COMPOSITION AND PRODUCTION PROCESS OF THE STAINLESS STEEL A Stainless Steel generally is a mixture or alloy of steel with non-corrosive or lesser corrosive metals which gives it stainless and low corrosive properties. Stainless steel is able to survive stains and is less affected from rust, these two features makes stainless steel clearly preferable over other types of steel and metals for that matter. Stainless steel has become more popular because of these Properties and is used widely in manufacturing process and also in production of kitchen utensils, garden equipment, furniture and barbecues.
COMPOSITION OF STAINLESS STEEL It is typically composed of steel which is an alloy of number of metals all together which at least has 10% of chromium. The alloy has different amounts of nitrogen, molybdenum, nickel which affects the properties of stainless steel. Chromium is used because it is used in forming various shapes. Stainless Steel has self-healing properties if it gets scratched or bended because of the chromium oxide which forms a thin layer on the steel that is invisible from the naked eyes. Its re-healing properties are active only when it’s in contact with oxygen.
PRODUCTION OF STAINLESS STEEL Steel products like flats, sheets, wire and stainless steel bar are produced within a blast furnace. Carbon electrodes are kept inside the furnace with the required amounts of nickel, molybdenum and nitrogen at extreme high temperature. Once the components reach the optimum melting point, the various metals melts and get formed into a single metal alloy. Then the prepared alloy is kept into an organ vessel where decarbonization takes place within the vessel, forging or casting can start. After that steel can be molded into various shapes such as rounds, bars, flats, sheets etc.