What Are Benefits And Challenges In Fabricating Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel is a great material for a variety of applications, since it's resistant to corrosion and can withstand extreme temperatures. It's also hygienic, making it a popular choice in industries like food and beverage, chemical, petrochemical, refineries, and aerospace. Plus, it's low maintenance, so it's easy to maintain. But it's not easy to make, as there are a lot of challenges that manufacturers and stainless steel fabricators have to overcome.

Overheating

It's important to use manufacturing practices that are best in industry, when cutting or welding to reduce the chances of the metal losing any of its features or properties. One of the best ways to do this is to choose a tool that runs at a low speed. That way, the material won't get too hot. Tools that run at under 4000 rpm always are a great option, so the work can go on for the time it is required. We also need to be careful when handling the tool by not pressing it too hard onto the metal, which could cause it to overheat. One of the last things you want to do is commission the metal only to discover that sensitisation has caused corrosion to build up in certain areas of the product.

Stainless steel is difficult to weld

To help with welding, pool flow, and fluidity, increase silicon levels. A slower weld of stainless steel in a filler metal because of less fluid can lead to some problems.

In order to maintain a low heat input, faster travel speeds should be employed. Conversely, slow travel speeds increase heat input, resulting in the burning of alloying elements from the metal and affecting weld properties, such as resistance to corrosion, strength, and ductility. Typical travel speeds for other materials are between 75 and 200 mm/min, however, welded stainless steel wire with flux cored or metal cored wires necessitates travel speeds of 200-275 mm/min.

When cleaning stainless welds, it is important to ensure that the weld is not contaminated with any foreign material. To achieve this, it is recommended to use a stainless steel brush specifically designed for this purpose. It is important to note that the same brush should not be used to clean both stainless and mild steel welds, as this can lead to cross contamination and rust. Ensure appropriate safety systems and equipment are in place. Certain filler metals emit weld fume to a greater degree than other filler metals. Therefore, it is imperative to have appropriate ventilation systems in place, or to have weld fume-capture devices in place.

Poor finish

There's no easy way to get a great finish on stainless steel surfaces or joints. It's important to follow the right steps when it comes to manufacturing and handling materials during the fabrication process. You should also use the right tools and make sure you don't get cross-contaminated. Good fabrication practice is to switch the abrasive between carbon and stainless steel before using it, or else the carbon will end up damaging the stainless steel. To get a better finish, you can use a flaps or sander discs with finer grit.

Conclusion

Stainless steel is becoming more and more popular as a construction material, but it can be tough to work with from a fabrication point of view. It's perfect for certain industrial applications, but it can also be tricky to work with. That's why it's important to work with a stainless steel fabricators who have the know-how and experience to handle the extra requirements.