December 27th, 2009
Steel renewability
Steel is an infinitely recyclable product. In any venue it is used, when the use is over, the metal can be completely recycled and used again in another product. For example, a 3,000 square foot steel framed home uses about the amount of steel that can be gleaned from the recycling of six full sized vehicles. The same framing structure from wood would use up the resources of approximately forty trees. Steel is easier to recycle than it is to make from raw materials. For every ton of steel that is recycled, 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,000 pounds of coal and 40 pounds of limestone does not have to be permanently removed from the earth. According to Ford Motor Company, seventy-five percent of every vehicle is recyclable; a good portion of that recycled material is in the form of steel.
Steel efficiency
Steel is one of the very first materials that began to be recycled. Most recycling is a fairly new concept, but steel recycling has been around longer than most of us. Most steel that is manufactured within North America contains a minimum of twenty-eight percent and up to one hundred percent fully recycled material. In recycling steel, mills reduce their impact on air, water and mining, creating seventy percent less waste products. This is because it takes approximately four times as much energy to create steel from the raw materials as it does to make it from recycled scrap. It is currently shown that Americans use approximately one hundred million steel cans each and every day. The U. S. food industry uses approximately twenty-eight billion steel cans each year in order to package more than fifteen hundred different food products. An interesting figure is that the energy conserved in recycling just one pound of steel cans is enough to power a sixty watt light bulb for over a day.
Tags: Benefits, RDR Steel, Recycling, Steel, Uses
Posted in History of Steel, Production, RDR Steel | 92 Comments »
December 26th, 2009
Steel wool
Steel wool is such a common term that it is often used to describe a scowering pad even if it is not made from any steel at all. Steel wool is basically a bundle of different thickness strands (depending on the intended use). The very fine steel wool is often used in the finishing and repairing of wood or metal items. The slightly heavier material is used in such things as cleaning pads. SOS pads are a fine example of this. SOS pads are made from steel wool that has been mixed with a cleaning material recipe specifically created for SOS pads. Steel wool is made from such a low carbon content steel that it is very close to plain iron. These pads, if exposed to moisture, rust very quickly and should be kept from this type of exposure. Pads that are used in a cleaning capacity are often kept in plastic bags in freezers, as this retards the rusting process and keeps the pad in useable condition much longer.
Disadvantages of steel wool
Steel wool should not be used on oak because traces of iron that remain after use will react with the tannins in the wood and produce a very undesirable blue or black iron stain. Bronze wool or stainless steel wool is used in connection with oak. When steel wool is heated, it increases its mass. This is due to the burning iron that combines with the oxygen.
Steel wool and rodent control
Another very curious use for steel wool is as a control material for rodents. If a rodent chews a hole in a wall, or other area, the hole can be plugged with a swatch of steel wool. If the rodent comes back to the hole and chews on the steel wool, it will be rewarded with a very sharp pain in its mouth. If this is not enough to deter the animal and it continues to chew, it may ingest the material which will then result in severe internal damage that will eventually lead to the death of the rodent.
Tags: Benefits, RDR Steel, Steel, Uses
Posted in RDR Steel | 176 Comments »
December 25th, 2009
Rust belt geography
The ?¢‚ǨÀúRust Belt?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢, also known as the Manufacturing Belt, is a geographical location in the Northeast United States and the Mid-Atlantic, as well as portions of the Upper Midwest. In broad definition, the region starts west of the Northeast Megalopolis and runs west into Minnesota, specifically the city of Duluth and the Iron Range. This area?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s economy has long been defined by the steel industry as well as other heavy manufacturing. Minnesota contains massive iron mine operations that are integral to the steel industry and it is often considered to be where the Rust Belt actually begins. The area around Lake Erie is considered to be the hub of the Rust Belt, and then the region extends southward to the coal mining regions of Appalachia, and north to the Great Lakes. This also includes the manufacturing regions of southern Ontario and Quebec, Canada.
The demise of the rust belt?
