T-304 stainless steel is the most widely available of all stainless steels in the wire mesh industry. Aside from the countless combinations of mesh opening sizes and diameter wire available both from stock and through manufacturing, T-304 SS exhibits many benefits and is largely considered the standard of the industry. T-304 SS has excellent corrosion resistance in a wide range of environments and is used in a wide range of applications.

 

Some of the more popular applications and industries that use T-304 stainless steel are listed below:

General industrial use	Water filtration	Refinery & oil field
Mining	Particle separation	Aerospace
Quarrying	Automotive	Food processing
Beer brewing	Basket fabrication	Scientific & laboratory use

Another of the many benefits of T-304 SS is heat resistance. T-304 SS displays good oxidation resistance to a temperature of approximately 1600°F in intermittent service and to a temperature of 1700°F in continuous service. T-304 stainless steel is also excellent for fabrication purposes – it can be formed and cut to size with appropriate tools and machinery. It can also be welded, using most common welding techniques, and it is virtually non-magnetic in the annealed condition. From a cost standpoint, it is usually the most attractively priced of most readily available stainless steel mesh alloys in the industry, especially when taking into consideration its lifecycle.

 

 

Darby maintains one of the most expansive inventories of T-304 SS wire mesh, so it is no surprise that when a specific opening size (or mesh count/diameter wire) is needed, T-304 stainless steel is selected. Darby stocks virtually every standard or market grade as well as many of the non-standard specifications, including heavy duty specifications, bolting grades and milling grades.

 

Often referred to 18-8 due to its Chromium-Nickel chemical composition, T-304 stainless steel is available in both woven and welded constructions – both from stock and through custom manufacturing. Below is the standard chemical composition for T-304 SS, commonly used in the wire mesh and wire cloth industry:

 

T-304 Stainless Steel – Standard Chemical Composition (in %)
Alloy	Carbon [C]	Manganese [Mn]	Phosphorus [P]	Sulfur [S]	Silicon [Si]	Chromium [Cr]	Nickel [Ni]	Iron [Fe]	Others, if Applicable
T-304 SS	0.08 Max	2.0 Max	0.045 Max	0.03 Max	1.00 Max	18.00–20.00	8.00–10.50	Balance	Nitrogen [N] = 0.10 Max