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

The Australian War Memorial in Hyde Park Corner, London stands as a symbol of freedom and an enduring spirit of strength.

To commemorate the men and women who fought and died for Australia alongside Britons in the two World Wars, Australian architectural firm Tonkin Zulaikha Greer and artist Janet Laurence designed the Memorial to reflect the sweep of the Australian landscape.

The result was a highly durable structure featuring a long, curved wave wall constructed out of West Australian green granite and supported by grade 316L stainless steel.

ASSDA Major Sponsor, Atlas Specialty Metals, and ASSDA members, M & S

The visual performance of outdoor stainless steel depends on five interrelated factors:

• Surface finish - smooth and clean and free of crevices.
• Grade selection - appropriate for environment.
• Good design - rain washing and uniform draining.
• Maintenance program - regular cleaning.
• End user expectations.

This technical article provides suggestions on a maintenance program for cleaning of exterior stainless steel, together with some recommendations for remedial action if stains occur beyond regular maintenance or where such maintenance has not been performed.

Maintenance: routine removal of grime

Stainless steel holds its appearance best if it is washed

Cleaner beaches and major water savings will be the chief benefits of the largest Sydney Water construction project ever undertaken on the New South Wales south coast.

The $197 million Illawarra Wastewater Strategy will see an overhaul of the 40-year-old Wollongong sewage treatment plant (STP) including the construction of a major new water recycling plant, high level (tertiary) treatment processes and ultraviolet disinfection systems.

ASSDA member, Roladuct Spiral Tubing, supplied approximately 60 tonnes of grade 316 and 316L stainless spiral tubing and associated fittings in 2mm to 5mm thicknesses for the project.

These materials were provided to Total Process

Combining many of the beneficial properties of both ferritic and austenitic steels, 2205 is the most widely used duplex stainless steel grade. Its high chromium and molybdenum content gives the stainless steel excellent corrosion resistance. The microstructure provides resistance to stress corrosion cracking and ensures high strength.

The grade is generally not suitable for use at temperatures above 300^oC or below -50^oC because of reduced toughness outside this range.

You are most likely to encounter 2205 stainless steel being used in industrial environments such as petrochemical, chemical, oil, gas and paper plants.

Alternative Grades
2205 has

Brisbane's tallest residential tower, The Aurora will stand 69 levels and will set an important precedent in the use of stainless steel pressure piping in high rise buildings when the Bovis Lend Lease project is completed in January 2006

Situated on the corner of Queen, Eagle and Wharf Streets in the Brisbane CBD, The Aurora utilises stainless steel pressure piping instead of conventional copper piping to ensure adequate water pressure for each of the 478 two and three bedroom apartments in the $250 million development.

ASSDA member, Blucher Australia, supplied approximately 250m x 108mm OD x 2mm Mapress tube

Posted 1 July 2005

These extraordinary sculptures shine with life when fashioned from stainless steel, demonstrating the diversity and beauty of the material.

When South Australian developer, John Culshaw of Pentroth Pty Ltd proposed the design for the Majestic Roof Garden Hotel in Adelaide, the original proposal was for plain vertical bars for the car park grille of the Bent Street facade

Instead of surrendering to drab, pre-fab vertical bar grille designs, the developer actively sought a stylish alternative to the car park status quo. He commissioned artists Sue Rodwell and Trevor Rodwell to create ‘Strata’, a stainless steel grille design that aesthetically showcases the hotel building and provides a ‘majestic streetscape’ experience for Bent Street pedestrians.

The artists’ intention was to excise

The most common grades of stainless steel are 304 and 316, which are particularly popular because their austenitic microstructure results in an excellent combination of corrosion resistance, mechanical and physical properties and ease of fabrication.

The austenitic structure is the result of the addition of approximately 8-10% nickel. Nickel is not alone in being an austenite former; other elements that are used in this way are manganese, nitrogen, carbon and copper.

The Cost of Nickel and Its Addition to Stainless Steel

The cost of the common stainless steels is substantially determined by the cost of ingredients. The cost of the

A Queensland stainless steel fabrication company has successfully turned a product usually found in industrial environments into an architectural design feature that is gaining popularity on Australia’s east coast.

Stainless steel screens and grates have traditionally been used for filtering and cleaning in the mining, petrochemical, food processing and water treatment industries — applications where water transfer is required.

ASSDA member, Paige Stainless Fabrications has taken the grating concept further, beyond a simple drainage system, by using the product in architectural applications such as stair treads,  walkways and entry mats.

Paige Stainless Fabrications designs and manufactures ‘heel proof’ stainless steel

Where flammable or combustible materials are stored or handled, there can be a severe risk of an explosion or fire if handling equipment such as forklift trucks are not flameproofed.

