Steel is a broad category of metals with many classifications and types depending on manufacturing process, composition, and use. Therefore, understanding the differences between surgical steel vs stainless steel is critical for industry players looking for the best CNC machining services.
Surgical steel is highly corrosion-resistant, non-porous, and biocompatible, making it ideal for medical applications. Stainless steel is a highly corrosion-resistant category of widely used metals encompassing various alloys.
In our manufacturing business and industrial interactions, we know that even the slightest differences between steel types can mean a lot. We have worked with 100+ materials and passed the ISO9001 quality system certification.
In this article, we compare surgical steel vs stainless steel to unpack the similarities and differences between the two metal categories.
What Is Surgical Steel? Can It Apply For Your Parts?
Surgical steel is a subset of stainless steel, typically containing chromium, nickel, and, in some cases, molybdenum, with a controlled carbon percentage. Understandably, people tend to consider stainless and surgical steel similar.
As an expert in CNC machining and with experience of 100+ materials, ProleanTech knows the intricacies of each of these metals. We can machine every metal according to properties and requirements to produce optimized items for your business.
Surgical steel is a sub-category of stainless steel. You can also call it medical-grade stainless steel or surgical stainless steel. Surgical-grade stainless steel is simply a low-carbon alloy with significant chromium content.
Various surgical steel grades have different properties. A popular grade is SAE 304 Stainless Steel, which is highly corrosion-resistant.
Components made from SAE 304 stainless steel
SAE 316L stainless steel is the preferred surgical-grade material for implants due to its superior corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Other grades in this class are 420, 440C, and 630 (17- 4) stainless steel.
What Are The Properties Of Surgical Steel To Consider?
Surgical steel has characteristics and properties that make it suitable for medical applications. It is popular for standard manufacturing and prototyping alike.
Read more about prototyping in this guide (Medical Device Prototyping Explained).
Here are some of its key properties that we find suitable as we CNC mill and turn parts in this category:
High Corrosion Resistance
Surgical stainless steel is renowned for its remarkable corrosion resistance. The metal’s chromium content of as much as 30% is whythe reason it performs very well under corrosion exposure, such as that exposed to sterilization trays during sterilization processes.
A stainless steel sterilization tray
This element forms an oxide layer on the metal that prevents corrosion. The self-repairing nature of this layer means that not even scratching the surface can render surgical steel prone to corrosion. The new surface reacts with oxygen to form another protective barrier.
Biocompatible For Safe Human Use
Surgical steel is biocompatible and, so it is suitable for medical devices and implants. Its contents are controlled, helping in predictable performance.
For instance, the 316L grade has inhibited nickel content, thus its risk of allergic reactions is minimal. This type of stainless steel easily integrates with body tissues, so it is popular for implants and other medical uses.
Stainless steel 316L for orthopedic implantation
Strong and Durable To Withstand Demanding Use
This steel grade is also strong and capable of undergoing stress without deformation. This further cements its suitability for medical applications, where high-stress applications are common.
Injection needles made of stainless steel
Surgical steel’s fatigue resistance is incredible, making the material perfect for repeated stresses.
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What Is Surgical Steel Used For? Relevance To Your Business
Surgical-grade stainless steel plays a critical role in the medical field. It is common in dental implants, surgical instruments, and syringes, which ProleanTech can manufacture for you using the most advanced technology for CNC milling in medical device manufacturing.
We use advanced manufacturing processes, the secret to our durable and cost-effective CNC-machined surgical-grade steel parts.
Stainless steel dental implants
The table below outlines some surgical steel grades with their main applications.
| Area of Application | Surgical steel grade |
| Bone fixation | 304 |
| Dental implants | 316L |
| Hazardous material containers | 304 |
| Dental and surgical equipment | 316, 316L, 420, 440B, 440C, 630 (17- 4) |
| needles and syringes | 304 |
| orthopedic implants | 304, 316L |
| Prostheses | 304 |
Pedicle screws for the spine (orthopedic) treatment
What Is Stainless Steel And Does It Matter?
Stainless steel is a family of iron-based alloys that contain a minimum of 10.5% chromium. This gives the material sufficient rust resistance for many industries, including marine, construction, automotive, and chemical processing.
