THE PEN | Stainless steel under the microscope

I would like to take the opportunity in "The Pen" to pay attention to stainless steel, simply because I find it such a tremendously special material. Moreover, in recent years Schroeder has been busy developing unique concrete anchors with this beautiful material. 

Stainless steel is often popularly called stainless steel, but stainless steel is a much better name. Since ordinary steel that has not rusted is also stainless steel, and because stainless steel can indeed corrode - and then is not stainless. 

First, a little history of stainless steel, as the material has been around for more than a century and a half. Just before World War I, the Brown-Firth laboratory (led by Harry Brearley) in England was asked to develop a metal that would cause less internal wear on the barrels of firearms and guns. Brearley came up with the idea of adding chromium, and thus the first form of stainless steel was created. (RVS has a minimum of 11-12% of chromium and a maximum of 1.2% of carbon). The newly developed alloy had many more advantages, so many other industries began to use stainless steel in addition to the weapons industry. Development continued rapidly, and by now there are more than 200 different grades available.

Why do I think stainless steel is such a beautiful material? It is best known for its corrosion resistance and beautiful appearance (unfortunately you don't see any of that appearance once it has collapsed). Depending on the alloy, some stainless steels can be used very well in acidic and alkaline environments, for example in the (petro-)chemical industry or stable construction. Some alloys retain their strength at high temperatures and other alloys are again very resistant to extreme temperature changes. I will not succeed in naming all the advantages of all types in this piece, but there are many. For example, all stainless steel types are easy to process: the material is malleable and easy to cut and mill. Finally, stainless steel scores high on sustainability; from the LCC (Life Cycle Costing) perspective, stainless steel often comes out favorably.

The choice to use a stainless steel product will have to be made early in the construction process. This durable choice has a positive effect on the life span and required maintenance of the structure. A wrong choice can have enormous consequences for the safety of the structure, among other things. In recent years, numerous unsound structures have unfortunately been realized, due to the wrong choice of anchor material.

Anchors in stainless steel are suitable for fixing noise barriers, balustrades, balconies and even for bollards on quays in (sea) harbors. They are also excellent for use in damp areas. What a wonderful material stainless steel is!