![]() Hot rolled, softened (annealed) with the surface de-scaled. It is important, therefore, to check that the finish is available in the form required. sheet, plate, bar & tube, but all finishes may not be available on all forms. Stainless steel is polished by mills in a range of forms, e.g. They are suitable, however, where appearance is not important or where further finishing is to take place. The majority of mill finishes have a dull or matt finish which is not suitable as a decorative finish for most products or applications. The customer should define and agree acceptable levels of variations from the standard to minimise the problems caused by belt wear and consequent changes in finish. One way to overcome these problems is to specify a proprietary brand name finish, such as Optisheen®, which has a guaranteed consistency.įailing this, reference should be made to a supplied finish of at least 30 mm square to show up all the characteristics of the finish and against which the final product can be judged. In the case of satin polished finishes, it is probably due to wear of the abrasive belts used in these processes. In the case of mill finishes, this may be the result of differing manufacturing conditions. 4 finish, may still vary from supplier to supplier and even from batch to batch from the same supplier. For this reason the fine satin finish (such as Optisheen®) is popular and practical for fabrication shops around the world.įinishes described by a particular industry designation, i.e. Certain finishes are more difficult to recreate by hand than others, causing fabrication difficulties this is especially true of the “special” finishes which cannot be easily replicated in a fabrications workshop. Some fabrication operations, such as grinding prior to painting or gluing, may require a rough surface finish but, generally speaking, a smooth, well finished sheet requires less physical effort than a coarse, rough one when it comes to blending. ![]() All stainless steel finishes perform better when cleaned and maintained and details of correct cleaning procedures may be found in our publication, “The Cleaning and Maintenance of Stainless Steel”. A smooth surface is less susceptible to an accumulation of deposits and stainless, which often become focal points for localised corrosion. In aggressive environments, such as in the nuclear or offshore industries, a correctly polished stainless steel surface has a better resistance to corrosion than a surface that is roughly or badly polished. In sanitary applications correctly polished stainless steel not only looks good but it helps to reduce the risk of bacteria being retained by the material. In addition to the visual appearance of polished stainless steel there are a number of functional considerations. In consumer products, such as catering equipment, the lustre from a well polished sheet of stainless steel has strong sales appeal. In commercial and hygienic applications, such as restaurants and hospitals, properly finished stainless steel is easier to keep clean. For highly visible applications the appearance of stainless steel is a critical design element and a misunderstanding of the wrong finish can alter the desired effect. There are a wide range of decorative finishes available therefore, it is important to pay close attention to the selection of the most appropriate finish for the application required. In some instances a finish may commonly be known by several names, leading to some misunderstandings. In each case the finishes are described under either their appropriate Standard or the name by which they are commonly known. The majority of finishes can be divided into three categories: Stainless steel is available in a wide variety of standard and special finishes. The finish should be properly identified by a standard industry designation or by a trade name. The choice of finish should never be left to the supplier, or the specification loosely worded, such as “Type 304 with a 180 grit finish”. In non-decorative applications the surface finish may have implications for friction, wear, maintenance or corrosion resistance and must, therefore, also be carefully chosen and clearly specified. ![]() For those applications where appearance is important, finish is a design element and must be specified. Surface finish is an important element in any specification of stainless steel regardless of the intended use.
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