Stainless steel's advantages are frequently overlooked by engineers and designers, owing to its higher cost. The properties of stainless steel, on the other hand, can often justify the initial investment, as the material can provide the most value throughout the course of a fabrication job.
What is Stainless Steel, and how does it differ from other metals?
Stainless steel is an alloy of iron containing a minimum of 10.5 percent chromium, according to the British Stainless Steel Association. The “passive layer” is a thin coating of oxide that forms on the surface of the steel when chromium is present. The chromium in the steel is what makes it corrosion-resistant, resulting in a long-lasting and virtually undetectable surface.
What Advantages Does Stainless Steel Have in Fabrication Projects?
Why it is commonly used in stainless steel CNC machining? Stainless steel has several drawbacks: it has a high initial cost, it must be handled with high-quality equipment, and it is easy to have welding problems; nonetheless, the advantages much outweigh the drawbacks when working with this dependable metal.
Stainless steel for metal fabrication projects can have a variety of benefits depending on your industry, including (but not limited to) the following:
Using stainless steel in a fabrication project is only difficult if your chosen fabricator uses obsolete equipment. CAMM Metals employs top-of-the-line, cutting-edge technology that makes cutting, welding, and everything in between a breeze.
The natural capacity of stainless steel to resist corrosion is one of its main selling qualities. Stainless steel may be an obvious choice if you want to market rust-free products. Corrosion resistance is a feature of stainless steel, which has an impact on the entire value and long-term investment. While varying degrees of alloy effect corrosion in different situations, chromium permits the steel to remain corrosion resistant. Lower grades of alloy are often the optimum for usage in damp environments. A higher alloy grade, on the other hand, is a better choice for use around acid and alkaline solutions.
As previously said, stainless steel is extremely easy to clean, making it an excellent choice for applications that require strict hygienic requirements, such as commercial kitchens, pharmaceutical research, or food and beverage processing.
The long-term benefits of working with stainless steel should not be underestimated, since it far transcends the initial outlay, which sometimes scares off the uninitiated. The total cost of ownership (LCO) should always be considered while making a decision. Choosing a product that does not require maintenance, such as stainless steel, allows you to concentrate on developing a superior method and product.
Stainless steel is well-known for its capacity to withstand heat, making it ideal for applications such as boilers, valves, feed water heaters, and other heat exchangers that may be subjected to higher temperatures.
Stainless steel is a material that is easily recycled. If your company, like many others in the modern world, is worried about the environmental impact of its production processes and goods, stainless steel is an excellent approach to reduce that impact.