The steel industry is integral for industries the world over. It supplies products that are vital for everything from health to leisure. We are proud to play a part in this by offering the best ERW steel tubes in the West Midlands.
Aluminium is one of the more popular materials for many applications due to its corrosion resistance and lightweight nature. However, it can be tricky to drill. Stainless steel therefore is a popular alternative. It’s an alloy of chromium and iron. The steel is most famous for its familiar lustre, low maintenance, and corrosion resistance.
There are plenty of people within the steel industry who know how to handle stainless alloys. On the other side though, there are individuals who don’t possess the right knowledge for working with it safely and efficiently. Making specific mistakes can result in expensive and dangerous problems. As such, it is crucial to know what common errors happen when working with stainless steel. You need to know how to avoid them too. So, let’s look at some of these mistakes below.
Safety
The first mistake is inattention to safety. Regardless of the industry you belong to, if you’re working with stainless steel, or any metal for that matter, you must always prioritise working safely. This is a common mistake, but can also prove to be a fatal one. With the number of metal fabrication and construction projects expanding, it’s expected for more people to suffer injuries on the job.
With any project involving stainless steel, you need to follow a strict set of safety standards. You must follow them each step of the way as well. Project managers have to stay diligent. As for equipment, it needs to be up to code and fully functional. What’s more, every worker requires proper training when working with steel. Come to us if you need the foremost ERW steel tubes in the West Midlands.
Rushing and not cleaning
Another mistake people tend to make is rushing through a job. They do this whilst neglecting to clean anything. The surface of stainless steel must be thoroughly cleaned before you do any work. Workers tend to think that the heat during welding will burn any residue off. This doesn’t always happen. By failing to clean the steel exterior, dust, iron fillings, and oils could result in complications.
A key thing here is contaminants on the surface may be flammable or able to hold heat. They can cause the area they’re in to heat up more than the rest of the metal. The result would be an unbalance in metal integrity after cooling. Iron and specific materials introduce carbon to the weld. This weakens its connection and undermines the durability. Furthermore, iron fillings and other foreign substances leftover could mean the final product isn’t pure stainless steel.
Using high heat during cutting or welding
Heat can be necessary or a natural result when you work with stainless steel. If there is too much though, there can be problems during cutting and welding. Stainless steel is often thinner than classic steel. Due to this, too much heat during the work can cause the metal to warp and eventually bend. This forces workers to begin from scratch or spend time strengthening their metal back to normal.
We supply the best ERW steel tubes in the West Midlands
At Union Steel Tubes, we supply high quality products. We are an ISO9001 company and ensure management processes are in place to achieve the highest standards. Furthermore, we work to deliver quickly. Our lead times are typically very short, ensuring no long delays with projects.
So, if you’re looking to buy the best ERW steel tubes in the West Midlands, let us know. We have options for an ever-growing list of applications.
