Coxreels offers various stainless steel grade choices to customers, ideally servicing exact specification needs. Coxreels offers complete stainless steel reels and powder-coated steel reels with stainless steel fluid paths. Customers can choose between 316 and 304-grade stainless steels for their fluid paths on many reel types to best match the necessary corrosion resistance of their reel according to the application. Coxreels stainless steel reel spools and frames will remain 302/304 grade stainless and are optionally available in an electro-polished finish for additional corrosion resistance.
302/304 and 316 are the two primary stainless steel types used in the reel industry. With inherent metallurgical differences, each category offers different levels of corrosion protection and cost. The 302/304 are the most commonly used stainless steels and are found in most applications where corrosion-resistant steel is required such as food and beverage, sanitation, dairy, pharma, appliances, and sinks. 316-grade stainless steel is commonly considered the most corrosion resistance of the stainless steel grades and can be up to 4X more resistant to corrosion than 302/304.
Selecting the proper stainless grade for the application is important to balance the cost vs needed corrosion resistance. 316 is usually recommended for marine applications, some acidic fluids, chemicals that end in “ine” such as chlorine, bromine, etc, and is also often specified when long-lasting appearance is desired.
