Precision Slit 301 Stainless Steel Strip

Precision Slit 301 Stainless Steel Strip is a metastable austenitic grade characterized by its rapid work-hardening rate during cold rolling.

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Product Introduction

Precision Slit 301 Stainless Steel Strip is a metastable austenitic grade characterized by its rapid work-hardening rate during cold rolling. By adjusting cold reduction ratios, mechanical properties from annealed to extra-high-hard tempers are achievable. It offers an optimal combination of high tensile strength, fatigue resistance, and moderate corrosion resistance, making it the standard material specification for structural parts requiring high load-bearing capacity after forming.

Key Features

High Work-Hardening Rate: Tensile and yield strengths increase rapidly through cold working, enabling thin gauges to bear heavy structural loads.

Tight Dimensional Control: Rolled to precision thickness tolerances (±0.005 mm to ±0.02 mm available) to ensure stamping consistency and protect progressive dies.

Formability-to-Strength Balance: Softer tempers (Annealed to 1/2 Hard) allow complex bending and deep drawing; harder tempers (3/4 Hard to Full Hard) provide rigid spring characteristics.

Weldability: Good resistance spot welding and seam welding performance; post-weld annealing is recommended for corrosive environments if carbide precipitation occurs.

Technical Specifications

Parameter	Specification
Product Name	Precision Slit 301 Stainless Steel Strip
Material Grade	AISI 301 / EN 1.4310
UNS	S30100
Standard	ASTM A666 / EN 10088-2
Thickness	0.1–3.0 mm, subject to availability
Slit Width	Customized to requirements
Width Tolerance	According to order requirements
Surface Finish	2B, BA, customized
Edge Condition	Slit Edge / Deburred Edge
Temper	Annealed, 1/2 Hard, 3/4 Hard, Full Hard, subject to availability
Coil ID	Customized
Coil OD	Customized
Processing	Precision Slitting
Applications	Spring Clips, Stamping Parts, Retaining Components, Metal Components

Available Grades and Material Options

AISI 301 / UNS S30100: Standard chemical composition for general industrial applications.

Alternative High-Purity Melting: Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) followed by AOD (Argon Oxygen Decarburization) refining to minimize non-metallic inclusions.

Surface Finishes:

2B: Cold-rolled, annealed, and pickled with a smooth, moderately reflective finish.

BA (Bright Annealed): Controlled atmosphere furnace annealing yielding a mirror-like, reflective surface finish.

No. 1 / Dull Finish: Industrial cold-rolled finish for specific friction requirements.

Applications

Automotive Industry

Seat belt springs, structural reinforcement shims, airbag retaining rings, wiper parts, and gasket components.

Electronics & Electrical

Precision contact springs, miniature terminal blocks, switch diaphragms, and computer chassis stiffeners.

Industrial Hardware

Heavy-duty snap rings, retaining clips, precision washers, band clamps, and industrial saw blades.

Aerospace & Aviation

Cabin interior brackets, non-structural lightweight fasteners, and dampening shims.

Custom Thickness and Dimensions

Manufacturing capabilities support custom tolerances and dimensions to integrate directly into automated stamping lines:

Slitting Services: Precision multi-strand slitting down to a minimum width of 3.0 mm with controlled camber limits (<0.5 mm per 1000 mm).

Cut-to-Length: Sheets leveled on multi-roll precision leveling machines to control flatness and eliminate coil set.

Special Tempers: Custom intermediate temper rolling available upon request for specific springback requirements.

Quality Control and Surface Inspection

Each production lot undergoes testing before release:

Dimensional Verification: Continuous laser thickness gauges monitor gauge consistency across the entire coil length.

Mechanical Testing: Tensile testing and Vickers/Rockwell hardness testing performed per ASTM E8 / ASTM E18 standards.

Surface Evaluation: Automated optical surface inspection for pits, scratches, roller marks, and edge cracks.

Traceability: Full material traceability backed by Mill Test Reports (MTR) conforming to EN 10204 3.1.

Packaging and Shipping

Industrial export packaging prevents transit damage, moisture ingress, and edge distortion:

Coil Packaging: Inner oil-paper wrapping, moisture-barrier plastic film, outer steel protective wrapping, secured with steel strapping on fumigated wooden pallets or eye-to-sky wooden crates.

Sheet Packaging: Interleaved with anti-rust paper, strapped onto reinforced wooden skids, and wrapped with waterproof heavy-duty plastic tarpaulins.

Documentation: Packing list, commercial invoice, Certificate of Origin, and MTR attached securely inside waterproof document holders on every pallet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between Grade 301 and Grade 304 for sheet applications?

A: Grade 301 contains lower chromium and nickel percentages than Grade 304, combined with a higher carbon work-hardening rate. While 304 is optimized for deep drawing with minimal hardening, 301 rapidly increases in tensile strength during cold reduction, making it the preferred choice for spring components and high-strength structural parts.

Q: How do you control springback when stamping Full Hard 301 stainless steel?

A: Springback is influenced by the rolling direction and the specific temper state (e.g., Full Hard). We maintain tight tensile strength windows per batch and recommend designing die clearance with an allowance for the specific rolling lot's yield strength. Material rolling direction (parallel vs. transverse) must be accounted for in die design.

Q: Can you provide customized narrow-width precision slit coils?

A: Yes. Our high-precision slitting lines can process coils down to a width of 5.0 mm with burr-free edges and tight width tolerances (±0.05 mm), packed securely to prevent telescoping during transit.

Q: Are Mill Test Reports (MTRs) provided with each shipment?

A: Yes. Every shipment includes a certified EN 10204 3.1 MTR detailing exact chemical composition, heat numbers, actual tensile strength, yield strength, elongation, and hardness test results.