The Rust Belt is not a complimentary name and it came into being because of the decline of the steel industry during the 1970s. During this period, many of the region?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s factories were closed, shuttered, surrounded by wire fencing and guarded by rusted gates. In 2008 and 2009, joblessness in the region skyrocketed, passing the twenty percent that some areas suffered. It is hoped and theorized that the development of the hydrogen fuel cell, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and wind power may begin to result in gains for this region. All of this could have a significant impact in revitalizing the economy of the area. Even as the steel industry has been reinvigorated, the addition of many automated processes has left many workers still unemployed and not likely to be able to find work in their field of knowledge. Many of these displaced workers have been forced to learn other fields within their industry in order to sustain their homes within the region of the Rust Belt.
Tags: RDR Steel, Rust Belt, Steel
Posted in RDR Steel | 181 Comments »
December 24th, 2009
Making a samurai sword
Tamahagane roughly translates to ?¢‚ǨÀújewel steel?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ and it is mainly used in the creation of Samurai swords like the katana and also some tools. This steel is created from black sand. The smelting process for this material is different from that of most modern mass production steel. A clay vessel about four feet tall, twelve feet long, and four feet wide is constructed. This vessel is known as a tatara. After the clay tub has set, it is then fired until it is dry. A charcoal fire is started from soft pine charcoal. The smelter will then wait for the fire to attain the correct temperature. Once the correct temperature is attained, he will direct the addition of iron sand called satetsu. This sand will be layered in with more charcoal and more iron sand over a seventy two hour period. There are constantly four or five people involved in this process. It takes approximately a week to create the tatara and finish the iron conversion into the steel.
The finished product
When the process is complete, the clay tub will be broken and the steel bloom known as kera will be removed. By the end of the process, the tatara will have consumed approximately ten short tons of satetsu and twelve short tons of charcoal, leaving approximately 2.5 short tons of kera. From this material, less than a ton of tamahagane will be produced. The swordsmiths will very carefully break the kera apart and separate the various carbon steels. The lowest carbon steel is known as hocho-tetsu and this is used as the core steel of the blade. The high carbon tamahagane and the higher carbon nabe-gane will then be forged in layers. Very intricate methods will be used in order to form the kawagane, also known as skin steel. Tamahagane is only made three or four times a year and it is only sold to the master swordsmiths once it is created.
Tags: Benefits, History, RDR Steel, Samurai, Steel, Uses
Posted in History of Steel, Production, RDR Steel | 99 Comments »
December 23rd, 2009
The art of steel
Stainless steel has infiltrated every facet of our lives, so it comes as no surprise that steel is also used as an art form material. Stainless steel first found popularity as an art material during the art deco period. The most famous example of stainless steel art from this period is the upper portion of the Chrysler Building. As stainless steel became more and more popular in art, it also became popular in the commercial sector ad architectural art statements. Again, the Chrysler building stands out. Other venues for this architectural art were diners and fast food establishments that proudly displayed large ornamental panels, stainless steel fixtures and also stainless steel furniture. Because of the durability of this material, many of these buildings continue to retain their original look with little or now wear apparent.
Steel in architecture and design
Everyone has seen the Gateway Arch; this architectural masterpiece is clad completely in stainless steel. It contains 886 tons of the material. Two of the tallest sky scrapers; the Petronas Twin Towers and the Jin Mao Buildings both used stainless steel on their exteriors. The Parliament House of Australia located in Canberra boasts a 220 ton stainless steel flagpole. The Edmonton Composting Facility?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s aeration building is the size of approximately fourteen hockey rinks and is considered to be the largest stainless steel building in North America. The United States Air Force Memorial is clad in a skin of austenitic stainless steel. In 2006, the Atomium in Brussels, Belgium underwent a complete renovation and is now clad in stainless steel. Before the renovation, the structure was completely clad in aluminum. There are a myriad of other artistic forms that are created using stainless steel. The city of Brea in California created a city ordinance that required art to be placed in front of any new structures. For the most part, all of this art is created from stainless steel due to not only the durability, but also the beauty of the material.
