Of the many materials which can be used in sheet metal fabrication, with clean environments such as those in the food and medical industries. Why is stainless steel often the material of choice?
Today, there are more than 3,500 kinds of steel – each of which comes with many different physical, chemical and environmental properties. Worldsteel Association states that approximately 75% of modern steel has been developed in the last 20 years.
Stainless steel, as the name suggests, is a type of steel that is more capable of resisting stains and corrosion than other steel.
This is a result of the level of chromium which it contains, with this typically ranging between 16 to 26% (although starts at 10.5% Chromium). The most common type of stainless steel is known as “18/8”, or “304 grade”, which takes its former name due to the fact it contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel.
Besides chromium, other elements such as nickel, molybdenum and titanium are added to stainless steel. This is to enhance properties such as strength and chemical resistance, among others.
As a material that is highly robust due to its strength and resistance to corrosion, whilst also handles the most stringent of cleaning regimes. This makes it extremely attractive to industries where hygiene is paramount.
Austenitic stainless steels, those which fall in the ‘300’ category such as the previously mentioned 304 grade and another common grade being 316 (which contains 16% chromium, 10% nickel and 2% molybdenum), are easy to clean and disinfect due to containing no pores or cracks which may collect grime, bacteria and dirt over time.
In environments where high concentrations of chloride are not present, 304 is the more economical choice. The added molybdenum in 316 provides added resistance to acids and localised pitting corrosion (where the passive layer on stainless steel breaks down in chloride-rich environments such as in seawater).
Further grades of austenitic stainless steels which are commonly used in these and other industries are grades 310 and 321. Both grades provide added heat resistance in applications such as chemical processing, furnace components, jet engine components and food processing equipment/storage.
There are a massive number of uses for stainless steel within the Medical and Food industries.
Applications for stainless steel in the medical industry include:
Applications for stainless steel in the food industry include:
Similarly to aluminium, stainless steel is one of the more difficult materials to cut and fabricate – however, through recent investments in the most up-to-date machinery, we are able to cut it to thicknesses of 40mm and our expert welders are more than capable of working with stainless steel.
ADS Laser Cutting is the Premier Metal Laser Cutting, Folding, Fabrication, Finishing and Assembly in the UK. Providing Bespoke to Volume Solutions.
For any enquiries, visit our Contact Us page and get in touch.
Designed and developed by Trident | Copyright © 2023 ADS Laser | Privacy Policy
