Our three-part series on coated abrasives concludes with information on choosing the correct abrasive product for the desired finish. Read Part 1. Read Part 2.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SURFACE ROUGHNESS

The surface roughness of stainless steel is an important factor in determining corrosion resistance. Put simply, the smoother the finish the greater the corrosion resistance, whether in the form of sheet or coil or in welded components.

SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY

Interaction between the abrasive belt and the workpiece is affected by surface topography (micro texture). Even a surface which appears perfectly flat to the naked eye has ‘asperities’, undulations between 0.05

To symbolise the wetlands landscape of the Nundah area in Brisbane’s north, sculptor Daniel Della Bosca sought out materials which best convey the fluidity and reflectivity of water and the reedy texture of waterside vegetation.

His choice was 316 stainless steel, finished with specialised surface treatments, combined with translucent blue glass and earthed in basalt.

“Dancing Wall” was commissioned by Brisbane City Council (BCC) as part of its program of Suburban Centre Improvement Projects (SCIPs) which aim to improve economic vitality, focus on community life and enrich local activity. The Nundah SCIP is one of the larger projects in the

Posted 1 July 2003

Stainless steel combines structural strength with corrosion resistance to form a superior construction material which additionally supports a range of aesthetically pleasing finishes.

The austenitic grades, typically 304 and 316, are most common and comprise 70% to 80% of all stainless steel used. Their popularity is due to their excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties combined with their relatively low cost. Nevertheless, the use of stainless steel hollow sections in construction has been restricted in the past by the unavailability of product larger than 150mm x 150mm x 6mm.

Today, however, the stainless steel industry internationally

Posted 1 July 2003

Architect Jan Jensen was a consultant to Brisbane City Council on the design of the Brisbane Riverwalk, currently under construction. The walk will take pedestrians from the CBD to the inner suburb of New Farm along the river.

At this proximity to Moreton Bay, the water is brackish and the air salt-laden - it is destructive to most construction materials. Corrosion-resistant stainless steel was chosen for this landmark project to deliver the 100 year service life required by the asset owner.

The structure consists of floating pontoons, reinforced with 316 stainless steel deformed bar. There are

Posted 1 July 2003

The long-term cost effectiveness of stainless steel makes it a worthwhile proposition even though the initial outlay can be significant. The construction industry is realising that choosing a cheaper, but less durable material can be a false economy.

Eventually repairs need to be made and this can be at considerable expense. Further, there are likely to be logistical problems absent from the initial construction which add to the cost.

For example, when 101 Collins Street – a prestigious Melbourne high-rise office building – was completed twelve years ago, its two 80,000 litre fire water storage tanks

When Canberra-based Artist, Anna Eggert began sculpting with stainless steel wire mesh two years ago she tried every tool to model the material with little success. 

Almost giving up on completing her installation, Eggert reached for a stone and began attacking the 316 mesh in frustration .... with extraordinary results.

The primitive stone became the perfect tool for modelling the wire mesh into soft folds to resemble drapery.

This modelling skill exploits the material to create smooth flowing lines of a garment pressed against a feminine body. It is an effect that effectively breathes life into material to create the

Coastal areas are popular sites for recreational fun and fantastic fishing. However, the City of Albany in Western Australia had one major problem to deal with - fish waste in the nearby waterways 

Local fishermen were cleaning and filleting fish and disposing of the waste overboard. This waste not only stagnated in the water for days, but also attracted seals and stingrays that can become aggressive when feeding.

Faced with a situation of replacing what was a kitchen sink on rusty legs in the water, the Council turned to local ASSDA member, Austenitic Steel Products, to design and fabricate an

Posted 30 November 2003

The humble stainless steel rail is set to become a visual feature with the introduction of an innovative new product that people just can't keep their hands off.

Decorative Tube or Deco Tube has already started making waves on Queensland's Sunshine Coast with a choice between six different patterns suitable for a whole range of applications.

An Expression of Individuality

Caboolture Wheelchairs manufactures a range of customised manual and electric wheelchairs made of stainless steel for disabled people, sporting wheelies, hospitals and nursing homes.

The company sought to transform an ordinary functional wheelchair frame into a

Successfully using stainless steel depends on environment, grade selected, surface finish, the expectations of the customer and the maintenance specified.

Stainless steels provide robust solutions, but in harsh or borderline environments with high expectations for durability, surface finish will have a substantial impact on performance. Surface finishes can be applied mechanically (usually with abrasives) and chemically.

Understanding how chemical and mechanical treatments will affect the characteristics of the surface and will enable the best possible outcome for the client and the structure. Chemical treatment can be used to improve the corrosion performance of the steel, and hence its appearance in

PDT Architects, Brisbane in association with HOK Sport, Venue and Event designed and documented the $280m Suncorp Stadium for the Queensland Government.

"It is the top grade material and that's what we wanted for the stadium...

When you take that the client is the people of Queensland, they expect the best to go into the stadium.

If they're paying $280 million for a stadium they want the thing to last and stainless will give you that longevity."

Director, John Brown of PDT Architects described the pros and cons of specifying stainless steel for the redevelopment of Lang Park (Suncorp

Savings for Stainless

Posted 30 November 2003

Researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Cooperative Research Centre for Welded Structures (CRC-WS) have developed a welding process for stainless steels and other corrosion-resistant metals that is significantly faster, cheaper and easier than current practices.

