AK Steel 18 SR™ Stainless Steel provides excellent resistance to high-temperature scaling — far superior to that of Type 446 stainless steel. In addition, this material is readily welded by conventional methods. It is not subject to troublesome embrittlement or loss of corrosion resistance in the heat-affected zones that affects many other straight chromium alloys.

AK Steel 18 SR Stainless Steel is a Recognized Component Steel by Underwriters' Laboratories, carrying a temperature rating of 1730°F (943°C) maximum temperature rise for normal operation and 1930°F (1054°C) maximum temperature rise for peak conditions.

This alloy is especially valuable for applications requiring high-temperature scaling resistance superior to Types 409, 430 and 304 stainless steels, and for those applications where Types 442 and 446 give only marginal protection. In addition, it is more economical than many of the higher-temperature stainless steels. Typical uses include industrial ovens, blowers, exhaust systems, furnace equipment, heaters, induction furnaces and furnace tubes, annealing boxes, baffle plates, heat exchangers, resistor grids, kiln liners and pyrometer tubes.