Materials/Finishes

Stainless Steel Perforated Sheets

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is not one material, but rather a name for a group of corrosion resistant steels. Stainless is one of the most long term solutions for long life applications.

Perforated stainless steel sheets are durable and strong and essentially long lasting provided the material is kept clean, stainless can rust in open elements, customers need to consider the environment and location for application.

Stainless steel needs to be kept clean particularly when the surface is new. The corrosion resistance of stainless relies on a protective “passive” film forming on its’ surface.

This protective film (formed by the presence of oxygen) will protect the material provided that contaminants are washed off. This happens naturally when it rains provided the surface is smooth enough so as not to hold contaminants,

Corrosion protection for Stainless Steel

Stainless Steel does exactly what it is meant to once handled properly. Stainless steel relies on Oxygen being able to reach the surface , therefore the surface must be kept clean during the aging process when oxygen reacts with the surface to form a protective film or skin. After this process has taken place (which can take a number of weeks) the surface becomes a lot more resistance to staining.

See Diagram Below.

Oxygen + Chromium = Protective Film

Oxygen forms protective chromium oxide film, the loss of this protective film occurs when the material is scratched, damaged or machined, thereby exposing the steel to the atmosphere. The protective coating repairs itself quickly when oxygen comes into contact with the chromium rich base metal.