They have additional applications in which strength, toughness, and resistance to wear are required. Stainless steel resists corrosion and is used widely in items such as automotive and food processing products, as well as medical and health equipment. Grade is the chemical specification of the steel. In the steel industry, there are associations and institutes that have written specifications for steel producers and have brought standardization to steel making and steel buying. These grades are usually non-magnetic and are used for pots and pans, kitchen utensils, brewery tanks, sinks, wheel covers, and hypodermic needles.
Carbon is added in to enable the material to be hardened by heat treatment.
Martensitic stainless steels are magnetic. Martensitic stainless is used in steam turbines, jet engines, cutlery, gears, valve parts, petroleum and petrochemical equipment, medical instruments, scissors and bearings. They may contain other alloys for specific characteristics. The ferritic stainless steels are magnetic. They are used in food-handling equipment, heat exchangers and piping for sea water, and automobile exhaust systems.