Food Grade Stainless Steel

Food-grade stainless steel is a safe metal for food preparation and water storage. Due to its inability to be die cast, many companies opt for investment casting or machining, overlooking the advantages of metal injection molding (MIM) for high-volume, complex stainless steel molds.

Metal Injection Molding for Food Grade Metals

When seeking a food-safe metal, customers often prioritize strength and corrosion resistance. Although aluminum, zinc, and copper can be used for food-safe components, they require post-casting coating to prevent leaching into food. Stainless steel, on the other hand, eliminates the need for coating or plating, reducing secondary operations and costs.

To ensure the safety of food and water, it is crucial to minimize residual metal and flash. MIM tools are designed with less flashing due to the use of stronger metals compared to die casting alloys, making post-production corrections more difficult.

Popular Food Safe Stainless Steel

One of the most important aspects of food grade stainless steel is the sanitary finish. It needs to be easily and reliably cleaned and sanitized. If not, the surface may be susceptible to harmful bacteria growth—which is not compatible with FDA regulations.

Most food processing equipment is made from 304 or 316 austenitic stainless steels. While OptiMIM offers a variety of stainless steels for metal injection molding, MIM-316L is most widely used when it comes to components that are safe for food and clean water. Not only does MIM-316L have high strength properties, but it is also very corrosion resistant—which is important for metals that come in contact with acids that break down and change the alloy composition over time. The high alloy and low carbon content of MIM-316L make it a great fit for food grade applications.

Use our metal selector tool to compare mechanical and physical properties of other MIM alloys.

Designing For MIM

Metal injection molding offers design freedom from the traditional constraints of shaping stainless steel. Not only can you create complex stainless steel parts at high volumes, but MIM makes it possible for designers to mold parts with:

• Holes and slots
• Undercuts, both internal and external
• Threads
• Ribs and webs
• Knurling, lettering and logos

With metal injection molding you can achieve tighter tolerances by only having to place material where it is needed for function and strength.  

For small, complex parts demanding high strength, corrosion resistance, and food safety, consider consulting with an OptiMIM design engineer to explore the MIM process and its advantages for food-grade applications.