The patented process is an elaboration of standard gas-tungsten arc welding (GTAW), and uses a specially designed torch that establishes and maintains a ‘keyhole’ at the joint.

The weld then proceeds, zipper-like, with the melted sides of the keyhole fusing at the back as the torch melts new material in front of

Tamarama Beach or as local Sydneysiders call it 'Glamarama Beach', is well known as the place for beautiful people to be seen and for the rest of us to dream.

Artist, Graham Chalcroft set out to distort self-image in the name of fun by capitalising on the beach's former fairground history to design and fabricate a sculpture - 'Bathing Box: the impossible change room of shattered dreams'.

The stainless steel sculpture was a crowd favourite at the 'Sculpture by the Sea' exhibition held in November 2003 from Bondi Beach to Tamarama Beach in Sydney NSW.

The sculpture's design aesthetic

Brewed for Efficiency

When Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) announced plans last year to expand production capacity at the Yatala site in Queensland, the company considered both purchase of new stainless tankage as well as transfer of tanks from its Sydney brewery and re-use of second hand tanks in its inventory.

 Six such vessels had been stored by CUB on leased land in the City of Redcliffe, unsealed and exposed to the weather.

Constructed in 321 stainless, the 3 x 12 metre tanks were out of service for the last ten years and placed in the yard for future use.

For many years there has not been a Standard to cover the low pressure stainless steel cast pipe fittings commonly used in Australia and other countries around the world.

These are commonly termed “150lb” or “BSP” pipe fittings. In most cases the fittings that have been supplied were a mismatch of various Standards.

The fittings were dimensionally in accordance with a number of American Standards, whilst British Standard threads were used. This led to the fittings having threads that in some cases were non-compliant - basically there was insufficient length to accommodate the thread.

ASSDA, through its Technical Committee, identified

"Windhover" is a dramatic stainless steel sculpture created by the late Lenton Parr, located on the eastern foreshore of Port Phillip Bay in Sandringham, Melbourne.

Unveiled in December 2001, the sculpture's vertical lines and arcs are evocative of the yachts often seen sailing out on the Bay.

However, two and a half years of zero maintenance and exposure to salt spray from the bay have taken their toll, turning the surface of the stainless steel a blotchy brown.

Called tea staining, it's caused by deposition of salt on the surface which is then trapped in the crevices of the brushed

A crevice is a narrow gap between a piece of metal and another piece of metal or tightly adhering material like plastic or a film of bacterial growth.

Many metals and alloys are susceptible to crevice corrosion, but in stainless steel, crevices are the first and most common place for corrosive attack to begin. With a little understanding, crevice corrosion can either be avoided or minimised.

Crevices can be:
• The space under a washer or bolt head.
• The gap between plates bolted together.
• The gap between components intermittently welded.
• The space under a sticky label.
•

A revolution is about to take place in the tiling industry with the introduction of stainless steel decorative tiles with a versatile design that will add style to any kitchen, bathroom, restaurant, bar and even as a feature wall.

There are many benefits to using stainless steel tiles. The tiles cannot burn or crack, graffiti can be easily removed, will not rust and is a stylish upgrade to the standard one piece splashbacks.

Available from Futura Tiles (Border Sheetmetal), the tiles are available in a wide variety of sizes, patterns, finishes and grades. Size ranges include: 65 x 290mm freeze,

North Queensland's Hayman Island Resort welcomes thousands of guests every year to the Great Barrier Reef island destination. Also attracted by the beauty of the resort, cockatoos have eaten away at the timber balcony railings and balustrades

To combat the work of the troublesome cockatoos, the resort management called for stainless steel to replace the timber railings and balustrades on the fifteen year old building.

ASSDA major sponsor, Atlas Specialty Metals, supplied approximately 1,000 linear metres of grade 316 stainless steel including 76 x 42mm oval tube and 38mm diameter round tube in high polish to Mackay-based fabricator, Jeff

Posted 31 January 2005

Sydney's New Year's Eve has always been celebrated in spectacular style and this year's event shined with the inclusion of a giant glitter ball featuring stainless steel.

Hanging from the Sydney Harbour Bridge was 'Fanfare', a five storey-high spherical structure covered in 354 stainless steel pinwheels that spin as the ball rotates.

The sculpture, designed by New Zealand artist Neil Dawson, is Sydney's first three-dimensional bridge effect in the event's history.

ASSDA major sponsor, Sandvik Australia Pty Ltd and ASSDA member, Stainless Sections supplied 90 sheets of 10' x 4' x 1mm or approximately 2.7 tonnes

Choosing mainline fittings for irrigation applications can often seem like building a giant puzzle with elbows, tees, crosses and coupler sets - various fittings required to connect irrigation pipework together.

However, Geoff Mellows from Yarrawonga Irrigation in Victoria may have solved the puzzle by using stainless steel mainline fittings - something that plastic fittings cannot yet match.

Poly, pvc and avs fittings are common materials in irrigation applications but because they are produced out of a mould, the combinations of size and outlet configuration are restricted.

Mellows said that by using stainless mainline fittings by ASSDA member, Pierce Australia, he