For many years there has not been a Standard to cover the low pressure stainless steel cast pipe fittings commonly used in Australia and other countries around the world.

These are commonly termed “150lb” or “BSP” pipe fittings. In most cases the fittings that have been supplied were a mismatch of various Standards.

The fittings were dimensionally in accordance with a number of American Standards, whilst British Standard threads were used. This led to the fittings having threads that in some cases were non-compliant - basically there was insufficient length to accommodate the thread.

ASSDA, through its Technical Committee, identified

A crevice is a narrow gap between a piece of metal and another piece of metal or tightly adhering material like plastic or a film of bacterial growth.

Many metals and alloys are susceptible to crevice corrosion, but in stainless steel, crevices are the first and most common place for corrosive attack to begin. With a little understanding, crevice corrosion can either be avoided or minimised.

Crevices can be:
• The space under a washer or bolt head.
• The gap between plates bolted together.
• The gap between components intermittently welded.
• The space under a sticky label.
•

The visual performance of outdoor stainless steel depends on five interrelated factors:

• Surface finish - smooth and clean and free of crevices.
• Grade selection - appropriate for environment.
• Good design - rain washing and uniform draining.
• Maintenance program - regular cleaning.
• End user expectations.

This technical article provides suggestions on a maintenance program for cleaning of exterior stainless steel, together with some recommendations for remedial action if stains occur beyond regular maintenance or where such maintenance has not been performed.

Maintenance: routine removal of grime

Stainless steel holds its appearance best if it is washed

Combining many of the beneficial properties of both ferritic and austenitic steels, 2205 is the most widely used duplex stainless steel grade. Its high chromium and molybdenum content gives the stainless steel excellent corrosion resistance. The microstructure provides resistance to stress corrosion cracking and ensures high strength.

The grade is generally not suitable for use at temperatures above 300^oC or below -50^oC because of reduced toughness outside this range.

You are most likely to encounter 2205 stainless steel being used in industrial environments such as petrochemical, chemical, oil, gas and paper plants.

Alternative Grades
2205 has

The most common grades of stainless steel are 304 and 316, which are particularly popular because their austenitic microstructure results in an excellent combination of corrosion resistance, mechanical and physical properties and ease of fabrication.

The austenitic structure is the result of the addition of approximately 8-10% nickel. Nickel is not alone in being an austenite former; other elements that are used in this way are manganese, nitrogen, carbon and copper.

The Cost of Nickel and Its Addition to Stainless Steel

The cost of the common stainless steels is substantially determined by the cost of ingredients. The cost of the

Today, environmental factors are at the forefront of material selection for specifiers. Stainless steel’s long service life, 100 percent recyclability and its valuable raw materials make it an excellent environmental performer.

 Stainless steel objects rarely become waste at the end of their useful life. Recycled stainless objects are systematically separated and recovered to go back into the production process through recycling.

As well as iron, stainless steel contains valuable raw materials like chromium and nickel which makes recycling stainless steel economically viable.

Stainless steel is actively recycled on a large scale around the world by recyclers who collect and

When used properly, stainless steel enjoys a strong and enduring reputation for visual appeal and structural integrity in a wide range of applications and environments.

But, like all materials, stainless steel may become stained or discoloured over time, impairing the overall look. This brown discolouration - tea staining - has been identified in coastal applications in Australia and overseas.

Factors affecting tea staining have been researched by ASSDA and the information gathered has been supported by experiences from around the world.

This article provides information on tea staining and what fabricators, specifiers and end users should do to help avoid

Common Traps to Avoid

Posted 1 April 2006

Errors in stainless steel fabrication can be expensive and difficult to resolve. So a 'Get it right the first time' approach to stainless fabrication is necessary to gain the best result. Check the ASSDA website regularly for a local Stainless Steel Specialist.

ASSDA Accredited Fabricators - Ensuring the Best Result
ASSDA Accredited Fabricators are companies and individuals that have a common understanding of successful technical practices for fabricating stainless steel.

To ensure the highest standard in quality, Accredited Fabricators belong to the ASSDA Accreditation Scheme, an ASSDA initiative that is intended

No. 4 finish stainless steel is the workhorse of the light fabrication industry. The easiest of the finishes to maintain, No 4 finish is used for work surfaces, handrails and where appearance is important.

This article is the first in a series showcasing the uses of 445M2 stainless steel. Read Part 2. Read Part 3.

Australians' love of the water has always provided challenges to the construction industry, particularly when it comes to choosing materials that can be used in aggressive environments such as near the coast or swimming pools.

Stainless steel grades 316 and 304 have long been the obvious solution in these applications, but the key factors of formability, cost and corrosion resistance are now shining the spotlight on an alternative grade.

445M2 stainless steel has been used in Australia for a

New technology to assist with accurate design is always welcome, but it is important that users proceed with caution when using international design tools.

