6mm stainless steel plate is a staple in construction, general engineering and production industries due to its durability, flexibility and corrosion resistance properties.
Metal products with thicknesses exceeding 1/4″ (6mm) are generally classified as plate, while thinner materials fall under sheet category. Gauges are commonly used to measure these thicknesses.
Durability
Stainless steel is one of the world’s most versatile materials, renowned for its durability, strength, formability and resistance to corrosion – qualities which make it suitable for many industries and applications. Designers, engineers and contractors who create systems and equipment often turn to it as one of their materials of choice.
Stainless steel is an economical solution that’s ideal for many applications. Available in various shapes and sizes, stainless steel makes it simple to design products or equipment tailored specifically to individual specifications. Furthermore, plasma cutters or waterjet cutters make stainless steel easily cuttable, further cutting labor costs.
Most stainless steel is typically sold as sheets and plates up to 6mm thick; any thickness exceeding this typically falls under the category of stainless steel bar.
Your choice of stainless steel depends on its desired characteristics, such as welding properties or corrosion resistance. Austenitic grades like 304 and 316 offer excellent welding properties suitable for most environments at a reduced price than other grades while boasting superior corrosion resistance.
When selecting a grade, take into account what finish you prefer. Brushed finishes provide superior corrosion protection while protecting from fingerprint smudges and stains while mirror finished products may be more susceptible to scratches and smudges.
Another key factor when purchasing stainless steel plates is how they will be used. You should understand if they will be exposed to high temperatures or acidic substances; an extra coating might even be necessary to protect it against corrosion.
Stainless steel plates are highly resilient and can last up to 100 years outdoors when properly maintained, but for optimal results it is crucial that they be protected from direct sunlight, ground currents, and excessive humidity. In order to do this, ensure they are stored indoors out of direct sunlight where possible to ensure proper maintenance.
Stainless steel bar comes in various shapes and sizes, from flat bars to hexagonal ones. Its weight-bearing properties make them suitable for I-beams, H-beams and C-beams as well as welding or bolting support structures together to provide load bearing support or be drilled and machined into fasteners.
Flexibility
6mm stainless steel plate allows architects, engineers and contractors to easily create customized solutions for a range of industries with its malleable properties. It can be stretched, punched, folded and bent without losing strength while its low density makes transport and work with much simpler. Thus enabling architects, construction firms and metal molding specialists to craft custom shapes tailored specifically for their projects.
At any stage of furniture design or creation, sheet metal craftmanship and manipulation is an invaluable skill. Thanks to its tensile strength, corrosion resistance, and durable properties, sheet metal makes an excellent material to work with across an array of applications and is easy to cut to size for welding – providing more freedom when creating custom structures that might otherwise require another type of metal material.
Calculating the weight of a stainless steel plate requires first determining its volume; this can be accomplished by multiplying its thickness with its density. Once this step has been completed, you’ll have an estimate for its overall weight; this step ensures your design meets all necessary structural specifications.
Stainless steel plates and sheets come in an assortment of standard sizes, making selecting one suitable for your project highly dependent upon industry requirements. A thinner option tends to provide greater flexibility while thicker options typically offer greater strength and durability.
Stainless steel bars are another popular choice for projects of all shapes and sizes, often available as flat and round bars as well as hex and angle options. Depending on your industry, selecting specific shapes may make narrowing down choices easier; ultimately, both plates and bars are favored due to their durability, and often serve a multitude of applications across a wide range of industries.
Corrosion Resistance
Stainless steel provides exceptional corrosion resistance in an array of environments and working conditions, depending on its chromium content and alloying elements. Grades such as 304 and 316 offer outstanding general-purpose corrosion resistance with good weldability; other grades offer better resistance in specific circumstances – for instance type 316 with added molybdenum increases pitting corrosion resistance while grades with more nickel or nitrogen can enhance resistance further.
No matter which grade of corrosion-resistant base metal you select, its corrosion resistance can be tailored to meet your specific needs by adding alloying elements or undergoing heat treatment. For instance, more chromium will increase corrosion resistance in acidic or chloride-containing solutions; however, too much of it could cause embrittlement when cold worked.
Grade 304 stainless steel is widely acknowledged as an all-purpose stainless steel due to its wide availability and straightforward fabrication process. It boasts excellent corrosion resistance across various environments and media types; however, localized corrosion may occur in warm seawater due to unevenly distributed oxidizing species present within its solution.
To prevent this type of corrosion, you can opt for steel grades with higher PREN (positive relative permeability to oxygen) numbers. This metric describes how well steel can withstand oxygen penetration into its grain boundary; other examples with such PREN numbers include food industry grades like 430; or 321, which combines titanium to reduce oxidation and corrosion in warm waters.
Both stainless steel 304 and 316 are readily available as sheets, however it should be noted that stainless steel plate offers greater tensile strength compared to thinner sheets, making it the superior choice for heavy-duty applications like pressure vessels or marine equipment.
Stainless steel’s durability, formability, and superior resistance to corrosion make it an ideal material for many industries ranging from construction to food processing and transportation, with medical, chemical, marine applications also possible. In high corrosion environments, duplex grades might be preferable due to lower alloy content than super-austenitic stainless steels that help avoid stress corrosion cracking.
Cost-Effectiveness
Stainless steel plate is an economical material, offering corrosion resistance and durability in multiple applications across industries like construction, food service, transportation and others. Due to these properties, it has become popular choice in construction projects, food service operations, transportation services and transportation firms alike.
Stainless steel costs can depend on alloy type, plate thickness and finish factors as well as other considerations. 300-series stainless steel typically provides a good balance of cost and quality for most general purpose uses; while 400-series stainless steel is an excellent choice when you require superior toughness or high strength-to-weight ratio.
316L stainless steel alloy is an increasingly popular choice in many industrial and commercial settings, as its excellent corrosion resistance provides lasting value in harsh environments. Furthermore, its easy cleaning properties make 316L an excellent material choice for food preparation areas or other sterile settings.
Hexagonal and hollow bars are often employed in weight-bearing applications as well as machining operations, making them perfect for welding or fabricating nuts, bolts, or other fasteners. Meanwhile, square bars provide superior structural support while being suitable for shaping into specific dimensions or shapes with precision machining techniques.
Choose the appropriate cut when working with thicker stainless steel plates. Laser cutting may prove more difficult due to its brittle nature, leading to distortion and warping; plasma cutting has proven more successful at handling higher thickness stainless steels; top of-the-line systems like Hypertherm’s XPR300 can deliver impressive speeds when cutting steel up to 15mm thick.
As well as cutting speeds, when selecting equipment for your project it is also important to keep dross-free limits, pierce capacities and severance cuts in mind. These measurements indicate the maximum amount of metal the machine can remove without needing extensive secondary operations or waste bin storage solutions.
If you want to keep costs in check, selecting a grade that provides maximum value is key to keeping costs under control. 304 stainless steel is one of the most economical choices available and provides good corrosion resistance and fabrication ease for most projects. You could also opt for SSC-6MO; its superaustenitic composition boasts superior resistance against chloride pitting corrosion crevice corrosion stress-corrosion cracking than standard 300-series stainless steels.
