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The 316 stainless steel plate is a flat-rolled strip of austenitic stainless that carries 2 to 3 percent molybdenum, which is what sets it apart from 304. That molybdenum gives 316 its resistance to chloride pitting and crevice corrosion, so it is the grade buyers choose for marine, coastal, chemical and food work that sees salt or acid. We stock 316 plate in 3 to 120 mm and widths up to 2000 mm, and we cut it to size before it leaves the mill.

This page covers what 316 plate is made of, how it performs, how we size and certify it, and where it gets used. If you are choosing between 304 and 316, our surface finish guide and the 304 vs 316 brewery tank write up on the equipment side explain the grade choice in plain terms.

316 is an austenitic grade with molybdenum added to the 18/10 chromium nickel base. The typical analysis runs about 16 to 18 percent chromium, 10 to 14 percent nickel and 2 to 3 percent molybdenum. The molybdenum is the element that blocks chloride attack, which is why 316 costs more than 304 but earns its place in seawater, chemical and coastal service.

Plate is the thick end of flat-rolled stainless. In ASTM terms, sheet is 3 mm and under and plate is over 3 mm. That line decides how the material is rolled and the tolerances it carries, which is why we treat the 316 stainless steel sheet and the plate as two products even though the alloy is the same.

Most 316 plate is hot rolled, annealed and pickled to a No.1 finish, then ground or polished if a cleaner face is needed. It is non magnetic in the annealed state, though cold work from cutting or forming can bring up a little attraction at the edges.

The chemistry below is the ASTM A240 window for 316. The numbers are percentage by weight, with iron making up the balance.

Element	316	316L
Chromium	16.0 – 18.0	16.0 – 18.0
Nickel	10.0 – 14.0	10.0 – 14.0
Molybdenum	2.0 – 3.0	2.0 – 3.0
Carbon	0.08 max	0.030 max
Manganese	2.0 max	2.0 max
Silicon	0.75 max	0.75 max
Phosphorus	0.045 max	0.045 max
Sulfur	0.030 max	0.030 max

The number that matters for fabrication is carbon. Standard 316 allows up to 0.08 percent, while 316L caps it at 0.030. The low carbon version was made for welding: when you weld a thick plate, carbon at the heat-affected zone can pull chromium out of the mix and leave the seam open to corrosion. That failure mode is called sensitization. Drop the carbon and the weld stays protected, so 316L is the safer call for tanks, pipes and anything that gets welded a lot.

For most of our 316 plate orders the buyer picks 316L by default once thickness goes past 6 mm or the job involves much welding. The price gap over 316 is small and the weld safety is not.

We list 316 plate against three fields: thickness, the common width and length we stock, and the theoretical weight. Weight is the number buyers use to price a job, so we give it directly rather than a formula alone.

Thickness (mm)	Common size (mm)	Weight (kg/m2)	Weight (kg/m2)
3	1500 x 3000	24.0	108
4	1500 x 3000	32.0	144
5	1500 x 3000	40.0	180
6	1500 x 3000	48.0	216
8	1500 x 3000	64.0	288
10	1500 x 3000	80.0	360
12	2000 x 6000	96.0	1152
16	2000 x 6000	128.0	1536
20	2000 x 6000	160.0	1920
25	2000 x 6000	200.0	2400
30	2000 x 6000	240.0	2880
40	2000 x 6000	320.0	3840

Stainless 316 density is 8.00 g/cm3. To get kg per square metre, multiply thickness in mm by 8.00. To get the weight of one plate, use thickness (mm) x width (m) x length (m) x 8.00. For odd sizes, thickness (mm) x width (mm) x length (mm) x 0.000008 gives the same answer. We cut to your drawing, so the weight on the quote matches the piece you receive, not the full mill plate.

The table below is the ASTM A240 minimum for annealed 316 plate at room temperature. Values shift a little with thickness and heat, so treat them as the floor, not the exact number for your heat.

Property	316 / 316L value
Tensile strength	515 MPa min (316), 485 MPa min (316L)
Yield strength (0.2% offset)	205 MPa min
Elongation	40 percent min
Hardness	217 HB max
Density	8.00 g/cm3
Melting range	1375 – 1400 C
Corrosion	Excellent in chloride, marine, chemical service

316 resists chloride pitting and crevice corrosion far better than 304. The measure buyers use is PREN, the pitting resistance equivalent number. For 316 it works out around 24 to 26, against about 18 to 20 for 304, because the molybdenum adds roughly three times its weight to the score. That gap is what keeps 316 sound in seawater spray, brackish water and process streams with salt. For the worst chloride or acid duty, duplex 2205 scores higher still, which is why our marine grade stainless steel line lists both. 316 is the right plate for the marine, coastal and chemical jobs that 304 cannot handle.