Our CNC machining contribution to these industries is unquestionable. Tolerances of ±0.0002″ (0.005mm) and the capability to produce parts within a day are some reasons why we are widely acclaimed, as evidenced by ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485, and IATF 16949:2016 certification.
A limit on the amount of iron for stainless steel means additional alloying elements make up the rest of the material.
The minimum content of iron in stainless steel is 50%. If this percentage falls below this level, the resulting alloy assumes the name of the next largest alloying element.
The definition of stainless steel is incomplete without outlining the categories of the material, which are austenitic ss, ferritic ss, martensitic ss, duplex ss, and precipitation hardening ss.
Below is a summary of stainless steel types, their characteristics, and their properties.
| Stainless Steel Type | Properties | Grade Examples |
| Austenitic SS |
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| Ferritic SS |
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| Martensitic SS |
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| Duplex SS |
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| Precipitation hardening SS |
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What Are The Properties Of Stainless Steel, And Are They Important?
Stainless steel provides corrosion resistance, strength, and versatility. These properties are crucial for durability, reliability, safety, and compliance in the industries that use this material.
ProleanTech precisely and cost-effectively CNC-machines stainless steel parts for many industries, including aerospace, automotive, energy, and medical. Our processes are fast, and the results are unmatched.
Stainless steel derives its properties from its constituent elements. In property analysis, we consider the effects of the main elements.
Iron, The Strength Source
Iron is the base metal in stainless steel. This component gives the material its characteristic magnetism and strength. Iron maintains the structural integrity of stainless steel, especially in tough environments.
Chromium For Corrosion Resistance
As mentioned earlier, stainless steel contains 10.5% to 30% chromium. This element provides corrosion resistance to the material through a chromium oxide layer. Stainless steel self-heals even in tough environments.
A rusty scalpel
Nickel To Enhance Strength And Ductility
Nickel is an equally important element in stainless steel because it enhances ductility, strength, and formability. You need to increase the nickel percentage if you want stainless steel to be alkaline or acidic-resistant. Nickel also makes stainless steel shiny.
Other Elements – Carbon, Molybdenum, And So On
Carbon in stainless steel is responsible for the hardness and tensile strength of the material. Molybdenum is for crevice corrosion resistance and pitting resistance. There are several other elements, each with a specific contribution to the properties of stainless steel.
Note that hardness makes stainless steel relatively challenging to machine and affects part cost. Machinists should carefully choose the cutting speed and tool and other CNC machining aspects, to control costs. Read all about CNC machining to learn about machining cost factors.
What Is Stainless Steel Used For? A Widely Used Material
Stainless steel has multiple uses across different industries for applications such as kitchenware, medical devices, car exhaust systems, building facades, and processing plant equipment.
The material’s versatility makes it extremely attractive in architecture, food and beverage, automotive, chemical, and medical industries, among many others. If you operate in such fields and need parts, get a quote and partner with ProleanTech, the most customer-centric manufacturer.
Here’s a keener look at some of the most popular uses of stainless steel.
Strength, Appeal, And Corrosion Resistance For Kitchenware
This material is popular for the manufacture of many kitchen items. Kitchen sinks, knives, and saucepans are excellent examples. Kitchen appliances like cookers and fridges often incorporate stainless steel for corrosion resistance, strength, and visual appeal.
Chemical Plants – Strength And Corrosion Resistance
Stainless steel in a processing plant
Machines and equipment in processing plants are perpetually exposed to corrosive and high-stress environments. Stainless steel is perfect for such applications, particularly for its unmatched corrosion resistance.
You can learn more about the Process & Applications of Stainless Steel Fabrication, which is common in the chemicals industry.
Engineering Structures For Strength
These structures must meet strength, corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and visual appeal requirements. Stainless steel, particularly the duplex variety, is increasingly used in this space.
Strength is the top-most benefit of the material because it translates to less material being used. It enhances the strength-to-weight ratio of the structures.
Stainless steel for building facade
Medical Equipment For Hardness and Corrosion Resistance
If you are in the medical industry, you know the non-negotiable requirements for corrosion resistance, hardness, polishability, and scratch resistance. The chromium, molybdenum, and nickel elements enhance these properties.
