Custom stainless steel panels are fabricated to meet the specific needs of the customer for their projects. These are fabricated from flat sheets into the desired shapes and sizes to get the maximum performance. The custom stainless steel panels are built for perforation, decoration, and other precise cuts, unlike standard panels. Custom stainless steel panels are used in various industries, such as control panels, doors, covers, and other architectural features, due to their strength and weather resistance.
In addition, Custom plates are high-strength, corrosion-resistant materials that are used for high-load applications as base plates and structural support. Custom plantes can be fabricated using several mechanical processes such as cutting, drilling, and forming. This article provides an overview of custom stainless steel panels and plates, their benefits, the fabrication process, and their applications.
Benefits of custom stainless-steel panels and plates
Custom stainless steel panels
Custom stainless steel panels have several benefits for use in outdoor and indoor environments. The following are the major benefits obtained using the custom stainless steel panels:
∙ Design flexibility: Custom stainless steel panels are fabricated as per the requirements of the customer. The custom sizing of the panels allows them to integrate seamlessly into existing and new applications.
∙ Durability and corrosion resistance: The properties of stainless steel resist the harsh outdoor environment. Therefore, custom stainless steel panels can be used for the outdoor exposed equipment or for structures that require a longer service life.
∙ Clean surfaces: The smooth, non-porous finish of the custom stainless steel panels provides easy cleaning in food, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industries.
∙ Aesthetic flexibility: Custom stainless steel panels are brushed and polished to get good surface finishes that can be used in interior, facades, and public spaces. It provides a pleasant look at the structures and equipment.
Custom stainless steel plates
The custom stainless steel plates have high strength and stability that resist high stress. These are beneficial for heavy-duty environments. Some major benefits of the custom stainless steel plates are given below:
∙ The corrosion resistance properties of steel make custom plates suitable for use in harsh environments, and they provide a longer lifespan of the components or equipment.
∙ Custom stainless steel plates can be used in tight-tolerance equipment because they can be cut and drilled for accurate alignment in many applications.
∙ Custom plates can be used in base frames to tank bottom parts, making it more versatile to use in several applications.
Application of Custom stainless steel panels and plates
Custom stainless steel panels
Custom stainless steel panels are mainly used in industries, architectural designs, and food hygiene applications. The most common applications of custom stainless steel panels in the industries are given below:
- Industrial and commercial environments: Custom stainless steel panels are used to cover the equipment and machines. They are used for the control cabinets and electrical panels in outdoor or chemically exposed environments. It is also used as a wall and ceiling lining in food production and laboratories to maintain hygiene and cleanliness.
- Architectural and Interior Design: Custom stainless steel panels are used to create the building facades, decorative wall features, elevator interiors, and doors because of their robust finish, weather resistance, and aesthetic looks.
- Hygiene and cleaning applications: Custom stainless steel panels are used in food and beverage facilities for easy washdown and to maintain hygiene. The custom panels are also used in healthcare and pharmaceutical settings to reduce the contamination risk and for cleaning.
Custom stainless steel plates
Custom stainless steel plates are selected for the structural support and heavy-duty performance to bear the load. Custom stainless steel plates are commonly used in:
- Machine bases and mounting plates to control the vibration and provide stability for the equipment or machines.
- Structural parts such as beams, support frames, and stiffeners are due to the corrosion-resistant behavior of steel.
- Tanks components, such as bases, flanges, and reinforcing pads, because of their good strength.
- High-traffic process areas require a wear liner and floor plates to resist wear and impact.
It is also used in marine and offshore structures as a ladder and other structural elements to resist the harsh environments.
Fabrication Methods of Custom stainless steel panels and plates
Custom stainless steel panels and plates are fabricated using several mechanical processes. The selection of processes depends on the size, required specifications, and the application. The most common fabrication process involves fabricating the custom stainless steel panels, and the plates are given below:
Cutting
Custom stainless steel panels and plates are fabricated using a cutting process to make desired shapes. Several cutting processes are used to make an accurate cut with a good surface finish. The following cutting methods are used to fabricate the custom stainless steel panels and plates.
∙ Laser cutting: Laser cutting provides clean and high-precision cutting to achieve tight tolerances for different sizes of stainless steel plates.
∙ Plasma cutting: This cutting process is generally used to cut the thick raw pieces to make them more efficient.
∙ Waterjet cutting: The pressure waterjet is used to cut the plates into their desired shapes and sizes. This process also prevents distortion of materials by reducing overheating.
Forming and bending
The custom 3D panels and plates are fabricated using the forming and bending processes. The most common processes of forming are given below:
∙ The press brake bending is used to create the flanges and other simple dimensional structures to make enclosures, covers, and channels for electrical control panels and machine covers.
∙ Rolling processes are used to make curves and cylindrical components for architectural designs as well as for tanks and guards.
∙ The stamping and punching process is applied to make the holes and trepanning shapes in the thinner custom panels.
Welding
Welding is used to join the different components of panels and plates into the equipment and structures. The most common welding types are given below:
∙ TIG welding is suitable for welding thin materials where the appearance and cleanliness matter for the fabricated components.
∙ MIG welding is used for structural components where the strength of the fabricated component is important.
∙ Spot welding is another type of welding used to overlap the panels and plates to make the enclosures and cabinets for equipment that is in outdoor environments.
Surface finishing
The surface finishing of custom stainless steel panels and plates is crucial for the decorative and food industries, where cleanliness and aesthetics matter. Several types of surface finishing processes can be done after bending, forming, and welding processes. The most used surface finishing processes are brushing, polishing, bead blasting, and picking.
These processes are used in specific components based on their use. Brushing is done on components that are used in architectural and interior applications where aesthetics matter. Mirror polishing is used to make a component reflective and maintain hygiene in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. The picking process removes the heat tint and also reduces the risk of contaminants on the surface of the components.
Design considerations for custom stainless steel panels and plates
The custom stainless steel panels and plates must meet the following design considerations during the fabrication of the custom components to make them reliable and durable. The following are the most common design consideration that ensures the quality of the custom stainless steel panels and plates:
∙ Materials grade: The right materials, such as 304 or 316 grades, are selected to get the desired strength and corrosion resistance properties.
∙ Thickness: The thickness of the materials can be chosen wisely for the plates and panels as per the requirements to avoid the failure of the components.
∙ Mounting and supports: The mounting and support system can be selected wisely to support the panels and plates for structural components.
∙ Aesthetic requirements: The right selection of the surface finishing could enhance the aesthetics of the components that are used in architectural facades. A proper surface also helps clean the system in the food industry and maintains hygiene.
Conclusion
Custom stainless steel plates and panels provide design flexibility and long-term performance for various applications, including architectural designs, food, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industries.
The right selection of materials, proper fabrication process, and good surface finishing of the custom stainless steel panels and plates ensure effective performance in the equipment. The strength and corrosion resistance behavior of stainless steel make it more reliable and feasible to use in several applications. Rely on Jianglin Steel for high-quality custom stainless steel plates and panels built to your exact specifications.
