Frequently asked questions
Specifications, ordering, shipping, certifications.
- What stainless steel grades do you produce?
- Our standard catalog covers water-atomized 316L and 304L. We can also produce 17-4 PH and 430 for trial orders of 25 kg or more. Other alloys: please send your spec and we will let you know whether it is in our process window.
- What is the typical particle size range?
- Standard SKUs are sieved to 150 mesh (≈100 µm), 200 mesh (≈75 µm), and 250 mesh (≈58 µm) cut points. Custom splits — for example 200/325 mesh fines, or a tight 250–325 mesh band — are available with a 25 kg minimum.
- Why water-atomized rather than gas-atomized?
- For sintered metal filter cartridges the irregular, cauliflower morphology produced by water atomization is preferred — it gives stronger inter-particle necking during sintering and a more predictable open-porosity structure than spherical gas-atomized powder. Water atomization is also significantly more cost-effective per kilogram, which matters in the filter cartridge market.
- Do you provide a Certificate of Analysis?
- Yes. Every lot ships with a CoA covering chemistry (OES), PSD (D10/D50/D90 by laser diffraction), apparent and tap density (per ASTM B212/B527), oxygen content (LECO), and flow rate (Hall flowmeter, where applicable). MSDS, REACH, and RoHS letters are available on request.
- What is your minimum order quantity?
- MOQ is 25 kg for stocked SKUs and 25–50 kg for custom blends. Sample quantities (typically 1 kg) are free of charge for qualified industrial customers; freight is at cost.
- What shipping incoterms do you support?
- EXW, FOB Ningbo / Shanghai, CIF, and DDP. Sea freight is standard for orders above 100 kg; air freight and express courier are available for samples and urgent orders. We handle MSDS, dangerous-goods classification (typically not regulated for stainless powder), and origin certificates.
- What is the typical lead time?
- Stocked 316L and 304L SKUs ship within 7 working days of payment. Custom blends typically take 3–4 weeks from spec confirmation to ready-to-ship. Sample orders ship within 5–7 working days.
- Can you keep the same heat number across re-orders?
- For high-volume filter-cartridge OEMs we can reserve a heat or schedule a dedicated atomization run. Talk to us about your annual forecast and we will plan accordingly.
Didn't find your question?
Send your spec through the inquiry form and we'll reply within one business day.