Ferritic Stainless Steel Columns

Roben, Mfg., Inc. specializes in the custom engineering and fabrication of ferritic stainless steel for chemical, fine chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, defense, and power-generation industries. Every project is designed to ASME Section VIII Division 1 (with optional Division 2), is National Board registered, complies with the European Pressure Equipment Directive (PED 2014/68/EU) for CE marking, and is registered under the Canadian Registration Number (CRN) system for all Canadian provinces.

What Ferritic Stainless Steel Are

Ferritic stainless steels (grades 409, 430, 439, 444) are chromium-only stainless steels with body-centered cubic structure. They offer good corrosion resistance, excellent oxidation resistance at elevated temperatures, and immunity to chloride stress-corrosion cracking — at lower cost than austenitic grades.

Why Ferritic Stainless Steel Matter

Ferritic grades are selected when chloride stress-corrosion cracking immunity is required, when high-temperature oxidation resistance is the key driver, or where the lower thermal expansion of ferritic stainless is a benefit. Common applications: heat exchanger tubes, exhaust systems, automotive emissions, and certain chemical-process columns.

Ferritic Stainless Steel — Specifications and Capabilities

Grades: 409, 430, 439 (18Cr-Ti), 444 (18Cr-2Mo-Ti)

Forms: Plate, sheet, pipe, fittings

Welding: GTAW, SMAW with low-hydrogen consumables, qualified per ASME IX

Heat treatment: Post-weld heat treatment may be required to restore corrosion resistance

Magnetic: Yes (magnetic — unlike austenitic)

Certifications and Codes

ASME Section VIII Division 1 — U-stamp

ASME Section VIII Division 2 — available on request

National Board registration — R-stamp

PED 2014/68/EU — CE marking with Notified Body coordination

CRN — registered for all Canadian provinces

NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 — sour-service compliance

AWS D1.1 / ASME Section IX — qualified welding procedures and welders

Frequently Asked Questions About Ferritic Stainless Steel

When is ferritic stainless steel preferred over austenitic?

When chloride stress-corrosion cracking is a concern (ferritic grades are immune), when high-temperature oxidation resistance is the driver, or when cost reduction matters and the service does not require austenitic-grade general corrosion resistance.

What is grade 444 stainless steel?

444 is a 18Cr-2Mo-Ti ferritic stainless that offers chloride pitting resistance comparable to 316L without the nickel content. It is used in cooling water service and heat exchanger applications.

What welding considerations apply to ferritic stainless?

Ferritic grades can suffer from grain growth and embrittlement in the heat-affected zone. We use stabilized grades (439, 444), low-heat-input procedures, and post-weld heat treatment when required.

Is ferritic stainless steel magnetic?

Yes. Unlike austenitic stainless steel (which is non-magnetic in the annealed state), ferritic grades are ferromagnetic.

Can Roben Mfg. fabricate columns and components in ferritic stainless?

Yes. We have welding procedure qualifications and material control systems for 409, 430, 439, and 444 ferritic grades, and routinely fabricate to ASME VIII Div. 1 in these materials.

Request a Quote on This Project

Contact Roben Mfg., Inc. to discuss your project specifications, timeline, and material requirements.

📞 (732) 364-6000 ✉ sales@robenmfg.com 📍 760 Vassar Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701

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Ferritic Stainless Steel Column Fabrication