What’s So Special About Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel has not been around for too long, just over 100 years, when compared to other metals like iron that have been around for over 5,000 years. However stainless steel is widely used across many different industries today, in fact you likely come into contact with it on a daily basis without realizing it. Stainless steel is an alloy like many other metals, meaning that it is a blend of different metals, gases and minerals in order to create the desired properties for different purposes. There are 5 main classes of stainless steel and over 150 different grades each offering their own characteristics. One of the great things about stainless steel is that it is 100% recyclable, making it an environmentally friendly industry. It is approximated that anywhere from 50-90% of new stainless steel is made of recycled scrap. Ability Fabricators has put together 4 additional reasons why we think stainless steel is remarkable and the best choice for your projects.

Strength and Durability

Stainless steel is used widely in the construction and building industry due to the nature of its strength and durability. It is easily formable meaning it can be transformed into many different functional uses such as sheets, plates, tubing, bars and wires. Once the stainless steel is fabricated and in place it is extremely low maintenance and long lasting. Although stainless steel can be a bit more expensive when priced next to other metals like carbon steels, when you consider the long term structural strength, the corrosion resistance and the low maintenance, it’s life-cycle cost savings makes it worth the investment.

Corrosion and Rust Resistance

Stainless steel got its name rather literally, as it simply does not stain. It is particularly well known for its ability to resist corrosion and rust when compared to other metals. These properties can be contributed to the addition of chromium. If steel contains 10% or more of chromium it is considered to be a great resistor to rust and corrosion, the higher the chromium content the more resistant the metal becomes. This is due to the chromium having a unique self-healing ability as long as there is oxygen present, when it is damaged it produces a thin oxide film that coats the metal and protects it. Other alloys that help strengthen the resistance include nickel, molybdenum, manganese and more.

Fire and Heat Resistance

Stainless steel has been put to the test against many different metals, and it continues to be a top performer when it comes to fire and heat resistance. Simply put, stainless steel cannot catch fire which minimizes the ignitable surfaces and helps to limit the spread of fire. Due to the chromium content in the metal, it also has high oxidation resistance meaning the oxide layer is protective against corrosion in high temperature situations. Stainless steel maintains great strength in heat and will only begin to melt at temperatures above 1500℃ (depending on the mixture of alloys). These properties of stainless steel make it an excellent choice for building structures that have a crucial need for fire safety and prevention.

Hygienic Properties

Stainless steel is probably more common than you realize especially when it comes to places like your kitchen, this is due to its incredible hygienic properties. Stainless steel is a non-porous metal, so dirt and bacteria have nowhere to go, it has very easy to clean surfaces that do not trap odours or secrete flavours into food. This makes it a desirable choice across many industries that value sanitation such as food processing, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, and more. In addition to being a sanitary and easy to clean metal there are many different finishes that can be applied to stainless steel that have beautiful lustre and are aesthetically pleasing. Approximately ¾ of homes today have stainless steel kitchen appliances for many of these reasons.

Do You Need Stainless Steel Equipment? Contact Ability Fabricators Today

Here at Ability Fabricators Inc., we aim to provide you beginning to end service for all your stainless steel needs. We offer a variety of high quality stainless steel products and equipment while also offering custom solutions for your business. If your business would benefit from having stainless steel equipment look at our available products, if you don’t find exactly what you need feel free to contact Ability Fabricators for a consultation.