Stainless steel meshis high quality wire cloth made specifically from types of stainless steel wire and used for its superior physical qualities. Stainless steel wire is  a high strength metal that is resistant to corrosion and is not easily  affected by high or low temperatures, allowing it to be used in a wide  variety of applications which require a durable material.

Stainless steel wire is  resistant to wear and abrasions and so offers a long lasting option for  wire mesh requirements reducing the need for coatings or maintenance.  Steel mesh is constructed from perpendicular metal wires which are woven  together in a variety of patterns according to intended application and  required mesh properties.

AISI  and SUS are the commonly used marks in description of stainless steel  wire in China. AISI refers to US Steel Association marks of stainless  steel while SUS is used in front of Japan marks indicating it is for  special purpose. What is the difference? What are the mostly used  stainless steel grades in the world? What is the Chinese standard about  stainless steel wire as materials used in weaving wire mesh?

Stainless Steel Wire Has Two Main Standard Systems:

Germany  - France - Russia system: this system is characterized by its  identification of the components in the trademark. China stainless steel  trademark adopted the method of the former Soviet Union, the countries  belonging to this system also include Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, the  European Union and India.

United  States - Britain - Japan system: its characteristics are concise,  clear, easy to remember. From the mark, we can know the organizational  structure of the steel. Countries and regions adopting this system  include Canada, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, South Korea and China  Taiwan Province.

Marks for Stainless Steel Grade of China:

1Cr18Ni9: An average content of 9 percent nickel, average 18 percent of chromium, carbon content * 10 percent (0.1 percent).

• The first figure before the grade mark is ten times the percentage of carbon content.

• The  figure behind the key element indicates the percentage of this element.  If the element content is less than 1.5 percent, then the figure is not  written, if more than 1.5 while less than 2.5 percent, then the figure 2  is written after the element.

• The trace elements such as Ti, Nb, Al, N, and other trace elements should be written in the steel grades.

• The character Y should be added in front of the mark for free cutting steel.

• The trademark followed by "L" indicates cold drawing, plus "Q" indicates light drawing, plus "R" indicates the soft state.

China’s current standard of stainless steel wire:

GB/T4240-93 stainless steel wire standard

GB/T4240-93  Standard is for the classification of stainless steel wire, brands,  size, shape, technical requirements, testing methods, inspection rules,  packaging, labelling and quality certificates. This standard applies to  stainless steel wire, but does not apply to spring, cold treatment with  stainless steel wire and welding.

Commonly used marks in China with comparisons:

301:1Cr17Ni7: for spring

302:1Cr18Ni9: for spring

302HQ: 0Cr18Ni9Cu3: for cold heading with good performance

303: Y1Cr18Ni9 for precision shaft

304: 0Cr18Ni9: general steel

304M: 0Cr18Ni9, Ni 9.0% -10.0%: for rivets

304H: 0Cr18Ni9: C 0.05% -0.08%: high strength

304N: 0Cr18Ni9N: increased strength

304HC: 0Cr18Ni9Cu2: lower magnetic and improved corrosion resistance, for rivet

304L: 00Cr18Ni10

305: 1Cr18Ni12: non-magnetic

308: 0Cr21Ni12: for welding

309: 0Cr24Ni13: for welding

310: 0Cr25Ni20: Heat and corrosion-resistant, stable at temperature 1100 ℃

314: 0Cr25Ni20Si2: heat and corrosion-resistant, stable at temperature 1150 ℃

316: 0Cr17Ni12Mo2: plus Mo, anti-chloride corrosion

316L: 00Cr17Ni14Mo2: anti-corrosive hydrogen sulfide

Some specific international stainless steel wire standards:

U.S. stainless steel wire standards:

The  United States has the most varieties of stainless steel wire in the  world, it has six ASTM standards, ferrite, martensite in nearly 100  different brands.
ASTM A580N-95a: stainless steel wire.
ASTM A313M-95: stainless steel spring.
ASTM A478-95a: chromium - nickel stainless steel weaving wire.
ASTM A493-95: heat-resistant stainless steel wire and rod.
ASTM A492-95: stainless steel wire rope.
ASTM A581-95b: cutting stainless steel wire and rod.
AWS A5.22-82: chrome and chrome-nickel steel.
AWS A5.4-84: chrome and chrome-nickel steel, corrosion resistance electrode.

China Taiwan Province stainless steel wire standards:

CNS G3067-86: For stainless steel rods.
CNS G3199-88: for heat-resistant steel bar.
CNS G3077-86: for stainless steel wire rod.
CNS G3076-86: for stainless steel wire.
CNS G3189-87: for cold stainless steel wire.
CNS G3190-88: for welding stainless steel wire.
CNS G3161-86: for spring with stainless steel wire.

Japanese stainless steel wire standards:

JIS G4303-98: for stainless steel rods.
JIS G4311-91: for heat-resistant steel bar.
JIS G4309-94: for stainless steel wire.
JIS G4314-94: for spring with stainless steel wire.
JIS G4315-94: for cold stainless steel wire.
JIS T6103-94: dental stainless steel wire.
JIS Z3321-89: stainless steel welding electrodes.
JIS Z3321-85: stainless steel welding rod and wire.
JIS Z3324-88: stainless steel welding rod and Flux.

Stainless steel wire standards in other countries and organizations:

DIN 17224-84 (Germany).
BS 1554-1990 (UK).
P-Г 0CT18143-72 (the former Soviet Union).
NF A35-577-90 (France).
UNI 6901-71 (Italy).
KS D3703-1992 (South Korea).
SS 142332 (1991) (Sweden).
NS 14480 (84) (Norway).
IS 6528-72 (India).
CSA G110.3 (Canada).
EN 151 (1986) (EU).
ISO 6931-1-1994 (ISO).