The Long-Term Value and Benefits of Stainless Steel

When it comes to planning construction projects, many engineers and designers overlook certain building materials due to their high price tag—for example, stainless steel. Its main con is its high initial cost, but this is often overshadowed by the fact that stainless steel is an incredibly dependable material. Keep in mind that higher quality, more dependable materials will likely provide the greatest value to the lifespan of the project.

Stainless steel is an alloy of iron with a small percent of chromium. The chromium makes a thin layer of oxide on the surface of the steel, allowing it to be resistant to corrosion and creating a tough and invisible surface. Experienced steel fabrication companies in Indiana agree that the long-term value of using stainless steel for your project outweighs the initial financial investment required. Here are some of the qualities and benefits of stainless steel fabrication.

Qualities of stainless steel

Before diving into the advantages of stainless steel fabrication, it’s important that you know about some of its qualities. For starters, there is more than one grade of stainless steel in the world—in fact, there are more than 60 grades of this material! Another quality of stainless steel is its ability to self-heal as long as oxygen is present. And while chromium plays a major role in its self-healing powers, other elements like nickel, nitrogen and molybdenum also come into play.

Benefits of stainless steel

Stainless steel is a well-known metal used in many types of projects. The high initial cost of this material comes up a lot, but the following benefits make it worth considering:

• Recyclable: More and more businesses these days are concerned about how they are impacting the environment and their communities. In an effort to preserve the health of the planet, many people choose to use stainless steel instead of other metal options. This is because stainless steel is 100 percent recyclable, with over 50 percent of this type of metal being sourced from previously melted steel scraps. Using recyclable materials reduces waste.
• Easy to work with: Using outdated equipment is the main reason a fabricator might run into difficulties working with stainless steel. Otherwise, working with steel is not that hard for professionals. When they use updated, modern-day equipment, stainless steel can be cut, welded, shaped and more with ease.
• Corrosion, fire and heat resistant: Metal materials are often exposed to harsh elements. What makes this metal a great choice is its resistance to corrosion. Varying levels of alloy impact corrosion resistance, while chromium allows the steel to remain resistant to moisture and acidic and alkaline solutions. Adding more long-term value is steel’s resistance to heat and fire.
• Long-term value: Working with stainless steel offers a unique type of long-term value that outweighs the initial investment. The life of the metal is long, and its virtually maintenance free.

Reputable steel fabrication companies in Indiana, like Benchmark Fabricated Steel, can answer your questions and meet all your needs. Call us today for more information!

Categorised in: Steel Fabrication

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