To date, stainless steel plates have a history of more than 90 years. It has a smooth surface, good plasticity, toughness and mechanical strength, and is also resistant to corrosion from acids, alkaline gases or solutions. Stainless steel plates mainly refer to steel plates that are resistant to corrosion by weak media such as air, steam and water. How should consumers choose from the uneven quality of stainless steel plates on the market?
Identify materials
The commonly used materials for colored stainless steel plates on the market are 201, 304, 31 and other models, which are processed and colored. Among these models, 316 has the best corrosion resistance, while 201 has the worst, and the price difference is also quite large. Therefore, some black merchants often use inferior material 201 instead of 304 and 316. Some businesses use water plating coloring technology instead of vacuum ion plating coloring technology, which causes many stainless steel plates to fall off, rust or even break when installed in building decoration projects.
Surface coloring process
The coloring process of stainless steel surface will affect the price. There are mainly two types of coloring process: water plating and vacuum plating. The former gives people an unreal and unrefined feeling, as if it is sprayed on, and will also cause wastewater pollution, and the price is lower. The latter is relatively environmentally friendly and will not produce toxic or polluting substances.
Observe the metal surface
Since colored stainless steel plates are mainly used for architectural decoration, their ornamental properties are very important. When inspecting the goods, owners need to be careful and carefully inspect and observe the surface to see if there are any color differences, scratches, sand holes, peeling water marks, etc.
The quality of the film
After processing, a protective film is usually pasted on the surface of the colored stainless steel plate to ensure the smoothness of the surface and prevent scratches from hard objects. Poor quality protective films will become powdery after being stored for a long time and will be difficult to tear off, or a lot of glue will stick to the surface after being torn off, which is unsightly. When inspecting the goods, it is recommended to tear off a larger area to check the quality of the film, and after the decoration project is installed, the film should be torn off as soon as possible, especially for outdoor decoration.
Six core application areas of stainless steel plates
1. Architectural decoration: used for curtain walls, elevator panels, handrails, etc., with both aesthetics and weather resistance, such as hotel lobby decoration and commercial building facades.
2. Food and medical industry: in line with hygiene standards, used for food processing equipment (storage tanks, pipelines), medical instruments (surgical instruments, disinfection cabinets), corrosion resistance and easy to clean.
3. Chemical and Energy: It can resist acid and alkali corrosion and is used in reactors, heat exchangers, and oil pipelines. It performs well in offshore platforms and chemical storage tanks.
4. Kitchen equipment manufacturing: range hoods, sinks, stove panels, etc. It is resistant to oil and moisture and is the mainstream material for household and commercial kitchenware.
5. Transportation: high-speed rail car interiors, ship decks, and automobile exhaust pipes, which can adapt to harsh environments with their salt spray corrosion resistance.
6. Environmental protection equipment: sewage treatment equipment and exhaust gas purification devices, which can resist medium corrosion, extend equipment service life, and reduce maintenance costs.
Read more: Advantages and Disadvantages of Stainless Steel Plates
Identify materials
The commonly used materials for colored stainless steel plates on the market are 201, 304, 31 and other models, which are processed and colored. Among these models, 316 has the best corrosion resistance, while 201 has the worst, and the price difference is also quite large. Therefore, some black merchants often use inferior material 201 instead of 304 and 316. Some businesses use water plating coloring technology instead of vacuum ion plating coloring technology, which causes many stainless steel plates to fall off, rust or even break when installed in building decoration projects.
Surface coloring process
The coloring process of stainless steel surface will affect the price. There are mainly two types of coloring process: water plating and vacuum plating. The former gives people an unreal and unrefined feeling, as if it is sprayed on, and will also cause wastewater pollution, and the price is lower. The latter is relatively environmentally friendly and will not produce toxic or polluting substances.
Observe the metal surface
Since colored stainless steel plates are mainly used for architectural decoration, their ornamental properties are very important. When inspecting the goods, owners need to be careful and carefully inspect and observe the surface to see if there are any color differences, scratches, sand holes, peeling water marks, etc.
The quality of the film
After processing, a protective film is usually pasted on the surface of the colored stainless steel plate to ensure the smoothness of the surface and prevent scratches from hard objects. Poor quality protective films will become powdery after being stored for a long time and will be difficult to tear off, or a lot of glue will stick to the surface after being torn off, which is unsightly. When inspecting the goods, it is recommended to tear off a larger area to check the quality of the film, and after the decoration project is installed, the film should be torn off as soon as possible, especially for outdoor decoration.
Six core application areas of stainless steel plates
1. Architectural decoration: used for curtain walls, elevator panels, handrails, etc., with both aesthetics and weather resistance, such as hotel lobby decoration and commercial building facades.
2. Food and medical industry: in line with hygiene standards, used for food processing equipment (storage tanks, pipelines), medical instruments (surgical instruments, disinfection cabinets), corrosion resistance and easy to clean.
3. Chemical and Energy: It can resist acid and alkali corrosion and is used in reactors, heat exchangers, and oil pipelines. It performs well in offshore platforms and chemical storage tanks.
4. Kitchen equipment manufacturing: range hoods, sinks, stove panels, etc. It is resistant to oil and moisture and is the mainstream material for household and commercial kitchenware.
5. Transportation: high-speed rail car interiors, ship decks, and automobile exhaust pipes, which can adapt to harsh environments with their salt spray corrosion resistance.
6. Environmental protection equipment: sewage treatment equipment and exhaust gas purification devices, which can resist medium corrosion, extend equipment service life, and reduce maintenance costs.
Read more: Advantages and Disadvantages of Stainless Steel Plates
