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Stainless Steel Training

The stainless steel industry and several professional associations have developed some very useful educational programs, available free or reasonably priced. In combination with our downloadable free building and construction library and resource pages, they are a great way for architects, engineers, fabricators and other decision makers to increase their knowledge quickly.

Designing Structural Stainless Steel

American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) offers a 2-part, 3-hour webinar based on the AISC Steel Design Guide 27: Structural Stainless Steel. Part 1 provides an overview of the families of stainless steel and material selection, properties, specifications, history and other information. Part 2 includes the design rules and how the unique properties of stainless steel impact both design and fabrication. It is available without charge unless continuing education credit is desired. Learn about Designing Structural Stainless Steel.

Stainless Steels for Lecturers and Students of Architecture and Civil Engineering
The International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) has developed 11 short and informative educational modules for architecture and civil engineering students and educators. No prior knowledge of stainless steel is required. The modules can be downloaded in pdf or in a zipped powerpoint file format:

These courses are also available in French, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Spanish on the ISSF website.

Stainless Steel Specialist Course
This ISSF 17 module training program is designed to improve knowledge of stainless steel and its properties, performance and applications using interactive e-learning modules. It is suitable for all engineers, fabricators, architects, sales and marketing staff, and others working with stainless steel.

Users can select the specific modules that are relevant to their information needs. A certificate of completion is provided after passing a test, identifying the specific modules studied. The cost is US$30 per module. Learn about the Stainless Steel Specialist Course.

  1. Introduction to Stainless Steel - austenitic, ferritic, duplex, martensitic, and precipitation hardening stainless steels.
  2. Stainless Steel vs Corrosion: How stainless steel is affected by and resists corrosion - corrosion process, passivity, general corrosion, galvanic corrosion, erosion/abrasion, intergranular corrosion, pitting corrosion, crevice corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking.
  3. Mechanical Properties of Stainless Steel - mechanical properties, austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, duplex, and precipitation hardening stainless steels.
  4. Surface Finish on Stainless Steels - design, finish and fabrication, mill forms, fabrication and special finishing methods, pickling and passivation, cleaning stainless steel, care on site and erection, and routine cleaning and maintenance.
  5. Fabricating Corrosion Resisting and Stainless Steels - corrosion resistance, storage, handling, forming and cutting, welding, fabrication, and passivating.
  6. Cutting of Stainless Steels - mechanical cutting, thermal cutting, and new technology.
  7. Metallurgy of Stainless Steels - history, classifications, and characteristics of stainless steels.
  8. Welding and Joining of Stainless Steels - nature of stainless steel, weldability, processes, shielding gases, dissimilar metals, and fume control.
  9. Machining Stainless Steels - tooling, cutting fluids, corrosion resistance, drilling, turning, tapping, die threading, thread rolling, reaming, and milling.
  10. Practical Considerations for Designing in Stainless Steel - resistance to environment, mechanical properties, fabrication, economic considerations.
  11. Stainless Steel and Stainless Alloy Castings - processes, classifications, chemical composition, microstrucure, heat treatment, machining, welding, mechanical properties, and applications of stainless steel castings.
  12. Forging Stainless Steels - production of forging, starting stock for forging, heating for forging, cooling after forging, and post forging requirements.
  13. Stainless Steel Pipe and Tube - production manufacturing processes, welding processes, finishing operations, longitudinally welded vs seamless, forming, and applications.
  14. Cold Forming Stainless Steels - stainless steel formability and forming processes.
  15. Deep Drawing of Stainless Steels - properties and practical considerations for deep forming processes.
  16. Stainless Steel and Stainless Alloys at High Temperature - mechanical properties and corrosion resistance.
  17. Ferritic Stainless Steels - properties, performance, availability and considerations for fabrication.

Stainless Steels Self-Study Course
ASM International’s in-depth Stainless Steel Self-Study Course is intended for designers, technicians, fabricators, engineers, process engineers and maintenance engineers. It assumes at least a basic knowledge of the mechanical properties of steel. There is a fee.

  1. Introduction to Stainless Steels: designations for wrought and cast alloys; common characteristics; general classifications; austenitic, martensitic, ferritic, precipitation-hardening and other stainless steels; cryogenic applications
  2. Physical Metallurgy of Stainless Steels: transformations in pure iron; iron-iron carbide system; iron-nickel, iron-chromium, iron-chromium-carbon and iron-chromium-nickel alloys; special additions to stainless steels
  3. Properties of Austentic Stainless Steels: nomenclature and compositions; physical and mechanical properties; mechanical properties of cold-worked austenitic stainless steels; impact properties of cold-worked steels; fatigue properties
  4. Properties of Martensitic and Ferritic Stainless Steels: martensitic stainless steels; response of individual grades; effect of factors related to heat treatment; properties of ferritic stainless steels; sensitization; uses of ferritic stainless steels
  5. Heat- and Corrosion-Resistant Alloy Castings
  6. Properties of Precipitation-Hardening
  7. Heat Treating
  8. Forging, Machining, Cleaning and Finishing
  9. Cold Forming
  10. Deep Drawing
  11. Metallurgy of Welding
  12. Joining
  13. Corrosion of Metals
  14. Corrosion Resistance
  15. Stainless Steels at High Temperature

Stainless Steels and Metallurgy for the Non Metallurgist courses
Both of these 4-day intensive live courses are conducted by ASM International at regular intervals and there is a fee.

The Stainless Steels course is intended for the same audience as the Stainless Steels Self-Study Course. Attendees will understand the mechanical and physical properties of the different stainless steels, alloy selection for specific applications, troubleshooting corrosion failure problems and the best processes to use in the manufacture of stainless steel components.

The Metallurgy for the Non Metallurgist course is for those involved in manufacturing, engineering and construction who need an understanding of metals, their behavior, relative strength, corrosion resistance and shaping by casting, forging, forming, machining, or welding.

Additional Resources
Additional courses, workshops, and symposiums are often available from stainless steel development associations, professional associations and standard setting organizations such as NACE and ASTM International. Please look at their websites for more information.