business strategy MAXIMIZING THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF STAINLESS STEEL
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hile most people will agree stainless steel renders a longlasting solution for many corrosion applications, the perception remains that stainless steel is expensive. This is not true, even if the kilogram price of stainless is higher than other metals. This is because the price driver in the case of stainless steel is the alloying content of the material. Stainless steel is an alloy of mainly iron and chrome with small amounts of other elements that enhance specific properties of stainless steels. By varying the content of these elements, different grades are developed for different applications. These elements give rise to the fact that stainless steel is not just one material, but rather a family of steels, each with specific properties. A good understanding of the role of the chemical elements in stainless steel will give a good understanding of the different grades, their strengths, and limitations. By selecting the correct grade for the task at hand, we can limit not only
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the initial costs but also the cost of maintenance and associated downtimes. Once this has been done, a cost analysis over the life span of the product will quickly indicate that stainless might be the material with a high initial cost but one which remains virtually unbeatable when it comes to total life cycle costs. While this is advantageous, it still does not explain how to select the optimal grade of material for a specific requirement. To make the best material choices, it is also important to understand: • The physical environment for the installation • The functional application of the components • Understand the nature of corrosion
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Stainless steel is one of the most durable materials used in architecture and other external applications. Evaluating the environment can be critical in making correct grade selection. As mentioned, stainless steel is not one material, but
rather a family of many different types with different properties and, most importantly, different levels of corrosion resistance. If an appropriate stainless steel surface design and finish are selected and properly maintained, its appearance will remain virtually unchanged over the lifetime of the building, even if that life is well over 100 years. Alternatively, should inappropriate stainless steel and/or finish be used, corrosion can become a problem. Sassda relies on the evaluation solutions offered by the International Molybdenum Association (IMOA) which is determined by European Standards (EN) and is now in the process of developing a unique product solution that will be suitable for South African conditions. The evaluation system has five sections in which the following aspects of the environment is rated through a points system: • Environment: The environment is rated as rural or according to various
NOVEMBER
