Welding Journal

Q: During a recent shop visit where 304 stainless steel was being welded, a welder asked why some stainless steels are magnetic while others are not. Why is this the case?

A: The answer has to do with the chemical composition and metallurgical structure of the base metal and weld metal. 

Historically, welding personnel learned a trick of the trade: To determine if a metal is stainless steel, use a magnet. If the metal is nonmagnetic, it is stainless st..