What Is Sanitary Stainless Steel?

Depending on the finish of a stainless steel sheet or product, it will have a rougher or smoother texture and appearance. Sanitary stainless steel has a smooth, scratch-free, and corrosion-resistant finish. This type of finish makes the steel more easily cleanable, enabling it to be properly sanitized. To properly choose a sanitary stainless steel finish, you’ll need to understand a few key definitions.

Surface Texture
Surface texture is what it sounds like—the texture of the stainless steel, including any irregularities, roughness, or grain.

Grit
Grit refers to the size of the abrasive used in the polishing process. Depending on the size and texture of the abrasive used, the steel will have a different finish.

Roughness Average (RA)
Roughness average is a number representing the average of all the peaks and valleys on the surface of the metal. This value is measured in microinches or micrometers.

Root Mean Square (RMS)
Root mean square is another representation of surface roughness based on the surface’s peaks and valleys, but it’s calculated as the root mean square rather than the average.

Popular Sanitary Finishes

If you work in an industry that requires sanitary stainless steel tools and materials, you’ll need to choose a sanitary finish. Here are some popular options:

• 2B Finish – a smooth, defect-free finish, commonly used in industrial, chemical, and food applications.
• No. 4 Finish – a sheet with a brushed finish, good for use in clean rooms or food processing equipment.
• No. 4A Finish – a finer finish than No. 4, used in clean rooms, processing equipment, the pharmaceutical industry, and meeting dairy standards.
• Bead Blast – a sheet polished using small glass, ceramic, or dry ice beads, resulting in a finer and more corrosion-resistant surface suitable for sanitary industries.

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