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The term 'stainless steel' is used to refer to the alloys of iron, with chromium added to it (up to 10.5 per cent). Stainless steel can contain alloys like nickel, molybdenum, titanium or copper, which help in making the metal stronger and more resistant to external factors. In addition, it can also contain elements like carbon and nitrogen.

Stainless Steel in the Industry

It's widely used in industries where hygiene is of great importance - medicine, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, dairy, and supply of drinking water. There are several factors that make stainless steel the top choice for these industries. The most common requirement is that the metal used to manufacture equipment in some industries (be it medicine or hospitality) should not react with what is stored or cooked inside it. It is important in a restaurant or cafe, for instance, that the food should not react to the container it is cooked in, and vice versa.

Resistant to Corrosion 

The word 'stainless' suggests it steel is completely stain-proof. This is not exactly the truth. Stainless steel, however, does not stain easily. It also does not corrode or rust as easily as some of the other metals. Steel does not corrode or stain easily because the chromium in it creates a barrier of chromium oxide, which keeps it protected from rusting, and also safeguards the inner structure from being affected by corrosion. In industries where hygiene is given primary importance, the usage of a metal prone to corrosion would mean the manufacturer has to replace the equipment regularly. Steel, by virtue of resisting corrosion, is a good long-term solution.

Easy Maintenance

It is easier to maintain than most other metals, and this makes it popular in pharmaceutical, healthcare and hospitality industries, where very high standards of hygiene are to be followed. It can be washed or clean easily, and sterilised without changing its form or structure. Its smooth surfaces are easy to wash or wipe off, and leave fewer chances for germs to adhere to it and thrive.

It is also very strong; a small pan of stainless steel will be able to carry a greater amount of material in it, than a pan made of any other material.

In the healthcare industry, it is used to make equipment, surgical tools and even implants (since it does not corrode in a patient's body). Even when exposed to strong disinfectants, it does not alter in form or composition

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