AISI 304 and 430: what they are and what they are used for

What is the AISI steel?

Commonly known as stainless steels, they are alloys of iron and carbon, characterized by the typical mechanical steel properties plus a remarkable resistance to corrosion, especially in moist air or in fresh water.
This ability to resist corrosion is due to the presence in the alloy of other elements, primarily chromium, capable of covering the material with a thin, adherent and almost invisible layer which protects the metal, or the alloy, from the action of external chemical agents.

AISI 304: features

The AISI 304 steel is a fine stainless steel, which is particularly suitable for harsh environments like poultry houses and pig farms or for gutters where water may stagnate for a long time. It has, in fact, a chemical stability which ensures an almost eternal lasting, thus allowing the product to resist the agents in the external environment.
Thanks to its characteristics, this metal is particularly suitable for the manufacturing of the direct flame hot air generator agriTERM. In this application, in fact, the combustion remains can chemically attack other metal materials causing a very intense corrosion. Moreover, Pericoli uses this material also for the production of its gutter system MFX, ensuring high resistance to water corrosion.

AISI 430: features

The AISI 430 steel is a type of ferritic stainless steel, characteristic that makes it less noble compared to AISI 304, but equally useful. It has a higher thermal stability against high temperature, which makes it the ideal material for the construction of the combustion chambers of the indirect flame air heater CombiTERM.
These combustion chambers reach higher temperatures, so the thermal expansions must be contained and the resistance characteristics guaranteed.  AISI 430 meets exactly these requirements.

As for other materials, also in this case our technical staff is able to choose the best material for each specific application, in order to ensure the highest quality and durability standards, thus satisfying even the most demanding customer.