AMS 5738 - 303 Stainless Steel Bars & Forgings
AMS 5738 covers 303 Stainless Steel bars and forgings. This is an austenitic chromium-nickel stainless steel . basically, your classic 18-8 stainless , but with a bit of extra sulfur thrown in. That tweak makes it much easier to machine. You’ll see it everywhere in the screw machine world and in parts that need real precision, like shafts, valves, and fittings.
Type 303, made to AMS 5738, stands up well to corrosion in everyday air and in environments that aren’t too harsh. In its annealed form, it’s not magnetic at all, but if you cold work it, you can get a bit of magnetism creeping in. The added sulfur definitely helps with machining, but it does mean this steel isn’t the right choice for high-pressure vessels or anything that needs to safely hold fluids under pressure.
Applications of AMS 5738
AMS 5738 is widely used in :
- Aerospace fasteners and precision shafts
- Industrial machinery requiring swaging, upsetting, or machining
- Screw machine components, valves, and fittings
What is 303 Stainless Steel ?
Stainless Steel 303 is a free machining stainless steel. Due to the addition of sulfur this 18-8 chrome nickel stainless steel has enhanced machinability where before it was tough and difficult to machine. Stainless Steel 303 is widely used in the screw machine industry, as well as for use in shafts, valves and fittings. Stainless Steel 303 is not recommended for vessels containing gases or liquids under high pressure.
303 STAINLESS STEEL SPECIFICATIONS
BARS & FORGINGS
High-strength bars and forgings for precision-machined parts.
Certified Material for Critical Service
303 Stainless Steel is available as certified material for critical service applications. This means that every batch is tested and documented to meet aerospace, defense, and industrial standards, ensuring compliance with chemical composition, mechanical properties, and dimensional tolerances.
Certification typically includes:
- Mill Test Reports (MTRs) verifying chemical and mechanical properties
- Compliance with AMS, MIL, and QQ specifications
- Traceability from raw material to finished product
- Assurance for use in high-performance, safety-critical components
By using certified 303 Stainless Steel, manufacturers and engineers can ensure reliable performance in critical applications, from aerospace fasteners to precision machinery, where material integrity and consistency are essential.