Fabrication

Stainless steel has considerable potential informing applications, due to its interesting range of mechanical properties. The material’s high strength-to-weigth ratio and considerable elongation and work hardening properties mean it can often meet the challenges of complex, three-dimensional, seamless designs.

This brochure is available in the following languages: Czech, Dutch, English, German, Finnish, French, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish
[clicking on the language will open the pdf]

Applicable Additive Manufacturing Technologies

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have emerged recently but have very quickly drawn a lot of attention thanks to their very attractive set of properties and attributes. Their common feature is the build-up of objects by deposition of material layer upon layer, driven by a 3D computer model, thereby achieving near final shape (also known as near net shape [NNS]). The processes are the ‘polar opposite’ of most other manufacturing methods which progressively remove material, such as machining. All AM technologies applicable to metals can be used with stainless steels. Their advantages and limitations are described in this leaflet.

This brochure contains the following chapters:

• General information on stainless steel
• Stainless steel welding processes
• Weldability of stainless steel
• Selecting shielding gases for welding of stainless steel
• Selecting welding consumables for welding stainless steel
• Joint preparation in arch welding
• Finishing treatment for welds
• Safe practices
• Glossary: terms and definitions

This brochure is available in English, Czech, Dutch, Polish and Turkish
[clicking on the language will open the pdf]

Sandvik’s guidelines provide a step-by-step aid to the successful welding of stainless steels and nickel alloys: filler meta,, welding parameters, joint preparation, post-weld cleaning and more…

Download the guide

An overview of welding stainless steels is given, with particular reference to the various welding methods that can be used. Standards mentioned include BSEN1600, BSEN12072, BSEN12073, BSEN760, BSEN287

Source: British Stainless Steel Association

Forming methods are discussed and include cutting, sawing, shearing, plasma cutting, blanking, punching, piercing, bending, drawing, spinning and tube bending.
Source: British Stainless Steel Association

The main purpose of this manual is to summarize the main characteristics of the different types of stainless steels and to facilitate the selection of the welding and cutting processes.

Source: Cedinox

Specifiers and fabricators requiring the unique combination of high corrosion resistance and outstanding material strength provided by duplex stainless steels now have freely available to them a definitive guide to selecting and working with duplex grades.

A major update of ‘Practical Guidelines for the fabrication of Duplex Stainless Steels’ brings together in one publication experience from around the world. It goes beyond the first and second generations of these materials also taking into account the latest developments in lean duplex and hyper duplex grades.

This publication is available in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish
[clicking on the language will open the pdf]

Practical guidance for the proper use of stainless steel is limited and dispersed. It is the purpose of this brochure to combine information from standards with relevant practical experience to give designers and fabricators basic orientation. For practical reasons this publication focuses on flat products.

This publication is available in English, French and German
[clicking on the language will download a pdf]

Methods for post fabrication and welding clean-up of stainless steel are well documented. One issue is whether the heat tint discolouration in the heat-affected zone of stainless steel welds should be removed.
Source: British Stainless Steel Association

See the article here

Describes fabrication methods, such as cutting, shearing, blanking, bending and forming. Compares stainless to mild steel with suggested fabrication methods. Descaling, removing mild discoloration, and the definition of passivation are discussed. Comments on handling, care in the shop, and cleaning procedures.
Source: Specialty Steel Industry of North America

Adhesive bonding is the process of joining materials with the aid of an adhesive – a substance capable of holding materials together by surface attachment. This brochure describes the process with stainless steels.

The brochure is available in English and German
[clicking on the language will download the brochure]

Imagine a fabricator lands a contract involving critical stainless steel fabrication. Sheet metal and tubular sections flow through cutting, bending, and welding, then land at the finishing station. The part consists of a plate welded vertically to a tube. The weld looks OK, but it’s not the stack-of-dimes perfection the customer is looking for. So the grinder spends time removing a bit more weld metal than usual. Then, alas, some significant bluing emerges on the surface—a telltale sign of excessive heat input. In this case this means the part won’t meet customer requirements.

Source: The Fabricator