When it comes to improving the efficiency and productivity of manufacturing facilities, very few materials are as universally useful as stainless steel. If you’re looking for ways to improve your own facility, then allow us to share with you why all facilities benefit from stainless steel and how it can be best used.
Unmatched Durability
In comparison to other metals, stainless steel is incredibly durable thanks to its resistance against corrosion, rust, stains, and heat. This is due in large part to the chromium that is added into the steel to make a very low-carbon material. Furthermore, stainless steel has the unique property of being non-porous. This means the surface of the metal has no pores for water, dirt, and grime to get caught in and contribute to corrosion or mold growth.
As for concerns like heat or physical damage, stainless steel has the strength you’d expect of any steel. It’s highly capable of resisting damage from impacts, and its heat resistance ensures it won’t be warped from high temperatures as is common in many facilities.
Hygienic Advantage
Another reason why all facilities benefit from stainless steel (especially industries like food production or pharmaceuticals) is that it’s incredibly hygienic. Since it is non-porous, it’s incredibly easy to clean since everything can be easily wiped right off. This is not only crucial for ensuring food, medicine, and other things aren’t contaminated during the manufacturing process, but it also makes keeping facilities clean quick and easy. Your employees will have more time to focus on their job and spend less time cleaning up at the end of the day.
Versatility
Like all alloys, stainless steel comes in various grades of steel that allows you to best tweak its properties to your needs. For example, you could need the stainless steel to be furthered strengthened, or you could desire even more emphasis on corrosion resistance. Furthermore, grade 304, one of the most commonly used grades of stainless steel, is incredibly easy to cut, weld, form, and machine into virtually any shape. This means your designs have greater freedom since stainless steel can conform to a wider range of shapes than other metals.
