What is stainless steel?
Stainless steel is the alloy that combines the most desirable characteristics of a metal building. It is tough, resistant to stresses and corrosion and by polishing it with mechanical means has the option to get this known attractive mirror surface or deep metallic luster of satin, which remains unchanged with very little or no maintenance.
What are “inox type” materials?
Are soft metal railings, aluminum and brass, hard, like conventional steel (iron), even plastic rails not having the above properties and trying to mimic at least the surface of this wonderful alloy, and are colored in various ways: brush, nickel plating, chrome plating, powder coating, anodizing, galvanizing. Thus overlap with paint the actual body and call themselves “type inox”.
They should be called: “that” metal colored or painted to look like stainless? And if the paint is scratched, damaged, flaking, or, at best, over time lose its original gloss and dull? The construction should be disassembled and go for discoloration and then for galvanizing, anodizing etc. or forever remain problematic.
The surface of the original stainless steel gets back its original glow with a simple cleaning. Look at the bars of the subway or airport: they look like they were made yesterday and even better, because the continuous use not only does not degrade them but polishes and cleans them.
If you want stainless steel, why buy an imitation? It is so cheap? Why buy another material with different properties, and possibly similar costs, which over time will prove to be definitely more expensive?
Stainless steel is ideal for bar footrests, because it doesn’t bleach and is the strongest of the known architecture metals.
The stainless steel alloy metal was discovered accidentally in 1913 in Sheffield, England by Harry Brearly, when experimenting in various alloys for rifled weapons.
This capacity is because it contains metals, such as chromium, which react rapidly with oxygen in the air. As the chromium and oxide atoms are the same size, stacked next to each other, are forming an oxidized surface layer, which usually has a thickness of a few thousandths of millimeters and prevents further oxidation. That is why stainless steel keeps its luster.
The reason that something like this does not happen to iron is that the atom of iron is considerably smaller than its oxide, rust, thereby creating a separate layer on its surface. Instead of creating a protective cap, the rust detaches.
The beneficial properties were blatant, but it took about 80 years to begin to generalize its use and attribute its derivatives in general consumption. The main reason was that the hard stainless metal causes an excellent work, but a reliable treatment is difficult – time consuming and therefore expensive. The development of technology has helped in the invention of machinery and supply accessories that facilitate processing of the metal.
It is the metal that with the common (painted) iron is used in major projects: Metro, Airports, Hospitals, Public Works, crowded public places. It is the metal typically used in modern boats and ships. Process the metal that doesn’t corrode, does not need paint and lasts unchanged as gold, remains strong as steel and ductile as iron.
In the known properties of stainless steel, to resist oxidation, be resistant to stresses, is maintained unchanged in time etc. Yet another one exists that makes it unique: it is not toxic. This beneficial property contributed to its widespread use.
This article is for www.speedfab.com
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