There is no doubt that designing with stainless steel offers endless opportunities for architects and engineers to be both creative and functional. At the same time, it is critical that the design is right for the application.

Thanks to the internationally-recognised research of an Australian expert, as well as some design software now available free online, getting the design right for stainless steel structures has never been easier. However, as outlined below, it is more important

This article is the second in a series showcasing the uses of 445M2 stainless steel. Read Part 1. Read Part 3.

The use of stainless steel plant and equipment in the food industry continues to prove its worth as an increasing number of processors adopt its use in line with the dedication and obligation to food quality and safety.

Whilst stainless steel grades 316 and 304 offer an environment of easy maintenance and cleaning, 445M2 stainless steel goes one step further.

445M2 panels have been supplied to Bertocchi Smallgoods by ASSDA Major Sponsor Austral Wright Metals, following a four-month trial

This article is the second in a series on common finishes. The first (Winter edition 2006) dealt with the abraded 'No. 4' (2K, 2J) finish. This article looks at 2D, 2B and BA: smooth and corrosion resistant surfaces produced at the steel mill. Subsequent articles in this series will cover mirror polished (No. 8 or 2P) and profiled and hot rolled (No. 1) finishes.

What are Cold Rolled Finishes?
Cold rolled finishes apply to flat products such as sheet or coil, with thickness less than about 5mm and usually less than 3mm.  They are firstly hot rolled into a strip

This article is the third is a series showcasing the uses of 445M2 Stainless Steel. Read Part 1. Read Part 2.

The Applied Science Building at the University of NSW is a landmark in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney. This world-class multi-storey complex of research laboratories and lecture theatres has recently been extended and upgraded, including the air-conditioning and fume extraction systems.

The new air conditioning and ventilation systems were placed on the roof. Management at the University were concerned that the upgrade would be a major disruption and not one they wished to endure more than once in a

This article is the final in a series on common finishes. Previous articles in this series dealt with the workhorse No. 4 (2J/2K) (AS36, Winter 2006) and the mill finishes 2R (BA), 2B and 2D (AS38, Summer 2006). This article looks at mirror, profiled and coloured surfaces.

Mirror polished surfaces, as the name implies, have a bright reflective surface which give a mirror like image.  They are the most labour intensive mechanically finished surface with an obvious impact on cost and time of production.  As fl at product, mirror finishes are produced by post mill abrasive polishing of either hot

Posted 1 July 2007

Choosing the correct grade of stainless steel for a tank, pipe or process vessel requires (at the very least) information about the temperature, pH and chemical composition of the contents.  One of the most important items of the chemical composition is how much chloride (salt) is present.  Analysis reports often give the concentration as milligrams per litre (mg/L) or sometimes as parts per million (ppm) of Cl.  However, Cl is also the symbol used for the element chlorine.

So what is the difference?

Chlorine is a poisonous, yellowish green gas which readily dissolves in water to

Posted 31 July 1993

Life Cycle Costing (LCC) has long been used in planning for reliability and maintenance for complex engineering systems in defence, airline, railway, offshore platform, power station, and other applications.

A basic attribute of stainless steel is the ability to provide long-term perfor-mance with a minimum of downtime and cost associated with maintenance. As a result LCC is of particular importance to the stainless industry.

Whilst the mathematics of LCC can be quite complex the International Chromium Development Association (ICDA) has developed an IBM or compati-ble PC program on floppy disk which can be easily applied to

This article is the first of a two-part series outlining new and emerging stainless steel grades which may be considered as alternatives to the more traditional and widely known varieties. Read Part 2.

The growing demand from China and the rest of the developing world has driven up the price of alloying elements added to stainless steels.  Over the last five years nickel prices have risen to ten times what they were.

Chromium and molybdenum have also risen strongly, and the price of stainless steel scrap – which steelmakers use extensively – has soared.  Inevitably, stainless steels have also

This article is the second of a two-part series outlining new and emerging stainless steel grades which may be considered as alternatives to the more traditional and widely known varieties. Read Part 1.

The growing demand from China and the rest of the developing world has driven up the price of alloying elements added to stainless steels.  Over the last five years nickel prices have risen to ten times what they were.

Chromium and molybdenum have also risen strongly, and the price of stainless steel scrap – which steelmakers use extensively – has soared.  Inevitably, stainless steels have also

Raw material price fluctuations and increasing demand for stainless steels have driven demand for lower cost alloys as alternatives to the traditional “300” series steels. This has been met through a range of existing and new, innovative steels with different properties, performance and availability broadening the range of alloys that might be found in the market. But as with the traditional stainless steels you can’t tell what they are by looking at them.

This article describes most of the range of test methods available for grade confirmation. The method used depends on the budget, size of job and the potential