1.4301 is the standard for the austenitic grades of stainless steel due to its good corrosion resistance, ease of formability and fabrication coupled with its aesthetic appearance in the polished, ground and brushed conditions. Since 1.4301 is not resistant to intergranular corrosion in the welded condition, 1.4307 should rather be specified if welding of larger sections is required and no solution annealing treatment after welding can be performed. Surface condition plays an important role in the corrosion resistance of this steel with polished surfaces exhibiting far superior corrosion resistance compared with rougher surfaces on the same material.