Plate leaves the hot line with a No.1 finish: a rough, dark, pickled face that is fine for structure but not for looks. From there you can take it several ways.

• No.1: hot rolled, annealed and pickled. The default for tanks and frames.
• 2B: cold rolled and passivated. Smoother than No.1, used where the face shows a bit.
• No.4: brushed with a 150 to 240 grit belt. The hygiene finish for food and pharma.
• BA (2R): bright annealed, near mirror on the clean side. For decorative and sanitary use.
• HL: hairline, a longer finer grain for interiors.

We finish brushed stainless steel and mirror stock in the same plant, so a 316 plate and a 316 sheet from us carry the same grain and flatness. Any mechanical finish is passivated after work to rebuild the chromium layer, which matters most on the welded seams.

Buyers mix these up because the alloy is identical. The difference is thickness and how the mill makes it, and that changes price, tolerance and what you can do with it.

Point	316 sheet	316 plate
Thickness	0.3 – 3 mm	3 – 120 mm
Rolling	Cold rolled	Hot rolled
Tolerance	Tight	Wider
Edge	Sheared, clean	Torch or plasma cut
Typical use	Panels, liners, light fabrication	Tanks, structure, heavy parts
Cost driver	Finish and flatness	Weight and cut time

If your part is under 3 mm and the face needs to look good, you want 316 stainless steel sheet. If it is thick, carries load, or gets welded into a vessel, plate is the form. We cut both, so you can order the thin liner and the thick end plate from one PO and keep the paper trail in one file.

We make 316 plate to ASTM A240 / A240M, the specification that covers chromium and nickel alloy plate for pressure and general service, including the molybdenum grades. For the European market we supply to EN 10088-2, and for Japan we work to JIS G4304 (hot rolled) and G4305 (cold rolled). The finish and flatness rules sit in ASTM A480, which we follow on every coil we finish.

Every plate ships with an EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificate that lists the heat number, the chemistry and the mechanical results. For corrosion grades we add PMI (positive material identification) so the heat is confirmed before it leaves. Third-party inspection by SGS, BV or TPI is available on request. Our full ASTM A240 certified stainless steel page covers the cert and MTC process in more detail.

316 plate shows up wherever a flat, chloride resistant part has to take load or contact salt, acid or food. The table lists the sectors we supply most.

Sector	Why 316 plate	Common form
Marine and offshore	Resists seawater and salt spray	No.1 hull parts, frames
Chemical processing	Holds up in acids and chlorides	No.1 vessels, heat exchangers
Food and beverage	Clean, weldable, salt tolerant	No.4 tanks and benches
Pharmaceutical	Easy to clean and sterilize	No.4, BA
Coastal construction	Survives salt air and spray	2B, HL
Pulp and paper	Resists bleaching chemicals	No.1, No.4
Medical and lab	High purity, cleanable	BA, No.4
Water and desalination	Resists brackish and seawater	No.1, No.4

For marine, coastal and high chloride duty, 316 is the standard step up from 304, and that is the same reason our marine grade stainless steel line exists. Our 304 stainless steel plate covers the lighter indoor work.

Send us these points and we can quote the same day:

• Grade and standard: 316 or 316L, to ASTM A240 (see our ASTM A240 certified plate)
• Thickness, width and length, or the drawing if cut to shape
• Finish: No.1, 2B, No.4, BA or HL
• Quantity and any edge or hole work
• Tolerance and any third-party inspection
• Destination port for shipping

We stock 316 and 316L in the common sizes and cut from 3 mm to 120 mm. Lead time on stock is about a week; thick or special-finish plate runs three to five weeks including rolling and certification.

We have supplied 316 stainless plate since 2011 from our Zhengzhou base, with ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 and CE marking. Stock in 316 and 316L ships within a week; special thickness and finishes run three to five weeks including rolling and machining. Every order leaves with an MTC and PMI on corrosion grades, and we pack for long sea freight so the faces arrive clean. When you need the related forms, our stainless steel hub links to sheet, coil, pipe, bar and the rest of the range.

• 316 Stainless Steel Sheet – the thin, cold rolled form of the same grade
• 304 Stainless Steel Plate – the lower cost option for indoor work
• Hot Rolled Stainless Steel Plate – the full plate range across grades
• Marine Grade Stainless Steel Sheet – the chloride resistant line
• Cold Rolled Stainless Steel Sheet – the 2B and BA base material
• ASTM A240 Certified Stainless Steel Sheet – MTC and certification details
• Stainless Steel Surface Finish Guide – 2B, No.4 and BA explained
• ASTM A312 316L Stainless Steel Pipe – the line that meets your plate in fabrication
• Stainless Steel Tanks – finished equipment built from our plate

Send your size, grade and finish to our sales team and we will quote the same day.

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