Stainless Steel Welding Services

Corrosion-resistant, strong, and easy to sanitize, stainless steel is the material of choice for industrial components across a wide range of manufacturers. Unlike carbon steel, however, extreme care must be taken when welding stainless steel components.

Too much heat causes chromium to form carbides at the grain boundaries — a condition called sensitization — which strips away the chromium that gives stainless its corrosion resistance. Additionally, the components being joined must be kept free from any impurities that may be on their surfaces, because they can affect the strength of the weld and lead to cracking.

That’s why stainless welding comes down to procedure and experience. Rhinehart Development has been fabricating with stainless for years. Our shop runs both metal inert gas (MIG) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) equipment, so we can match the process to the grade and the joint. We weld stainless for manufacturers in aerospace, agriculture, and defense.

Grades and Process Control

The right approach depends on the grade. We weld 304 and 304L for general fabrication and food-contact parts, 316 and 316L where chloride exposure or washdown chemicals are a factor, and duplex grades where higher strength and stress-corrosion resistance matter. Each one has its own heat input window, filler match, and distortion behavior, and we build the procedure around the grade rather than running everything the same way.

Controlled heat input and interpass temperature to prevent sensitization and protect corrosion resistance
Back-purge on TIG root passes for tube, pipe, and vessel work, so the inside of the weld is as clean as the outside
Dedicated stainless tooling, brushes, and grinding media — no carbon steel cross-contamination, which is the most common cause of surface rust on finished stainless
Filler metal matched to the base grade, with low-carbon fillers where sensitization is a concern
Passivation and finishing coordinated through our sister company, Rhinehart Finishing, to restore the passive layer after welding

Applications for Stainless Steel Welding

Rhinehart Development has experience providing stainless steel welding capabilities for customers in industries such as:

Agriculture: Stainless steel is often the choice for manufacturing feeding pails and livestock troughs, thanks to how easy it is to clean and sterilize. It’s also used to fabricate parts for fertilizer application systems and grain handling hoppers.
Aerospace: We weld stainless fuel and hydraulic line assemblies, brackets, firewalls, and ground support equipment for aerospace manufacturers.
Defense: From rugged exhaust systems for military vehicles to housings for sensitive electronics, military contractors often use stainless steel for various parts and components in mission-critical equipment.

Stainless Steel Welding Certified for Quality

Rhinehart Development is certified to ISO 9001:2015 by BSI, the business standards company. Every job we run for a customer is performed under that quality management system. We are dedicated to delivering welded stainless steel components our customers can depend on to be as strong and reliable as possible.

Your One-Stop Stainless Steel Fabrication Shop

On top of our welding capabilities for stainless steel, Rhinehart Development also offers numerous other fabrication services to help you with your project. Our facilities include a full tool and die shop along with an industrial blasting cabinet. Once the fabrication is complete, we can coordinate finishing with our sister company, Rhinehart Finishing.

Keeping these services in one place reduces complexity and keeps results consistent. Fewer handoffs means fewer chances for something to get lost between them.

Choose Rhinehart Development for Stainless Steel Fabrication

At Rhinehart Development, we are committed to making your next fabrication project as smooth and successful as we can. If you’re ready to learn more about what makes us the best choice for an all-in-one fabrication and contract manufacturing solution, get in touch with us today. We’re more than happy to discuss your welding needs and talk about how we can help. Give us a call or fill out our contact form to get started.

Rely on Rhinehart