316LVM / 316LS

Material

    316LVM, 316LS, UNS S31673, UNS S31675, W.Nr. 1.4441, 00Cr18Ni14Mo3, X2CrNiMo18-15-3

Overview

Stainless steel 316LVM, 316LS, S31673, S31675 for surgical implants.

The grade of 316LVM is a modified version of 316 with low carbon, high nickel and molybdenum. The purpose of the improvement of chemical composition is to maximize the corrosion resistance of the material by obtaining a ferrite free metallographic structure. In order to ensure purity and uniformity, the double vacuum smelting process (VIM+VAR) is generally adopted.

The material is non-magnetic even after strict cold – forming operation.

Characteristics

  • High strength
  • High fatigue strength
  • Excellent microcleanliness
  • Excellent structural homogeneity
  • High surface finish
  • Good biocompatibility

Application

316LVM material has been used for many years for permanent implants with good corrosion resistance under annealing conditions. Many new alloys have been studied with 316LVM as a reference. This stainless steel has good ductility in cold working condition.

316LVM is used for implant applications, suture line, orthopaedic connecting wire, skin suture nail, catheter, stylet, bone nail, hipstems, femoralheads, spinalsystems, acetabularcups, intramedullarynails, bonescrews, kneejoints, and pins, bone and nail plates, internal fixation devices, dental implants, staples.
This grade is also used for cardiovascular applications: guide wires, cardiac stents and for surgicalin struments and tools; blood lancets, stylets, trocars etc.

Chemical composition

wt% C Si Mn P S Cr Ni Mo
17.00 13.00 2.25
0.03 0.75 2.00 0.025 0.010 19.00 15.00 3.00
wt% N Cu Al Ti Nb Ca Se
0.10 0.20 0.010 0.020 0.050 0.020 0.020

Mechanical property (in annealed condition)

Tensile Rm 71 ksi (min)
Tensile Rm 490 MPa (min)
R.p. 0.2% Yield 27.5 ksi (min)
R.p. 0.2% Yield 190 MPa (min)
Elongation (2″ or 4D gl) 40 % (min)

Heat treatment and hardness

Solution treatment 1040°C (1900°F), water or other rapid cool.

Hardness: max. 192 HBW or 200 HV or 90 HRB

Micro cleanliness

The micro cleanliness of the steel as determined by Method A of Test Methods E 45, except using Plate I-r, on representative billet or tube samples from the heat shall not exceed the following

Inclusion type A B C D
Thin 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
Heavy 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5

Available Process

  • Cold worked
  • Cold worked and bright annealed
  • Cold worked, annealed and pickled
  • Cold worked, polished (MP, EP etc.)
  • Cold worked, bright annealed, polished
  • (MP, EP etc.)

Common Tests

  • Chemical composition
  • Mechanical properties
  • Hardness
  • Grain size
  • Intergranular corrosion
  • Micro cleanliness
  • Micro structure
  • Eddy current
  • Ultra sonic
  • Hydrostatic
  • Flare
  • Flattening
  • Surface condition
  • Shape and dimension
  • Positive Material Identification

Product forms

Capillary tube

OD 0.08 ~ 6.0 mm
WT 0.015 ~ 1.5 mm

Thin wall & Ultra thin wall seamless tube

OD 6.0 ~ 80.0 mm
WT 0.05 ~ 4.5 mm

Micro ID and heavy wall seamless tube

OD 3.0 ~ 50.0 mm
ID 0.30 ~ 5.0 mm

Precision seamless tube

OD 6.0 ~ 89 mm
WT 0.50 ~ 9.0 mm

Profiled seamless tube

Build to drawing
Build to specification

Precision conic seamless tube

Bigger end: OD3.0 – 28.0mm
Smaller end: OD2.5 – 25.0mm
WT: 0.25 – 1.50mm

HP / UHP BA+ tube

OD 1.0 ~ 76 mm
WT 0.10 ~ 10.0 mm

Service

  • Precision cutting
  • Tube surface treatment, like ID surface super mirror polishing, best level could reach Ra0.0015um
  • Tube deep processing, like coiling, bending, end forming, body forming, laser processing, various needles processing, built to drawing and sample, etc.