Tags: Art, Benefits, RDR Steel, Steel, Uses
Posted in RDR Steel | 178 Comments »
December 22nd, 2009
Stainless steel
One of the most common steel products that we all use on a daily basis is stainless steel. The utensils we use for cooking purposes are made from this material. There are many grades of stainless steel utensils that go from the very inexpensive all the way up to the very expensive.
Aluminum
If you drink soda, you have held aluminum in your hands. Aluminum is a very common material in the production of cans for different sodas. Aluminum is very recyclable, in fact those soda cans contain from between twenty-five to one hundred percent recycled materials. This makes aluminum an infinitely sustainable resource.
Chromium
Chromium, also known as chrome is a very popular metal for the production of motorcycles and is making a little bit of a come back in the automobile industry. We love our chrome because it has a beautiful mirror finish. It makes our vehicles stand out in a crowd. Even cars that have plastic bumpers and trim pieces often sport after market chrome exhaust pipes.
Tungsten steel
Tungsten steel is becoming more and more popular; it is used in the creation of tools and other products that require great strength and reliability. The metal is becoming so popular that it has even begun showing up a not only acceptable metal, but also a desired metal for rings, including wedding rings. The word tungsten is synonymous with strength in the minds of many.
Tool steel
Tool steel is a product that is made specifically for the manufacture of tools, including ones that are required to keep a sharp edge such as an ax. This is hard steel that is not too much different than tungsten. This is a very common form of steel, to the point that a large portion of the population looks at this type of steel as the epitome of steel.
Tags: Alloys, Production, RDR Steel, Steel, Uses
Posted in Production, RDR Steel | 118 Comments »
December 21st, 2009
What?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s a Quonset?
Steel has a myriad of uses on a farm. Quonset huts are very common on farms. A Quonset hut is a light weight prefabricated building made from corrugated, galvanized steel. The hut has a semi circular shape and was designed based on the Nissen hut that was developed by the British in World War I. The name of this hut stems from the site of the first manufacturing location at Quonset Point in Rhode Island. A Quonset hut can be large enough to cover many functions, from a garage for all of the farm equipment, to a totally different kind of barn.
Steel farming facilities
Barns are generally no longer built from wood; they are built from steel which is a sustainable resource that is infinitely recyclable. They are cheaper than wood barns and much more durable. You can purchase a ?¢‚ǨÀúkit?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ and build your whole barn yourself, with everything except for the tools provided in the kit. Horse stables are also created out of steel as are the stalls. Of course the trusty tractor sitting in the Quonset hut is also made from steel, along with the various attachments used to work the land and keep the area tidy. If you own a dairy, you absolutely can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t get by without steel, not only the buildings themselves are made from that material, so are the machines that handle the milking and pasteurizing process and the trucks that take the milk on the road.
Farming friendly steel
Steel is a tough material that can stand up to harsh weather conditions and annoyed horses. Steel is a product that has become an integral part of any farm, whether commercial based or just the family farm with a horse, some chickens and other farmyard animals. Steel makes farming easier and cheaper to perform which means that produce coming from those farms will be cheaper also.
Tags: Construction, RDR Steel, Steel, Uses
Posted in RDR Steel | 128 Comments »
December 20th, 2009
Understanding chrome
The average individual is more often than not, going to have chromium on their vehicles, be it car or motorbike. Chromium in other applications is much rarer; however, the care of that chromium would be the same as the chromium on your vehicle. The first thing you will need to do is understand what chrome looks like in comparison to other metals that might be used on your vehicle. Chrome is composed of a material known as chromium. This is a hard metal that is used for many after market products for both cars and motorcycles. Many new vehicles are also seeing a revival in chrome accents. Chrome is prized for its high shine and strength.
