254SMO Stainless Steel Plate: Parameters, Standards, Equivalent Grades, Applications, and Laser Cutting Advantages & Scope

1. Overview of 254SMO Stainless Steel Plate

2. Key Parameters

• Chemical Composition (wt%):
  • Carbon (C) ≤ 0.03%
  • Manganese (Mn) ≤ 1.0%
  • Silicon (Si) ≤ 0.8%
  • Phosphorus (P) ≤ 0.03%
  • Sulfur (S) ≤ 0.01%
  • Chromium (Cr) 19.5–20.5%
  • Nickel (Ni) 17.5–18.5%
  • Molybdenum (Mo) 6.0–6.5%
  • Nitrogen (N) 0.18–0.22%
  • Copper (Cu) 0.5–1.0%
• Mechanical Properties (annealed condition):
  • Tensile Strength: ≥ 650 MPa
  • Yield Strength (0.2% offset): ≥ 300 MPa
  • Elongation: ≥ 40%
  • Hardness: ≤ 220 HB

3. Standards

• ASTM A240 / A240M (Plate, sheet, and strip for pressure vessels)
• ASTM A480 / A480M (General requirements for flat-rolled stainless steel)
• EN 10088-2 (European standard for stainless steel sheet/plate)
• ASME SA-240 (For pressure vessel applications)

4. Equivalent (Equivalent Grades)

• UNS S31254 (USA)
• EN 1.4547 (European Union)
• DIN X1NiCrMoCuN20-18-7 (Germany)
• JIS SUS 254SMO (Japan, non-official but widely recognized)

5. Applications

• Marine and offshore engineering: Components exposed to seawater, such as offshore platforms, ship hulls, and desalination plants.
• Chemical processing: Reactors, pipelines, and tanks handling acids (e.g., sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid) and chloride-rich solutions.
• Pollution control: Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems in power plants, where resistance to sulfuric acid is critical.
• Oil and gas industry: Downhole equipment, valves, and pipelines in high-salinity or acidic reservoirs.
• Pulp and paper industry: Machinery in bleaching processes, which involve chlorine-based chemicals.

6. Laser Cutting of 254SMO Stainless Steel Plate

• Advantages:
  • High precision: Narrow kerf width (typically 0.1–0.3 mm) and tight tolerances (±0.05 mm), ideal for complex shapes or intricate designs.
  • No material deformation: Low heat-affected zone (HAZ) minimizes warping or changes in material properties, preserving 254SMO’s corrosion resistance.
  • Clean cuts: Smooth, burr-free edges reduce post-processing needs (e.g., grinding or deburring).
  • Versatility: Compatible with various sheet thicknesses and capable of cutting complex patterns (holes, curves, or custom geometries) without tool wear.
  • Efficiency: Faster processing compared to mechanical cutting for small to medium batches, with high automation potential.
• Processing Range:
  • Thickness: Typically 0.5 mm to 20 mm (thicker plates up to 50 mm can be cut with high-power lasers, though speed may decrease).
  • Sheet size: Standard sizes (e.g., 1220×2440 mm, 1500×3000 mm) or custom dimensions.
  • Cutting types: 2D cutting (flat sheets) for profiles, holes, slots, or intricate designs used in industrial components, brackets, or structural parts.