Stainless steel has become one of the best steel extracts. As a result, stainless steel structural sections are increasingly used in different applications. However, choosing the right steel for a project is one of the most important decisions.
Before you can draw conclusions between your individual shapes, you must first decide which type of steel to use: carbon steel or stainless steel? That is the main question. Find out more in the following article we have prepared for you at TIsco Steel.
Carbon or stainless steel?
Carbon steel is the most common construction material. It is mainly composed of iron, manganese, carbon and various other metals. As it is mostly melted from scrap, it includes many impurities and additional supplementary materials. As a result, corrosion can easily affect it.
In addition, carbon steel structural sections are produced by hot rolling. This is the most efficient production method for this type of product and production volume.
Different standards
The typical length of a structural carbon steel profile is 12 to 15 metres. Of course, depending on your location, you can find special shapes and sizes.
Bear in mind that there are several standards that define the products and their tolerances. In Europe, for example, the Europeans refer to wide flange stainless steel beams as HEB or HEM, while in the USA similar beams are referred to as W-beams.
Production methods
How are stainless steel structural members produced?
The surface of hot rolled sections is generally rough; however, if they are to be used, these sections need to be protected against weathering. Some solutions consist mainly of hot-dipped galvanising or protective painting, which requires regular maintenance operations.
For all those applications where corrosion is a problem and traditional carbon steel protection is inadequate, stainless steel structural profiles can be used.
Stainless steel structural profiles
Stainless steel is a term with a very broad meaning. By definition, any type of steel with a chromium content of not less than 10.5% is considered to be in this category. Depending on this characteristic, there are many different types and grades of stainless steel: ferritic, austenitic, duplex, super austenitic, martensitic and precipitation hardening.
Common stainless steel grades
The most common structural stainless steel grades are 304L and 316L. both of these grades contain well over 10% chromium. Their molten compounds also contain nickel and, in the case of 316L, added molybdenum.
Grade 304L Stainless Steel is a general purpose stainless steel for use in low corrosive environments. the addition of molybdenum to 316L steel makes this particular grade ideal for installations near beaches.
How much of this product is used?
World consumption of stainless steel is approximately 4% of world steel production. As for carbon, together with stainless steel, more than 50% of its production is made up of flat products. Stainless steel structural sections are therefore a niche product.
As you can see, stainless steel structural sections have a rather low position in the overall production of steel products. However, they play a large and important role in the building and construction industry.
In other words, they are the “bones” of many buildings around the world. Most stainless steel structural sections are made in the form of angles, bars and channels.
How structural stainless steel profiles are produced
How is the production of stainless steel structural sections carried out?
The hot-rolled production method is suitable for the production of stainless steel profiles and carbon steel. Unlike the latter, after rolling and straightening the stainless steel requires an additional step: pickling. This will clean the surface of any scale or contamination during the production process.
For stainless steel, hot rolling would also be the most competitive production method if there was sufficient market demand. Unfortunately, only a few sections reach high enough volumes to justify the investment. Nevertheless, there is still a demand for structural stainless steel profiles of all shapes, sizes and grades. Alternative production technologies have therefore become mandatory.
Laser welding does not have many restrictions. This technology makes it possible to produce very precise structural stainless steel profiles. Not only heavy beams, but also light stainless steel channels and angles can be kept straight with reduced forces.
Apart from hot rolling, laser beam welding is by far the most efficient method of producing stainless steel structural sections. Some of its advantages are.
No minimum production quantities. Everything is possible, from one bar to thousands of quantities.
Flexible lengths
Tight tolerances
Excellent surface finish