Marine Applications’ Reliable With Corrosion Resistance
Stainless steel is prominent in pipeworks for marine or offshore environments. It makes reliable systems for transporting petrochemicals and related products.
Boat parts made of stainless steel
Other Applications Of Stainless Steel
You can do so much more with this material in almost any industry. Consider a type like duplex stainless steel and heat exchangers. It is a worthy material for sheet metal fabrication services for such jobs.
Stainless steel for heat exchanger
Get in touch with ProleanTech pros to know what type of stainless steel is ideal for your project. There are many considerations before using steel in a project.
Considering how stainless steel machining works, including the potential machining challenges, is most important. We are the most experienced team to handle this, having used 100+ materials in different projects.
Which Is Better, Surgical Steel Or Stainless Steel?
This could be the question after looking at the properties and capabilities of the two types of steel. None is better; the only demarcation is the suitability for specific applications. That’s our sentiment backed by years of experience handling 100+ materials.
Surgical steel and stainless steel are versatile, corrosion-resistant, and durable. These are just some similarities, but the materials also have differences, which help determine which type to use.
Distinctions are in the specific alloy contents, which give the materials their properties and characteristics. You can also find differences in the uses of steel for these categories.
Carbon Content Of The Two Materials
The main difference between the two steels is the carbon content. Stainless steel has more carbon than surgical steel. This difference is crucial because steel in surgical applications should withstand harsh fluids and chemicals.
Nickel Content For The Two Steels
The nickel content for the two is also different, with surgical steel having less of this element. This means that this steel has reduced potential for allergic triggers in users. The hypoallergenic feature of surgical steel makes it popular in this industry.
Uses Of Surgical Steel vs Stainless Steel
Due to cost, stainless steel may not be used in general applications. It is usually used for kitchenware and appliances. The material is also popular in the aerospace, architecture, and automotive industries.
Surgical steel is more specific in its uses; it is confined to the biomedical environment. This material is prominently used to manufacture orthopedic devices, dental implants, and surgical instruments.
Conclusion
Surgical and stainless steel are prominent in the industries for their attractive properties. Knowing that surgical steel is a special subset of stainless steel helps ensure the perfect performance in your parts through informed selection.
The fact that every type of steel is unique is also crucial in making projects work as envisaged. With careful selection, any material should work exceptionally.
At ProleanTech, we encourage you to engage us for a deep but fast analysis of your steel requirements and recommendations for parts. You can contact us today to speak with our experts on the differences between surgical steel vs stainless steel, and the possibilities each type presents.
FAQs
What is stainless steel made out of?
Stainless steel is made of iron, chromium, nickel, and other elements.
Is surgical steel and stainless steel the same?
Surgical steel and stainless steel are not the same, but they are related. All surgical steels are stainless steel but not all stainless steels are surgical steel.
Does surgical steel have nickel?
Yes, surgical steel has nickel as one of the elements.
Is surgical steel magnetic?
Surgical steel may or may not be magnetic based on the content. Heat-treated varieties are more likely magnetic due to iron presence. If the chromium content is high, the steel can be non-magnetic.
Will surgical steel rust?
Yes, surgical steel can rust if the circumstances allow. Being stainless does not mean it can never rust or corrode. With time, all stainless steels eventually rust. A higher chromium content and proper cleaning procedures can delay rusting.
Which stainless steel is better?
The suitability of a stainless steel grade depends on the project considerations. Some grades have better corrosion resistance, while others are more versatile or durable, and so on.
Does surgical steel tarnish or rust?
Yes, surgical steel tarnishes or rusts over time. This is a common occurrence for all types of stainless steel.
Is surgical steel safe for piercings?
Yes, surgical steel is safe for piercings.
What are the disadvantages of surgical steel?
The disadvantages of surgical steel include higher cost than common stainless steel and machining difficulty.
Is surgical steel good for sensitive skin?
Yes, this steel is good for sensitive skin because it has reduced nickel content.
What are the benefits of surgical stainless steel?
The benefits of surgical stainless steel include corrosion resistance, strength, durability, and safety.
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