Types of Steel for Industrial Racking
Steel is an essential material that is used in many day to day applications such as trains, ships, cars, electrical appliances and furniture. In industrial racking, it is the main raw material that is being used. Steel offers many valuable characteristics such as resistance, plasticity and versatility.
Types of Steel
Steel is an iron alloy with a variable amount of carbon. Steel preserves the metallic characteristics of iron but adding carbon and other types of elements substantially improves the properties of iron.
Apart from carbon, steel can contain other alloying elements such as manganese, chromium, nickel and silicon. The combination of these elements at different levels can vary the properties of steel such as hardness, corrosion resistance and hardenability. According to the World Steel Association, there are more than 3,500 different grades of steel.
Steel can be classified as carbon or alloy steel.
Carbon Steel
This constitutes around 90% of the steel that is produced in steel plants. It includes steel for both civil construction or mechanical construction.
Alloy Steel
Alloy steel is steel with elements other than carbon which are typically elements such manganese, nickel, chromium and boron.
Steel can also be classified within subgroups under the alloy steel which are as below:
- Corten Steel: This is a steel alloy that is made up of copper, chromium, phosphorous and nickel. This type of steel is highly resistant to oxidation and it is mainly used in the cement industry.
- Corrugated Steel: This is rolled steel in a form of a bar composed of iron and carbon. It has some projections or corrugations that help it adhere to concrete. It is used in construction projects to create reinforced concrete structures.
- Stainless Steel: This consists of iron, carbon and chrome. It can also contain other elements depending on the alloy. It has high resistance to corrosion, highly durable and it has many day-to-day applications.
- Weathered Steel: This is structural steel with an improved atmospheric corrosion resistance. This steel with high strength and low alloy which offers greater resistance to oxidation compared to ordinary carbon-manganese steels. When the steel is exposed to rain and humidity, it creates a layer of oxide on its surface.
- Galvanized Steel: This consists of coating the base steel with a layer of zinc. It is a more resistant type of steel with protection against corrosion and a more durable finish. This type of steel is highly used in industrial racking and in other industries such as the automotive and construction industries.
Properties of Galvanized Steel
Galvanized steel has the below properties:
- Strength: Galvanized steel has a zinc coating that is highly resistant to shock and abrasion. It is a steel that is more resistant to oxidation and deterioration caused by environmental conditions.
- Durability: Galvanized steel has a longer useful life span than uncoated steel.
- Low Maintenance Cost: Galvanized steel has a lower maintenance cost compared to system with a paint finish only.
- Sustainability: Galvanized steel is highly easily recyclable and it's long useful life means that there is no continuous and excessive steel for repair or replacement .
- Versatility: Galvanized steel is an adaptable material since it allows for a paint finish and galvanized structures can also be welded.