Stainless Steel Vs.: Which Is Better for Metal Fabrication?

Aluminum sheets and stainless-steel sheets are widely used in multiple industrial sectors. But the particular properties of each material make these pieces more suitable for one use than another.

Stainless steel is 100% recyclable and plays a pivotal role in the circular economy. This common feature allows a significant reduction in costs and emissions.

 

Master Steel provides full Aluminum fabrication services in Queensland for a wide range of industrial, structural, and commercial applications.

Still, the differences between aluminum and stainless steel are many and must be taken into account:

 

1#. A Natural Material Versus an Alloy

 

Aluminum is the most common element on the earth's crust, while stainless steel does not naturally occur. Instead, it is obtained by combining iron with manganese, nickel, copper, and, in some cases, chromium oxide. The mixture of these elements makes it resistant to corrosion, undoubtedly its most outstanding property.

 

2#. Property and Versatility

 

Aluminum is the source of bauxite. This ore is processed into an alumina paste, a thick paste that is melted with cryolite. It is an electrolytic process that results in a soft, durable, lightweight, and malleable metal.

 

For its part, steel is strong, durable, and flexible, the result of the alloy of iron and carbon. The iron is melted, impurities are removed, carbon is added, and thus carbon steel is obtained, the base for stainless steel and chrome-molybdenum.

 

3#. Very Diverse Applications

 

Although the presence of both materials in the industry and everyday life is very common, it varies depending on the properties of each one. For example, stainless steel is very frequently found in industrial refrigeration, steelcomponents for theme parks, the automotive, naval, and food industries, as well as in transport, construction, infrastructure, and in health, pharmaceutical and chemical applications. In addition, being very resistant and hygienic, it is used in the food industry and tools, as well as in household appliances, in the aerospace industry, etc.

 

Regarding the industrial uses of aluminum, it is noteworthy in transport, thanks to its lightness. In fact, for this reason, it has replaced steel in the automobile industry in recent decades. It is also widely used in the electrical industry and manufacturing machinery and tools, as well as in packaging and containers, construction, tools and utensils, and painting. Aluminum is more present in everyday life than steel.

 

4#. Weight And Strength

 

Steel is undoubtedly much stronger than aluminum, making it more durable, heavier, and less deformable; it supports greater weights, tensions, and temperatures without suffering damage. Meanwhile, aluminum is up to a third lighter than steel.

 

5#. Corrosion Resistance

 

The passivated layer of aluminum gives it resistance to oxidation and corrosion, although, over time and exposure to extreme temperatures, it can corrode to holes and lose material. Stainless steel offers greater resistance to this aggression because it has a stronger coating of nickel, copper, or chrome.

 

Connect to MasterSteel, a trusted supplier of civil and infrastructure, and deliver projects requiring a combination of aluminum and another metal, such as stainless steel, in a single structure.