The Importance of Avoiding Carbon And Stainless Cross Contamination
The structural integrity of raw steel material is vital to the industrial manufacturing industry. A common and serious problem in stainless steel manufacturing is contamination stemming from carbon steel manufacturing in the same area of a facility.
In the manufacturing process, several different processes (including grinding and machining) generate carbon steel dust that can become ingrained in other material, such as stainless steel. In addition, simply moving raw stainless steel with tools and equipment that have also moved carbon steel can cause contamination.
Why is stainless steel contamination such a problem? In various chemical applications, specific stainless steel grades will provide better corrosion resistance to certain chemicals than other steel grades. In those applications, contamination from carbon steel can negatively affect the structural integrity of the tank or vessel, resulting in a shorter life expectancy for that tank or ASME vessel.
In 2009, as a way to address these concerns, R-V built a 26,000 square foot stainless and alloy-only fabrication and assembly facility at its company headquarters in Honey Brook. This facility gives us the capability to eliminate cross contamination of steel at our facility as part of our mission to provide our customers with a superior product.