Stainless Steel Water Tank Panel Material Testing Standards Explained

Many buyers and end customers often have concerns about whether the material of water tank panels complies with relevant standards. The content of trace elements and related physical properties directly affect product quality and reliability.

As one of the largest stainless steel sectional water tank panel manufacturers in Northern China, product quality has always been our core competitive advantage. We regularly conduct random sampling inspections of our products. Recently, we randomly selected materials from customer-ordered products and submitted them for testing. On the one hand, this provides customers with professional material inspection reports; on the other hand, it is also part of our routine quality control process.

Sample Testing Information

Test Sample: Stainless steel water tank panel
Material Grade: 304 / 06Cr19Ni10
Testing Environment: Temperature 19℃, Relative Humidity 42%
Testing Standard: GB/T 3280-2015
Testing Items: Carbon, Silicon, Manganese, Phosphorus, Sulfur, Chromium, and Nickel (7 elements)

GB/T 3280-2015 is one of the most commonly used standards for stainless steel materials in China. The full name is:

GB/T 3280-2015 Stainless Steel Cold Rolled Sheet and Strip

Test Results

We commissioned a professional third-party testing organization to analyze the sampled material. The detailed material inspection report is as follows:

Test Item	Technical Requirement	Test Result	Judgment
Carbon (C) %	≤0.07	0.03	Pass
Silicon (Si) %	≤0.75	0.48	Pass
Manganese (Mn) %	≤2.00	0.94	Pass
Phosphorus (P) %	≤0.045	0.029	Pass
Sulfur (S) %	≤0.030	0.005	Pass
Chromium (Cr) %	17.50–19.50	18.16	Pass
Nickel (Ni) %	8.00–10.50	8.03	Pass

What Does 304 / 06Cr19Ni10 Mean?

304 / 06Cr19Ni10 actually refers to the same stainless steel material represented under different standard systems.

06Cr19Ni10 is the Chinese GB standard designation for 304 stainless steel.

Common Equivalent Grades in GB/T 3280-2015:

Chinese Grade	International Equivalent
06Cr19Ni10	SUS304 / ASTM 304
022Cr19Ni10	SUS304L
06Cr17Ni12Mo2	SUS316
022Cr17Ni12Mo2	SUS316L

Taking 304 / 06Cr19Ni10 as an example:

• 06 = Carbon content of approximately 0.06%
• Cr19 = Chromium content of approximately 19%
• Ni10 = Nickel content of approximately 10%

316 stainless steel is developed from 304 by adding molybdenum (Mo).

• Mo2 = Molybdenum content of approximately 2.00–3.00%

The addition of molybdenum improves resistance to chloride corrosion, making 316 stainless steel more suitable for applications with higher corrosion requirements.

Corresponding Stainless Steel Grades Under Different International Standards

Different regions use different stainless steel designation systems. Taking 304 stainless steel as an example:

Grade Name	Standard System	Description
SUS304	Japanese JIS Standard	Japanese stainless steel designation system
06Cr19Ni10	Chinese GB Standard	Chinese stainless steel designation system
304 Stainless Steel	American ASTM Standard	Most commonly used designation in international trade
1.4301 / X5CrNi18-10	European EN Standard	European stainless steel designation system

The above is an introduction to the testing standards and basic knowledge of 304 stainless steel water tank panels.

If you are purchasing modular water tank panels and are unsure how to select the right material, please feel free to contact us. We will provide professional technical support and suitable solutions for your project.

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