Surprisingly, the creation of stainless steel in 1913 was an accident. This took place during experiments into different alloys used in steels. In tests, some samples had a higher amount of chromium. They had enhanced properties in that they were corrosion resistant. Furthermore they were difficult to etch. The material subsequently became popular for making cutlery.

Since then the number of applications for it have grown extensively. This has been aided by the fact that adding different elements can enhance other properties of the material. As a result, there is actually a big family of materials that people refer to as stainless steels.

A fantastic material

The corrosion resistance is what makes stainless steel so popular today. It is a unique property thanks to the chromium. This creates an oxide layer that prevents corroding. Surprisingly the oxide is self healing. This means that if damage occurs during fabrication, it will repair itself.

There are several other useful properties of the material. These make it suitable for various applications. It is resistant to low temperatures and retains high strength when the temperature rises. In addition, it is highly ductile and has much higher strength than mild steels.

One property of stainless steel that can be a benefit as well as a challenge is that the material hardens as a result of cold forming. When people need more strength from the material, they use cold working. This means it can easily be adapted to match different tensile strengths and applications.

Looking for stainless steel tubes?

The work hardening does create a challenge when it comes to producing stainless steel tubing. The fact that it becomes harder when worked means that processes like rolling and bending can be tricky. To do it effectively you need the right equipment. Moreover, you must make adjustments to account for the hardening.

At Multiform Tubes we have a lot of experience with stainless steel. We can manufacture a wide array of different tubing from it. We have the equipment and knowledge to do this. Our team does so with great precision and will satisfy the needs of each client. If you would like further information please get in touch with us. We would love to speak to you about your tube requirements and answer any questions you have about our work.