316 and 316L are separate grades, and we keep them separate
316 and 316L are both austenitic chromium-nickel-molybdenum stainless steels. The difference is carbon content: 316 contains up to 0.08% carbon, while 316L is limited to 0.03% — the "L" stands for low carbon. Lower carbon reduces chromium-carbide precipitation at the grain boundaries when the metal is heated, which is why 316L is preferred where welded joints must resist intergranular corrosion. Because the two grades are not interchangeable, we do not use the labels interchangeably either.








