Steel started to be used frequently during the seventeenth century but it only became really popular during the nineteenth century as efficient production methods were developed. That was when mass production of steel launched off because we had cost efficiency.
Nowadays we are faced with steady improvements being made in the production process and in the quality of metals used. Steel became a commonly used material that plays a vital role in many important industries including constructions, transportation and automotive. Steel is easily integrated in the infrastructural development and we are looking at an industry that is huge when referring to a country’s economic process.
Understanding Steel
Before you look for steel manufacturers, you should understand more about steel. Steel is basically an alloy. It is made out of carbon and iron. Based on material purpose, various alloy combinations and ratios will be formulated to create various steel types. Various characteristics like temperature resistance, durability and strength can be controlled based on alloy materials used and production methods.
Steel Uses
When referring to large building constructions like skyscrapers, bridges and stadiums, we see structural steel used for supporting skeletons. The structural steel is useful in conjunction with wood and concrete. As we are always faced with strict safety ramifications for large building contracts, regulations and standards are established in the steel industry. Correct sizes, storage, composition and shape will be specified in regulations.
The really common shapes of structural steel used these dais include HSS-Shape, I-Beam, Channel, Tee and Angle. Structural steel rods, steel bars and plates are quite common these days. The standard steel beams will be formed by rolling method or by welding method. ASTM (American Society For Testing And Materials) dictates structural steel standards and there are different institutions in other countries that do the same.
Concrete And Structural Steel
These two are usually compared when referring to the construction industry. In many cases one of these are preferred because of raw material costs. However, we normally see both materials being used together. Even so, steel does have important advantages. Steel structures have better strength to weight ratios when referred to RCC (reinforced concrete cement) structures. In addition, structural steel is really easy to be reused because of bolted connections regularly used in structures made out of steel.
Steel Manufacturers
Because of how common steel is used nowadays, it is quite obvious that there are many manufacturers that appear on the market. We are faced with so many different opportunities for those that need steel based elements. You can nowadays create anything you may want. However, it is very important that you take the time that is needed to properly assess the quality that is offered.
Some of the steel manufacturers have a better reputation on the market. This is due to the quality that was offered in the past. If the steel structure you need has to be of a really high quality, make sure that you only consider those firms that have been around for a long time and that actually have a spotless reputation.