Do you know what steel you need to buy?
Steel is one of the most common materials used in industry and manufacturing. If your company needs steel, then you will need to look for a steel sales company that can supply what you want. Unfortunately, knowing that you need a steel sales company is not the same as knowing what that steel sales company needs to provide for you. Steel sales companies can normally provide steel in a range of grades, sizes and shapes, and you will need to be specific about exactly what type of steel you want to buy. Here are three questions that you must consider before placing an order with a steel sales company.
Is steel sheet best?
In many cases, what you will want to buy is a steel sheet. When you buy sheets of steel, you can then use them to create whatever you want, whether that is medical equipment, street furniture or vehicle components. However, there will also be times when what you need is steel tubing or steel girders, and in that situation, you will usually want to buy that directly from the steel sales company rather than forming that yourself. It is always helpful to speak to the steel sales company and find out in what forms they can offer steel. You can then determine the most suitable option for your purposes.
What type of steel is needed?
Are you looking for stainless steel, alloy steel, carbon steel or tool steel? You must understand the properties of each option and know which will be most suitable for your situation. You will need to consider properties such as strength, corrosion resistance and heat resistance. You should think not just about the direct pressures and stresses that will be exerted on your product but also the environment where it will be used. A steel medical instrument will need entirely different properties than a steel bench that is located permanently outside or a steel component used in the automobile industry.
What will you do with steel?
Sometimes, the key concern for manufacturers is not in the strength of the steel but how easy it is to work. Different grades and types of steel can respond very differently to forming and machining. When you make your choice from the steel sales company, you should find out how easy it is to bend or weld your chosen steel product. If you need to tap, cut or drill the steel, then check which tools you will need to carry out these tasks so that you will be ready to start machining as soon as the steel arrives at your site.
