How can you quickly identify “genuine” 304 wedge anchor or 316 stainless steel wedge anchor & through bolt, rather than inferior 201 or even iron?

Three tips to quickly distinguish genuine stainless steel wedge anchor from fake ones.

When purchasing fasteners like stainless steel wedge anchors, the biggest fear is paying a high price for counterfeit goods. Using 201 or even iron to pass off as 304/316 stainless steel can cause the product to quickly rust and break in humid environments, resulting in significant losses.

Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a metallurgical expert. Simply learn these three tips to quickly distinguish genuine from counterfeit goods and protect your interests.

The quickest and easiest way is to use a magnet test.

How it works: Authentic 304/316 stainless steel wedge anchor has an “austenitic” structure and is typically non-magnetic or very weakly magnetic. Counterfeit 201 and iron, on the other hand, are highly magnetic.

Method: Carry a small magnet with you and hold it close to the anchor you want to test.

Results:

If the magnet doesn’t attract at all or feels very weak, the likelihood of it being stainless steel increases significantly.

If the magnet sticks firmly, as if to iron, it’s definitely not 304 or 316 and can be almost certainly 201 or iron.

Note: This method is primarily used to rule out counterfeits, but it can’t guarantee 100% certainty of 304/316 steel.

On-site confirmation: The most commonly used method is a chemical test.

This is the most popular and reliable on-site testing method in the industry, offering extremely low cost and ease of use.

How it works: Different stainless steel materials contain varying proportions of metallic elements (such as nickel and molybdenum), resulting in different chemical reactions when exposed to specific testing chemicals.

Method:

Purchase a specialized “stainless steel testing solution,” which is usually available for testing 304 and 316 steel.

First, polish a small area of ​​the anchor bolt surface to expose the natural metal color (very important!).

Apply a drop of the chemical and wait a few minutes to observe the color change.

Results:

Testing for 304: If the solution turns red, it indicates insufficient nickel content and is not 304. If the color does not change or changes very slowly (see the instructions), it is likely 304.

Testing for 316: First, use a “molybdenum element test solution.” If it does not change color, it indicates insufficient molybdenum content and is not 316.

Conclusion: The solution method can quickly and accurately distinguish between 201, 304, and 316.

The most reliable and authoritative method is a spectral analysis report.

For major engineering projects or long-term bulk purchases, the first two methods are only self-tests; the ultimate basis must be an authoritative report.

Principle: A spectrometer analyzes the emission lines of metallic elements to accurately measure the exact content of various elements in a material. This is the “gold standard” for distinguishing authenticity.

Method: Require the supplier to provide a spectral analysis report (or material certificate, MTC/COC) issued by a third-party, authoritative laboratory.

Read the report: Check the key data directly in the report:

304 material: Nickel (Ni) content should be greater than 8%, and chromium (Cr) content should be greater than 18%.

316 material: In addition to meeting the nickel and chromium content standards, it must also contain molybdenum (Mo) at 2%-3%.

If the report shows very low nickel and molybdenum content, it is undoubtedly a fake.