A time-honored
medical material

 

Stainless steel is the most basic medical material. It’s also the first material we ever drew into wire at Fort Wayne Metals.

We begin the stainless steel drawing process with our carbide dies for diameters greater than 2.54 mm [0.100 in]. From there, we transition to our polycrystalline dies for diameters between 2.54 mm [0.100 in] and 1.016 mm [0.040 in]. These two die types provide a relatively rough surface which can be enhanced with additional finish treatments. Our single crystal natural diamond dies will take your stainless steel wire from 1.016 mm [0.040 in] all the way down to our fine wire sizes. As stainless steel wire gets drawn to the finer sizes, it develops a more polished appearance.

While Stainless steel has been replaced by materials such as Cobalt-Chrome, Titanium or Nitinol in many demanding applications, it is still the most commonly used material for medical devices due to its versatility and relatively low cost. Fort Wayne Metals routinely works with the following grades of surgical steel:

  • 302 (ASTM A313/A313M · ASTM A276 · ASTM F899)
  • 304V (ASTM F899, ASTM A276, ASTM A313/A313M)
  • 304LV
  • 316LVM (ASTM F138 · ISO 5832-1)
  • Custom 455® (ASTM A564/A564M · ASTM F899)
  • Biodur® 108 (ASTM F2229/UNS S29108)

(“V” denotes vacuum remelted material with improved microcleanliness and homogeneity.)

We work with the following grades upon request:

 

  • 304 (ASTM F899 · ASTM A276 · ASTM A313/A313M)
  • 316 (ASTM A276 · ASTM A580 · ASTM F899)
  • 316L (ASTM A276 · ASTM A580)
  • 321
  • 347
  • 446
  • 420 (ASTM A276 · ASTM A580 · ASTM F899)
  • 440A (ASTM A276 · ASTM A580 · ASTM F899)
  • 17-4PH® (ASTM F899 · ASTM A564)
  • 17-7PH® (ASTM A313/A313M · ASTM A564/A564M· ASTM F899)
  • 18Cr-2Ni-12Mn (ASTM A313/A313M)
  • 20CB-3®
  • 21Cr-6Ni-9Mn
  • 22Cr-13Ni-5Mn (ASTM F1314)
  • CUSTOM 465® (Custom A564)
  • CUSTOM 470®

We also use stainless steel in a wide variety of DFT® composites.

Let us help you with your Stainless steel needs. Please contact us.