Protect your chrome
When washing your vehicle, make sure you dry your chrome before water spots have a chance to set in. They can be very hard to remove and if removed in the wrong fashion, can damage your chrome. Once you have gotten the water off, it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s a good idea to wax your chrome. There are waxes available that are made specifically to be used on chrome and that is the wax you should use. With a soft cloth, wipe the polish on all of the chrome on the vehicle. Gently rub the wax into the water spots or any other surface imperfections. Micro-fiber cloths are wonderful for this application due to the softness of the fabric. Wipe off the polish or wax before it completely dries. Do not allow the polish or wax to dry completely before taking it off. If you see that there are nicks in the chrome that have allowed rust to form, you will want to consider having the part re-chromed before the damage has a chance to spread throughout the metal underneath the chrome. Never use abrasives of any kind on your chrome. Doing so will at the least, damage the surface of the chrome and at the worst, will remove the chrome leaving the metal underneath exposed to the elements.
Tags: Care, Chromium, RDR Steel, Stainless Steel, Uses
Posted in RDR Steel | 70 Comments »
December 19th, 2009
Advantage steel
Aluminum has approximately two thirds less forming range than steel. This can be a very important advantage when forming something like a vehicle body which contains many different styling features. Aluminum has much less hardness than steel. It can be easily chipped, this means aluminum panels are less able to take wear and tear than steel. Steel has much better damping effect than aluminum, due to its mass.
The magnetism of steel
Steel is a magnetic metal, aluminum is not. This is a fantastic quality when it comes to recycling. Steel will react to a magnetic pull whereas all of the other materials such as polymers, glass, adhesives, ceramics, etc. will not. If you are in need of a metal that is non magnetic, aluminum wins the day, however if magnetism isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t an issue, steel is still the clear winner.
Steel over aluminum
Aluminum has a high galvanic potential, steel does not, this means without barrier technologies steel is the metal of choice. In the area of fatigue, steel is the clear winner. Aluminum has less than half the performance ability of steel. In the department of elasticity, steel has three times more elastic modulus than aluminum. In a stamping process, aluminum will have a higher spring back than mild steels, even high strength steels possess lower spring back than aluminum. Steel is by far a much more versatile metal; it can be made more pliable or harder and contains more strength. It is moldable and lends itself well to stamping. The metal is durable and recyclable. In most applications steel wins out over aluminum in a head to head test. Aluminum is a much lighter weight material, and it is non magnetic, this makes it a very good metal for applications that require non magnetic metal and or a light weight material. Engines are often made from aluminum due to the lightness of the metal. It is strong enough to stand up to the wear and tear it will receive in the capacity of an engine and will give better gas mileage due to the fact that there is less weight to carry around.
Tags: Benefits, RDR Steel, Steel, Uses
Posted in Production, RDR Steel | 164 Comments »
December 18th, 2009
A steel tiger
China is prepared to renationalize large portions of its huge steel sector and to consolidate it into six or seven giants. This is in order to get the upper hand in negotiations with iron ore miners BHP and Rio. The Chinese government is very concerned about overcapacity in the sector, which it has been estimated to be as much as the entire Japanese steel industry. China?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology held talks with the China Iron and Steel Association, and the six biggest steelmakers. This meeting was held in order to develop guidelines for the consolidation project. This project aims at radically trimming the sector?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s approximately 700 steel manufacturing entities. The policy is designed to encourage larger mills to swallow up more of the market, but still allows the smaller ones to exist if they can continue to meet industry standards. The policy seeks to promote concentration within the industry, which is expected to strengthen China?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s steel trade internationally. China seeks to get the special ?¢‚ǨÀúChina price?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ for iron ore, arguing that they are the world?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s biggest consumer of the raw material.
Steel tension
The first round of talks between Australia and China due to ?¢‚ǨÀúbad blood?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ was brought on by the arrest of four Rio Tinto executives, including Australian Stern Hu. Government relations have since warmed back up, but the issue of iron ore pricing is still deadlocked.
The future of consolidation
The consolidation process is not going to be either easy or short. The process may take from between three to five years. The consolidation shouldn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t have an impact on the market as long as the demand remains strong and the large mills continue to expand their productivity level. The consolidation will; however, probably affect the unemployment rates and taxes. Local governments may fight against the consolidations unless their concerns are dealt with.
Tags: International Steel, Production, RDR Steel
Posted in Production, RDR Steel | 58 Comments »