Melting range
The solidus is where melting begins; the liquidus is where the alloy is fully liquid.
Technical guide
Stainless Steel Melting Point Chart
Stainless steel does not have one melting temperature. Each grade melts across a solidus-to-liquidus range, and that range is far above its normal forming, heat-treatment and service temperatures.
Typical stainless spanAbout 1,350-1,530 °C
Key distinctionMelting is not a service limit
Procurement ruleUse the exact grade datasheet
Decision summary
Use the right temperature for the right engineering question
A melting range helps with casting, remelting and thermal hazard screening. Fabrication and service decisions require different temperature data and controls.
Hot-working range
Rolling or forging temperatures are deliberately below melting and depend on grade and process.
Annealing temperature
Heat-treatment temperature restores or changes microstructure and is not a melting point.
Service temperature
Oxidation, strength, creep, embrittlement and the environment normally control usable temperature.
Welding temperature
A weld pool locally melts, but heat input, filler, shielding and cooling determine weld quality.
Fire exposure
Loss of strength occurs well before melting, so structural fire design cannot use melting point as capacity.
Reference table
Screening melting ranges for common stainless grades
These rounded ranges are planning values compiled from producer and industry grade references. They are not specification acceptance limits.
| Grade or family | Approximate range °C | Approximate range °F | Use and caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 304 / 304L austenitic | 1,400-1,450 | 2,552-2,642 | Common planning range; verify the supplying mill datasheet. |
| 316 / 316L austenitic | 1,375-1,400 | 2,507-2,552 | Molybdenum-bearing chemistry shifts the range below 304. |
| 430 ferritic | 1,425-1,510 | 2,597-2,750 | Broad range; exact chemistry and source matter. |
| 410 martensitic | 1,480-1,530 | 2,696-2,786 | Do not confuse with hardening or tempering temperatures. |
| 2205 duplex | 1,350-1,450 | 2,462-2,642 | Fabrication limits are governed by phase balance, not melting alone. |
| 17-4 PH | 1,400-1,440 | 2,552-2,624 | Aging conditions are hundreds of degrees below melting. |
Ranges are approximate because stainless grades are multicomponent alloys. For safety, casting or welding procedure development, use grade-specific mill data and qualified engineering controls.
Working method
Check a temperature value before using it
The most important step is identifying what the temperature represents and whether it applies to the exact delivered alloy.
Name the exact grade
Use UNS, EN steel number or another controlled designation, not only “stainless steel.”
Identify the temperature type
Confirm solidus, liquidus, hot-working, annealing, scaling or service temperature.
Check the source basis
Prefer the current producer datasheet, applicable code and project specification.
Apply process controls
Use qualified welding, heat-treatment, casting or fire-design procedures as appropriate.
Limits and escalation
Do not design service around the melting point
Strength falls earlier
Yield and tensile strength decline at temperatures far below melting.
Atmosphere changes behavior
Oxidation, carburization, sulfidation and thermal cycling can control grade selection.
Microstructure can degrade
Sensitization, sigma phase, grain growth or tempering can occur without melting.
Published ranges vary
Composition tolerance, data source and test convention can shift quoted endpoints.
Interactive planning aid
Convert and classify a temperature
Enter a Celsius value to convert it and see which engineering category must be checked. This is a planning aid, not a furnace setpoint.
Frequently asked questions
Stainless steel melting point FAQ
There is no single value. Common grades melt over approximate ranges between about 1,350 and 1,530 °C, depending on composition.
Stainless steel is an alloy. Melting begins at the solidus and becomes complete at the liquidus.
No. Strength, creep, oxidation, phase changes and code limits normally control service far below melting.
No. Their alloy content differs, and published screening ranges for 316 are generally lower than for 304.
Method, sources and review
Traceable sources and review status
Industry publication giving an approximate 1,500 °C stainless-steel melting point for broad comparison.
Producer source identifying common austenitic, ferritic, duplex, martensitic and precipitation-hardening grades.
Grade-specific technical datasheet library used to check composition, heat treatment and physical-property context.
Industry guidance distinguishing hot-working and solution-annealing ranges from melting.
The table is a rounded engineering screen. Confirm grade-specific producer data and qualified procedures before melting, welding, heat treatment, fire design or high-temperature service.
Melting temperature context
Separate melting range from the actual processing temperature window.
A melting-point chart is a reference, not a fabrication instruction. Define the alloy, thermal cycle, product form, atmosphere and process route before using a temperature value.
- Alloy range
- Thermal cycle
- Process route
Visual process context
Make the heat source and material condition visible together.
Reserve one image for the thermal process environment and another for the material condition or inspection evidence.
Engineering and sourcing support
Request stainless with the thermal requirement defined
Send grade, product form, process or service temperature, atmosphere, code, fabrication, inspection, quantity and destination.