Grade dossier
416 Stainless Steel
416 stainless steel is a free-machining martensitic stainless grade based on roughly 12–14% chromium with controlled sulfur addition. Its strongest procurement use case is high-volume machined components that need better corrosion resistance than ordinary carbon or alloy steel while prioritizing chip control, tool life and machining productivity.
Identity before substitution
Specify 416 by product form, machining condition and final heat treatment
416 is the sulfur-bearing free-machining development of the 12–14% chromium martensitic family. The sulfur that improves machining also reduces weldability, surface polish quality and localized-corrosion resistance compared with non-free-machining 410-type grades. A controlled RFQ therefore needs the exact standard, form, size, annealed or heat-treated condition, final hardness or strength target, machining route and service environment.
416 stainless composition
UNS S41600 free-machining chemistry reference
Sulfur is the performance trade-off
Carpenter publishes S41600 with 0.15% sulfur minimum and 12.00–14.00% chromium. European 1.4005 data commonly controls sulfur within 0.15–0.35% and can include up to 0.60% Mo. Do not mix limits from different standards on one purchase order; state the controlling ASTM, AMS or EN specification and verify the heat analysis on the MTC.
| C | 0.15 max |
|---|---|
| Mn | 1.25 max |
| Si | 1.00 max |
| P | 0.060 max |
| S | 0.150 min |
| Cr | 12.00–14.00 |
| Fe | Balance |
416 stainless properties
Mechanical properties change sharply with bar size and heat-treatment condition
Ugitech 416 annealed bar — published typical ranges
| Cold drawn ≤1 in. UTS | 620–830 MPa |
|---|---|
| Cold drawn ≤1 in. 0.2% YS | 550–725 MPa |
| Cold drawn elongation | 10% min |
| Cold drawn hardness | 190–240 HB |
416 HT / Condition T — published typical ranges
| Tensile strength | 890–1035 MPa |
|---|---|
| 0.2% yield strength | 760–895 MPa |
| Elongation | 5% min |
| Hardness | 27–31 HRC typical |
These are attributable producer examples, not universal acceptance values. Ugitech also publishes different annealed values for turned bars over 1 in., while Deutsche Edelstahlwerke publishes EN 1.4005 QT 650 requirements of Rp0.2 ≥450 MPa, Rm 650–850 MPa and A5 ≥12%. Match the property table to the ordered standard, bar size and condition before approving a substitute.
Selection boundary
Use 416 when machining productivity is valuable—and stop when corrosion or welding controls
416 is not simply “a better-machining 410.” The sulfur addition changes the design boundary. It is strong for repetitive machined parts in mild service, but it should be escalated when the part sees chlorides, stagnant crevices, high-pressure containment or critical welding.
Good reasons to evaluate 416
Automatic screw-machine and CNC parts where chip control and tool life matter.
Pump shafts, motor shafts, valve stems and valve trim in reviewed mild environments.
Bolts, nuts, studs, gears, pinions, worms and lead screws requiring extensive machining.
Parts that will be machined annealed and then hardened/tempered to a defined service condition.
Stop and review before release
Marine, saline-mist, chloride or crevice-prone environments where sulfur inclusions can accelerate localized attack.
Pressure vessels or high-pressure gas/liquid containment; Carpenter specifically does not recommend 416 for these vessels.
Welded fabrications where cracking risk, filler choice and post-weld heat treatment cannot be controlled.
Decorative or highly polished exposed surfaces where sulfur-bearing 416 is inferior to cleaner non-free-machining grades.
Machining and heat-treatment route
Build the process around free machining, then lock the final condition
416 is designed for machining. Sulfur improves chip breaking, cutting productivity and tool life; producer data identifies 416 HT as a particularly useful machining condition.
For soft machining, published annealing routes include about 650–760°C subcritical anneal with air cooling or approximately 900°C full anneal followed by slow furnace cooling.
For hardening, Ugitech publishes about 950°C followed by air or oil quenching, with larger sections normally oil quenched. Typical maximum as-quenched hardenability is about 41–43 HRC.
Welding should generally be avoided because the sulfur content increases cracking risk. If unavoidable, producer guidance recommends controlled filler selection and post-weld tempering around 650°C.
416 stainless supplier checklist
Order 416 as a machining-grade bar or wire product with a defined condition
A 416 stainless supplier should state the exact product form, diameter or section, dimensional tolerance, surface condition, heat-treatment condition and governing standard. Carpenter lists 416 in bar, hexagons, rounds, billet, wire and rod, while Ugitech lists cold-drawn, turned and ground bars plus wire. These are attributable manufacturer forms—not a claim of this website’s live inventory.
Carpenter: bar · hexagons · rounds · billet · wire · rod
Ugitech: cold-drawn · turned · ground bars · wire
Common references: ASTM A582 · ASTM A581/A314 · AMS 5610
EN reference: 1.4005 · X12CrS13 · EN 10088-3
MTC / test-report checkpoint
Verify heat number and traceability, UNS S41600 or agreed EN designation, governing specification and edition, chemical analysis including sulfur, ordered diameter/section and tolerance, supplied surface condition, annealed or hardened-and-tempered state, hardness/tensile results required by the order and any supplementary inspection. A useful MTC excerpt should clearly connect the heat identity, chemistry, mechanical result and delivered condition to the ordered lot.
Interactive procurement check
Test 416 against the controlling design question
Procurement FAQ
Questions to close before ordering 416 stainless steel
What is 416 stainless steel?
416 is a sulfur-bearing, free-machining martensitic stainless grade identified as UNS S41600. The sulfur addition improves machining behavior but reduces corrosion resistance, weldability and polishing response compared with a non-free-machining grade such as 410.
What is the EN equivalent of 416 stainless steel?
The common EN cross-reference is 1.4005 / X12CrS13. Do not assume ASTM and EN chemistry or mechanical limits are identical; use the designation and product standard written on the purchase order.
Can 416 stainless steel be hardened?
Yes. 416 is martensitic and can be hardened and tempered. Ugitech publishes hardening around 950°C followed by air or oil quenching and identifies Condition T / 416 HT at about 26–32 HRC as a common engineering condition.
Is 416 stainless steel easy to weld?
No. Sulfur improves machinability but increases weld-cracking risk. Producer guidance generally discourages welding; if it cannot be avoided, the procedure, filler and post-weld tempering need engineering review.
What should a 416 RFQ include?
State UNS S41600 or the required EN designation, governing standard and edition, bar/wire form, diameter or section, dimensional tolerance, surface condition, annealed or hardened-and-tempered state, target hardness or mechanical properties, machining route, service environment, MTC requirement and any supplementary inspection.
Sources, scope and RFQ
Trace the 416 condition and chemistry before approving the machined part
UNS S41600 identity, 12–14% chromium / sulfur-bearing chemistry, free-machining positioning, common product forms, specifications, application examples and high-pressure-vessel restriction.
Free-machining martensitic classification, available bar and wire forms, annealed and Condition T mechanical-property ranges, heat treatment, corrosion limits, weldability guidance and continuous oxidation reference.
EN 1.4005 / X12CrS13 chemistry, annealed and QT 650 property guidance, heat treatment, welding restrictions, machining behavior and localized-corrosion warning.
Use the current ASTM A582/A581/A314, AMS 5610 or applicable EN 10088-3 requirements for the ordered product. The heat-specific MTC and agreed delivered condition—not a generic web table—control acceptance.