AISI-204 Cu 1

[frothie]

There is a big problem with the Italian sanitary department refusing customs entry for food related products that use AISI-204Cu Stainless Steel wire.

They reject it because it has no UNI equivalent.

Does anyone know the UNI equivalent of this very recent alloy?

 

[TVP]

I don't believe there is an equivalent in the UNI designation system. First, let's clarify exactly what the grade is because there is no such thing as AISI 204Cu. AISI stopped maintaining product standards many years ago, which means that SAE and ASTM are the appropriate North American standards to reference. There is a low-Ni austenitic stainless steel with the UNS designation UNS S20400 made by AK Steel and marketed under the Nitronic 30 tradename. I am only aware of it being available in flat products (sheet, plate), and it is included in standards such as ASTM A 240 and A 666.

UNI EN 10088-1 is a list of all the official stainless steel grades referenced in the various product standards such as UNI EN 10088-2, UNI EN 10263-5, etc. I could not find any exact equivalent to UNS S20400, nor anything I would call a close equivalent. Grade 1.4597 and 1.4371 are similar, but not equivalent. If AK Steel is your material supplier then I would talk to them about this issue. Perhaps referencing an ASTM standard like A 666 would be sufficient.

 

[frothie]

Hi TVP

Thanks for your reply. This is the problem we face. The Italians are insistent on this equivalent and will not entertain the argument that it does not exist. It is causing a big problem for my company since most toasters use this new grade of wire.

The company who manufacture it is called MSCO - Metal and Steel Corp from Taiwan. I attach a PDF of the alloy.

 

[TVP]

frothie,

I read some more background on this, including the reference to the Allegheny Ludlum patent included in the MSCO datasheet, and now I understand your issue. UNS S20430 is the grade identified by MSCO as AISI-204Cu. It is included in ASTM A 313, which is a spring wire standard for stainless steels. It is produced in wire form by Cartech and others like MSCO.

Things get tricky when it comes to "standardizing" patented alloys. Apparently the Europeans standardized a grade called X8CrMnCuNB17-8-3 (1.4597) in EN 10088-1 with the 2005 revision. The previous 1995 revision does not include it. However, this grade is specified with a maximum Ni content of 2.00 % (by mass), which does not conform with the requirements of UNS S20430 such as that specified in ASTM A 313 or outlined in the MSCO document. Perhaps this was done so that other producers could make something similar without infringing upon the AL patent. Ugitech even has a technical paper on their website where they use a tradename Steadinox to refer to X8CrMnCuNB17-8-3, and then also call it 204Cu:

http://www.ugitech.fr/system/online/sources/Documents/articlesCRU/C014-P061byJM Hauser.pdf

Unless MSCO intentionally produces their version with less than 2.00% Ni, then I do not know how you will obtain a UNI-approved grade.

 

[mcguire]

It sounds like you have found a non-tariff barrier to free trade. Since you are up against the formidable Italian bureauacrcy, who are loathe to "job-stealing" imports, I think it's time to change alloys. The EU is a no-200 series zone to begin with.

Michael McGuire

http://stainlesssteelforengineers.blogspot.com/

 

[frothie]

Hey, I don't think our buddies in the EU would do that, surely not.

 

[frothie]

Do you have an alternative alloy in mind, particularly one that has an easily identifiable UNI number.