High temperature strength and wear resistance. Disadvantage is high cost, poor weldability and machinability with increasing alloy content. Wear resistance combined with high core toughness and fatigue resistance. In case hardening, the surface of the steel is hardened but the hardness, maximized at the surface, grades into a softer, more ductile, core. Austenitic steels have excellent ductility at ambient and at low temperatures.
Disadvantage is high cost and low strength.
Available in sheet, strip, plate, bar, wire and tubing. Most widely used in general applications. Disadvantage is the tendency to grain in coarsening. Available in bar, plate, sheet and strip. Parts requiring combination of good general corrosion resistance with good stress corrosion resistance, sea-water applications.