nickel-containing stainless steels are easy to form and weld

In addition to their inherent corrosion resistance, nickel-containing stainless steels are easy to form and weld; they remain ductile at very low temperatures and yet can be used for high-temperature applications. In addition, unlike conventional steel and non-nickel-containing stainless steel, they are non-magnetic. This means they can be made into an exceptionally wide range of products, spanning applications in the chemical industry, the health sector and domestic uses. In fact, nickel is so important that nickel-containing grades make up 75% of stainless steel production. The best-known of these are Type 304, which has 8% nickel and Type 316, which has 11%.