Flameproofing of material handling equipment is the science of reducing the risk of an explosion or fire by means of specialised principles and technologies.

Three components are needed in order to generate an explosion or fire.

1. A flammable or combustible material eg. liquid, gas or dust.
2. Oxygen eg. air.
3. Ignition source eg. electrical sparks,  mechanical sparks, hot surface and static discharges.

Sources of ignition include flames and sparks from exhaust

When coatings manufacturer, PPG Industries’ original bulk solvent storage facility had come to the end of its economic life, the company elected to install a new $8m facility that is both efficient and fully compliant with numerous safety, environmental and good design principles on its Clayton, Victoria site

Established in the 1950s, the bulk solvent storage facility receives a diverse range of bulk solvents and monomers, sourced from petrochemical producers in particular and delivered to the site by bulk road tanker.

PPG Industries Project Manager, Tom Van Loon, said he went in search of a stainless steel fabrication contractor

New 9kg Stainless Steel Gas Bottles

Posted 31 October 2005

Strong demand from prestige boating and yachting manufacturers has prompted the production and release of new stainless steel nine kilogram LPG gas bottles.

Melbourne-based fabricator and ASSDA member, Stainless Tanks and Pressure Vessels (STPV) produce grade 316L stainless steel gas bottles that offer significant resistance to corrosion, making the product ideal for cooking in marine and boating applications.

The new gas bottles will also complement the increased production of barbecues now manufactured in stainless steel and are supplied with standard gas fittings.

The refillable gas bottles have a ten year

Today, environmental factors are at the forefront of material selection for specifiers. Stainless steel’s long service life, 100 percent recyclability and its valuable raw materials make it an excellent environmental performer.

 Stainless steel objects rarely become waste at the end of their useful life. Recycled stainless objects are systematically separated and recovered to go back into the production process through recycling.

As well as iron, stainless steel contains valuable raw materials like chromium and nickel which makes recycling stainless steel economically viable.

Stainless steel is actively recycled on a large scale around the world by recyclers who collect and

Stainless steel enjoys a strong and enduring reputation for visual appeal and structural integrity in a wide range of applications. This broad appeal has made stainless steel an ideal choice for value-adding luxury homes on Sydney’s northshore.

Spiral Staircase - Collaroy
One particular luxury home overlooking the beach at Collaroy was owned by former rugby league test captain Brad Fittler at the time. The home featured an external steel spiral staircase. However, its close proximity to the surf had caused the painted staircase to corrode in less than 12 months of installation.

Salt deposits had accumulated on the structure,

Artisans of Fabrication

Traditionally artisans of yesteryears searched for the right stone or timber and personally hand carved their works of art. However, modern artists and sculptors now work collaboratively to create sculptures using a wider range of materials including stainless steel

Installation artist, Marion Borgelt is a modern artist who in early 2005 completed the most significant work in her 25 year career. However, this is no public installation.

Located high on the 32nd floor of the JP Morgan Chase building overlooking Circular Quay, 'Time and Tide (wait for no man)' features 16 stainless steel spheres resting on an

OMG Cawse Pty Ltd is the owner and operator of a nickel and cobalt mining operation and processing plant that is located 55 kilometres north east of Kalgoorlie.

Extracting nickel involves acid leaching using sulfuric acid in a high temperature and pressure autoclave to dissolve the nickel and cobalt from the oxide ore.

The wastes from this process are very acidic and require a highly corrosion resistant material for the lining of the sump tank.

When various concrete coatings for the sump tank were trialed and failed, OMG Cawse opted to install Alloy C-276 to engineer out the continuous maintenance

When used properly, stainless steel enjoys a strong and enduring reputation for visual appeal and structural integrity in a wide range of applications and environments.

But, like all materials, stainless steel may become stained or discoloured over time, impairing the overall look. This brown discolouration - tea staining - has been identified in coastal applications in Australia and overseas.

Factors affecting tea staining have been researched by ASSDA and the information gathered has been supported by experiences from around the world.

This article provides information on tea staining and what fabricators, specifiers and end users should do to help avoid

Common Traps to Avoid

Posted 1 April 2006

Errors in stainless steel fabrication can be expensive and difficult to resolve. So a 'Get it right the first time' approach to stainless fabrication is necessary to gain the best result. Check the ASSDA website regularly for a local Stainless Steel Specialist.

ASSDA Accredited Fabricators - Ensuring the Best Result
ASSDA Accredited Fabricators are companies and individuals that have a common understanding of successful technical practices for fabricating stainless steel.

To ensure the highest standard in quality, Accredited Fabricators belong to the ASSDA Accreditation Scheme, an ASSDA initiative that is intended

Transforming apprentices into stainless steel specialists can be a challenging but rewarding experience for employers seeking to improve quality, retain staff and increase profitability.