When people talk about stainless steel, they immediately imagine a hard-wearing piece of metal that does not experience corrosion or rusting. For those who don’t know, the metal also contains elastic properties along with being incredibly durable.
The manufacturing of stainless steel involves bending, folding, welding, and various other steps to accommodate different uses. Stainless steel is usually employed for construction and building projects, but it is also used in many different fields—such as medicine. As a result, stainless steel comes in numerous forms.
Each method of creating stainless steel has advantages and disadvantages, but it will ultimately depend on the purpose if you want to take a closer look at how the fabrication of stainless steel works, keep reading.
Types of Stainless Steel Metals
Austenitic Stainless Steel
Most austenitic stainless steel (except for Grade 303) is used for welding. The metal is famed for its sensitisation and inter-granular corrosion when mixed with other alloys.
Martensitic Stainless Steel
Martensitic is another kind of metal that works well in welding techniques. To guarantee that the finished product is solid and impervious to developing cracks, the stainless steel needs to undergo two stages of heating.
Ferritic Stainless Steel
If you’re looking for a kind of metal that can undergo welding without problems, ferritic stainless steel should be the last option on your list. Unfortunately, you are bound to face issues due to the metal’s sensitisation, poor flexibility, and high grain growth, unlike austenitic and martensitic. This two-phase heating process gives the alloy resistance to cracks.
Duplex Stainless Steel
Duplex stainless steel is another kind of metal that can undergo welding without issues, especially in low thermal expansion situations. Duplex metal comes in different grade levels, with some garnering a higher nickel content. This can make it more malleable, impenetrable, and stable, depending on how you plan to use it.
Stainless Steel Fabrication Concepts
Welding
Welding is a standard fabrication process of combining metals and other materials through heat fusion. Depending on the kind or grade of stainless steel involved, you can expect to achieve different results.
Machining
Machining is a fabrication process that tends to cause chipping in the results. Fortunately, not all stainless steels are affected (specifically grades 303, 410, 416, and 530) because they have manganese sulphide, which reduces their brittleness. However, the same stainless steel grades have their limitations when undergoing fabrication and machining.
Chipping
Chipping can significantly affect the machining process of stainless steel, but you can seek a structural steel specialist’s help to streamline the process and face fewer issues. They have many methods for ensuring the quality of their work—like utilising lubricants, keeping the cutting edge sharp, and picking out machinery that creates fewer vibrations, to name a few.
Hardening
Hardening is the last stage of stainless steel fabrication, and it’s when the metal reaches its maximum strength. While steel can solidify in various ways, it happens rather quickly. Keep in mind that metals belonging to the austenitic family harden much faster than steel made of carbon. As a result, austenitic stainless steels are preferred for fabrication techniques.
Conclusion
Now that you have a better idea of what stainless steel metals are and how the different fabrication processes work, you can look forward to accomplishing more in construction. So long as you have a reliable team with in-depth knowledge of handling stainless steel and its various grades, you’re in good hands.
Are you looking for a structural steel and fabrication specialist in Sunshine Coast to assist your upcoming project? Phoenix Reinforcing specialises in reinforcing sales, productions, cage fabrication, decorative concrete products, and more. Get in touch with us today for an estimate so we can begin working for you!
