There are many materials used to make items depending on their function and durability. One of the most common metals used in the industry is steel. It is a very important metal and has a number of uses in everyday life. Most times, we do not realize how much we depend on some materials. They are used in a lot of items that are useful to you. Many companies such as Metro Steel Brisbane offer steel materials. Steel is very versatile in use. Below are some of the uses of steel that you probably don’t know about.
- Transport
Steel is used in the transport industry to manufacture essential car parts such as engines, wheels, transmissions and even the body of the car itself. In the farm, it is used to manufacture tractors, storage tanks and even forklifts. It is also essential in the manufacture of boats and submarines, planes and jets. Basically, it has a vital role in all the fields of transportation.
It is favored because it is safe for the environment. Specifically, stainless steel is what is used. It is resistant to corrosion, helps save fuel and is high in its strength properties. It is also easy to maintain and rarely needs to be replaced.
- Cutlery
Stainless steel is used to make almost the entire cutlery used in most kitchens today. This is because it is resistant to corrosion and therefore lasts very long. It reduces the number of times you need to go cutlery shopping. It is used to make sharp kitchen knives, forks, table knives and spoons. It is also used to make some cookware. Anything that entails cutlery is preferred to be made from stainless steel.
This has eradicated the problem there was where cutlery would rust after a few uses and therefore be unfit for human use. The use of stainless steel has also brought about fashionable silverware. They can be used to serve all kind of high profile guests and still be suitable. They can also be used by your family for everyday meals.
- Appliances
Kitchen appliances are also manufactured from steel. These include cookers and grills, saucepans and even sink. Steel is also a component in the manufacture of refrigerators, dishwashers and even freezers. Steel keeps germs away as it is easily cleaned after use. It is also used to make bottle caps, food cans and paints. It is used in the making of microwaves as well.
Almost all the appliances you have in your home have a part made from steel. Without steel, most of your kitchen appliances either wouldn’t work well or would keep getting spoiled after little use. Caring for the appliances would also be a nightmare since they would have absorbed dirt and even have funny smells. The integral part that steel plays in this industry is unreplaceable.
- Construction
Steel is an integral part in any construction. The involvement of steel in architecture started during the art-deco period. From then, many buildings started to integrate steel as part of their architecture. One well known example is the Chrysler building whose top part was constructed from stainless steel.
Thereafter, it became common in modern buildings. The properties that enable it to play its part include the fact that it is resistant to corrosion, it is very strong, it is very flexible, it is easy to weld and it is attractive. Being attractive allows it to be used in finishes bot on the outside and in the inside of the building to make handrails and even countertops. One thing that is for sure is that steel has revolutionized architecture.
- Energy equipment
Oil is transported through pipelines. Steel is used in the manufacture of pipelines. It is the core metal used before others are added. The same also applies in the making of wind turbines, transformers and gas wells. It is also used to make valves and pipes.
This is because steel has properties that keep the energy safe and prevent it from easily being oxidized. This would result in a horrific fire incident. Steel rarely rusts and this makes it more durable and viable to protect the energy collected and transported. This goes to show how important steel is.
It is very dependable. The resistance to corrosion has allowed steel to be favored in this industry as compared to other metals. It is also resistant to high temperatures. All these factors allow it to provide maximum protection for whatever type of energy it is carrying.
- Health sector
One of the more hygienic metals is steel. This is due to the fact that it can be easily sterilized. It is also less likely to rust which would cause infections. For that reason, steel is a major player in the health sector. It is used to manufacture most of the tools used by medics in the operating room and in day to day care of the patients. Some of the materials used that are made of steel are dental instruments, surgical instruments, operating tables, and cannulas. Another use in the medical field is in the replacements of joints and fixing broken bones to allow them to heal.
- Recycling
Steel, like most other metals, can be recycled. It can be done so several times without depreciating in value. Scrap metal is a source of income. Collected steel in that form can add a bit of money to your pocket when you take it to the recycling industry.
The process is quite heavy but has a general outline. Scrap metals are usually mixed together when collected. At the recycling plant, they are sorted and processed by shredding. Steel is changed to steel blocks. It is then melted before purifying. After that, it is solidified into various shapes mostly bars to be used to produces other products. Finally, it is transported to factories that need it as a raw material. It does not pollute the environment.
- On Site offices and houses
Depending on what line of work you are in, there comes a time when you need to expand the company. When moving or expanding to a new area, you may not have an existing place of business. Since it will take time to work on the architectural plans for your offices and start construction, you need an alternative; temporary solutions to see you through while you wait.
You also need a place for your workers to sleep temporarily if they are not residents in the area. For that reason, you can look into storage containers made of steels. They are multi-purpose and can be used as offices and homes. When your construction is complete, you can resell them or move to the next site. No hustle.
- Shops
One of the ways of making use of steel is to make shops for the local people to use. The shops are better than those constructed out of wood in terms of sustainability. They are cheaper than the average structures constructed use stones and cement. What is done is that you buy a storage container like those used in import and export and you modify it.
You just need to get someone to carry it for you to the place where you want your business to be. It is a cheaper alternative to setting up a real building. In the event of bad weather, you will still be safe. It will protect you even form extreme heat. You can use it as your first shop before moving on to others. If you are a business person, you could buy several such containers, arrange them then put them up for lease. This is a sure way to earn extra income.
- Storage containers
Steel is largely used in the manufacture of steel storage containers. The said containers are known to be strong and highly protective due to the use of steel. They have a longer lifespan than containers that are made from other materials.
The containers are used in the import and export business. They keep the cargo secure. For that reason, they are transported across oceans to various countries of destinations. They ensure that the goods reach in excellent condition where they were meant to go.
They don’t allow water in, so even if they fell into the ocean, they would just need to be retrieved. They wouldn’t cause any loss in terms of damages to the business. They have made the import and export business much easier between countries with road and ocean access.
Steel is stronger than iron and this is made possible by the fact that it is a mixture of many metals. It is mostly composed of iron. It is therefore an alloy. Steel has a long history as it started being made many years ago, in the middle ages. The ways of making steel have evolved drastically since then. Today, the most common way in which steel is manufactured is through the basic-oxygen process.
