430
1.4016 · EN 10088 / AISI · 1.4016
430 is a stainless steel (Ferritic family) to EN 10088 / AISI (1.4016). It has a specified 0.2 % proof stress of 260 MPa and a typical tensile strength of about 430 MPa, with a uniform elongation of 22 %. For nonlinear FEA, a bilinear model uses E = 200 GPa up to yield and a tangent modulus of 784 MPa above it. As a ferritic stainless it offers useful corrosion resistance at lower cost than austenitics, though with reduced toughness and formability.
Bilinear material model — nonlinear FEA
Uniform elongation εu = 22.0% · conservative analysis limit ½εu = 11.0%
Bilinear (BISO) approximation. Elastic modulus E up to the 0.2% proof stress R_p0.2, then a single tangent slope Eₜ to the ultimate tensile strength: Eₜ = (Rₘ − R_p0.2) / (εu − R_p0.2/E − 0.002), where εu is the uniform elongation and Rₘ is a typical (nominal) UTS within the specified band. The half-εu figure is a conservative strain limit for the analysis. Treat these as guidance for first-pass models; for critical work use a measured true stress–strain curve for the actual product and condition.
Ratings — engineering judgement
Weldabilitymoderate
Weldable but prone to HAZ grain coarsening and reduced toughness; thin gauge only for most work. Titanium-stabilised variants (430Ti/441) weld far better.
Formabilitygood
Good for a ferritic — bends, roll-forms and mild draws; less ductile than austenitic 304 and can show roping/ridging on deep draws.
Machinabilitygood
Machines better than austenitics — it does not work-harden the same way; free-machining variant 430F exists.
Corrosion resistancegood
Good indoor/atmospheric resistance from ~17 % Cr, but no molybdenum or nickel — poor in chlorides and not for marine or wet-salt service.
Hardenabilitynone
Ferritic — not hardenable by heat treatment (unlike the martensitic stainless grades).
Toughnesslow
Ferritic structure gives a ductile-to-brittle transition around room temperature and low impact energy — avoid for cold, thick or impact-loaded parts.
Expert notes
430 is the everyday ferritic stainless — the cost-conscious alternative to 304 when you want the appearance and mild corrosion resistance of stainless but not the price (or the price volatility) that nickel brings. It is magnetic, which is sometimes exactly what a design wants.
Its corrosion resistance is fine indoors and in dry atmospheric conditions, but it has no molybdenum and little nickel: keep it away from chlorides, coastal air and wet salt, where it will tea-stain and pit. That is the single most common misuse — 430 specified where 304/316 was needed.
It is also a ferritic, so it has a ductile-to-brittle transition near room temperature and modest toughness — this is a sheet-and-trim material, not a structural or cold-service one. Welding coarsens the grain and hurts both toughness and corrosion resistance, so heavy welded fabrication should move to a stabilised grade (430Ti/441) or to austenitic.
On the plus side it machines and forms better than you might expect for a stainless, and doesn’t work-harden like the austenitics — with a free-machining 430F available for turned parts.
Mechanical properties
| Condition | Section | Yield (MPa) |
|---|---|---|
| 430 · annealed | sheet & strip | 260 |
UTS 430–630 MPa · Impact moderate; ductile–brittle transition near ambient · Hardness ≤ 200 HB
Physical properties
| Density | 7700 | kg/m³ |
| Elastic modulus | 200 | GPa |
| Shear modulus | 77 | GPa |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.30 | |
| Thermal expansion | 10.4 | ×10⁻⁶/°C |
| Thermal conductivity | 25 | W/(m·K) |
| Specific heat | 460 | J/(kg·K) |
| Magnetic | Yes |
Chemical composition (wt %)
Available forms
Equivalent grades
| Standard | Grade | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EN 10088 | X6Cr17 / 1.4016 | |
| AISI | 430 | |
| BS 970 Pt 4 | 430S17 | |
| JIS | SUS430 | |
| UNS | S43000 |
Historical designations
| Standard | Grade | Note |
|---|---|---|
| BS 970:1970 Pt 4 | 430S15 / 430S17 | British ferritic designation. |
| Werkstoff Nr. | 1.4016 | German material number. |
Common applications
- Appliance trim and panels (indoor)
- Automotive trim and exhaust tubing
- Kitchen and catering surfaces (dry/indoor)
- Decorative architectural sheet
- Cost-sensitive stainless where chlorides are absent
History
430 is the classic straight-chromium ferritic stainless — nickel-free, magnetic, and much cheaper (and price-stable) than the austenitics, used wherever a stainless look is wanted without chloride exposure.
- 1913Brearley’s work establishes chromium stainless steels in Sheffield
- 1930Straight-chromium ferritic grades adopted for trim and cutlery
- 1950AISI 430 established as the standard ferritic grade