Strength band
304 annealed ~500–700 MPa UTS
Numbers below are bands used by working engineers, not live quotes. Tensile note: 304 annealed ~500–700 MPa UTS.
Fire performance in this atlas is editorial. Real projects need the assembly report.
Mechanical
Stiffness
Modulus follows chemistry and orientation — not the marketing nickname.
Toughness
Crack growth, not peak stress, retires most real parts.
Fatigue / creep
Cyclic and time-dependent damage dominate certificates issued on static coupons.
Hardness / hand
Indentation, drape or compressive class — whichever the trade actually measures.
Thermal
Conductivity
~15 W/m·K (austenitic) — Stainless steel is not a substitute for a dedicated λ layer.
Service temperature
Melting / softening / decomposition band: ~1400–1450 °C.
Expansion
Joints and clearances must follow the expansion class of Stainless steel, not of steel-by-habit.
Thermal mass
Density ~8.0 g/cm³ sets how fast a section changes temperature.
Ageing of λ
Foams, VIPs and moist batts drift; quote aged values.
Electrical
Conductor or dielectric
Stainless steel conducts; grade and temper still matter.
Static / EMI
Fillers and moisture change resistivity more than brochures admit.
Standards language
IACS, volume resistivity or dielectric strength — pick the quantity the job uses.
Fire
Reaction to fire
Typical declared class: A1 metal. This is not a universal passport.
Resistance vs reaction
Euroclass is reaction. EI/R ratings are assemblies — boards, coats, cavities.
Melt-drip / char
Stainless steel tends to char or stay inorganic rather than melt-drip like commodity olefins.
Smoke / toxicity
CO, HCN, HF or fibres — the species depend on chemistry. Name the test (ISO 5659, EN 45545, NFPA 1971).
If a salesperson quotes a single “safety score”, ask which standard, which thickness, which year.
Keep exploring
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