Stainless steel for shaping by severe working and notably by cold striking or drawing into small diameter wires, with a controlled composition for selection of the type and dimensions of its inclusions

摘要

Stainless steel comprises (by weight): 5 /* 10<-3> to 100 /* 10<-3> % carbon; 0.2 to 2 % manganese; 10 to 23 % chromium; 0 to 17 % nickel; 0.1 to 2 % silicon; less than 3 % molybdenum; less than 4% copper; and less than 30/*10<-3> % sulfur. It also has controlled contents of the following elements: 1/*10<-3> to 100/*10<-3> % titanium; 1/*10<-3> to 400/*10<-3> % nitrogen; less than 40/*10<-4> % aluminum; less than 20/*10<-4> % magnesium; 4/*10<-3> to 20/*10<-3> % oxygen; the remainder iron and residual production impurities, and incorporating globular inclusions mainly containing titanium oxide. The stainless steel has an austenitic microstructure after heat treatment.