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What Aluminum Alloys Can Be Anodized?
Due to its chemical composition, aluminum alloys are often anodized. Anodizing is an electrochemical process that creates a protective coating on the surface of a piece of metal, typically aluminum. The anodized aluminum finish provides corrosion-resistance and allows for improved durability from the protective anodized aluminum. Anodization produces a micro-thin aluminum oxide coating that is…
Read MoreAluminum Alloys for Aerospace
Aluminum alloys are often a preferred material for aerospace designs and required by engineering due to its corrosion-resistance properties and high strength capabilities. Compared to steel it is a lightweight option, and an ideal material for a wide range of aircraft components and aerospace applications. Aerospace Aluminum Grades The aluminum grade needed for your aerospace…
Read MoreWhat is Metal Fatigue?
Metal fatigue can cause catastrophic failures without warning, such as a fan blade separating from a jet engine, causing damage or even death. To understand and prevent metal fatigue, we must first understand something about stresses in metals. Stress can be applied in different ways. For example, tension stress develops on the outer radius of…
Read MoreAluminum Properties and Alloy Characteristics
As a versatile alloy, aluminum’s lightweight properties along with its conductivity make it a commonly used material with a wide range of application uses. Aluminum is ideal for structural and fabrication purposes where malleability and ductility are needed. It is a flexible, durable alloy that provides good resistance to stress and cracking all while providing…
Read MoreWhat is the Difference Between Galvanized and Galvalume Roofing?
When completing a project with corrugated sheet should you go with a galvanized or Galvalume metal roof? The answer lies in the difference between the two. Traditional galvanized metal roofing is a corrugated sheet of carbon steel with a galvanized coating. The coating is created by dipping the straight sheet in hot molten zinc. The zinc ions bond…
Read MoreHow to Choose the Right Material for Metal Handrails
Choosing the right metal for handrails can be confusing. Railing components and systems are available in a wide variety of metals, including aluminum, steel, stainless steel, brass, and wrought iron. With all these options, what are the most important factors to consider in selecting metal handrails? First, decide what you need the fence to accomplish.…
Read MoreKnow Your Metalworking Safety Gear
Whether you’re welding, cutting, shaping, finishing, or grinding metal, you need to protect yourself from sharp edges and metal dust that can injure eyes, hands, skin, lungs, and more. Selecting the proper safety wear is an important part of any metalworking job. Eye and lung protection The primary article of safety gear for any metal shop worker…
Read MoreAluminum or Aluminium?
According to Grammarist.com, the correct name for Element 13 on the Periodic Table can be either “aluminum” or “aluminium.” The silver-ish metallic element, with symbol Al, can be found throughout the Earth’s crust. This lightweight metal has become a highly utilized material for aerospace, automotive, packaging, and many other applications where minimizing weight is key. So…
Read MoreSpotlight: Furniture Maker Cooper Reynolds Gross
Cooper Reynolds Gross runs a high-end custom furniture-making company formally called Spark & Dowel, but now named after him. Originally a photographer, Cooper started building furniture in his garage 10 years ago. “Friends really liked the stuff and started asking me to make some for them, and finally about seven years ago I moved into a…
Read MoreGrate Solutions Joe Fischer, Phoenix Customer
IMS Customer Spotlight: Grate Solutions In this post, Industrial Metal Supply highlights just one of our many loyal customers. Grate Solutions, a supplier of heavy duty highway gratings and other storm drain metals, is supplied by Industrial Metal Supply’s Phoenix location. Grate Solutions employees 18 people, with three mobile trucks on the road doing installations in…
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