due to the manufacturing process, there is a tolerance for the number of elements present in each grade which is why the melting point is given as a range rather than a definitive number.

Please note that these temperatures are melting points rather than safe working temperatures. Different grades of stainless steel are best suited to different applications. Make sure the grade that you choose is suitable for the application.

To get more detailed information on the properties of stainless steel, please see our full range of datasheets.

Other High-Temperature Considerations for Stainless Steel

The success of the melting and casting operations depends on selecting the correct temperature. While the melting temperature has little effect to end-users, it can adversely affect the primary processes like rolling and forging.

The melting point of steel isn’t the only concern when using stainless steel for structural or supporting purposes. Different alloys in stainless steel lose certain amounts of tensile strength at high temperatures.

According to research, the rigidity and strength of stainless steel significantly drops even before the metal reaches the critical melting point.

High temperatures might also affect the oxide layer that protects stainless steel from rusting in future and cause scaling on the surface of the metal.

It’s critical to understand the safe working temperatures of stainless steel and stainless steel components in addition to the melting point of the alloy.