When selecting metals for a project it can be hard to decipher what all the names and numbers mean if your not a metalworker. It is much like learning a whole new language and the more you know the better off you will be when beginning your project. You won’t have the slightest clue what ams 5510 means in the metal world until you learn the lingo. First of all, why is metal such a huge deal right now? As of now, about 40% of steel production across the globe is made using recycled metal. There are metal recycling plants all around us accepting a vast variety of metals and they will actually pay you for them. Brass and copper are actually huge commodities in the metal world and has increased the crime rate around the world. Thin aluminum strips, combined metals, and stainless steel aren’t worth quite as much but they are still happily recycled at any metal depot. This makes it not only environmentally friendly but can give back to the economy. Metal is durable, lightweight, fireproof, and financially feasible, making it a perfect construction addition.
So what do the numbers between all these metals mean and why are they there? One of the most important things to look for is surface finish. The surface finish depends on the type of metal you are looking for and how it was treated. There are different purposes for every metal finish depending on the task at hand, some require corrosion resistance, while others are looking for a nice glossy shine. The finish will determine what it looks like and you can go from there, they usually classify finish by number so when looking for finishes ask what they have and what the difference is. So what is ams 5510 and how do you know if that is the metal you need? Ams 5510 is stainless steel that is heat and corrosion-resistant that comes in sheets, strips, and plates. So how did those numbers come into play?
Surface roughness, measurements, and qualities all make their way into the abbreviated names of metals carried by metal suppliers. There are hundreds of different abbreviations to learn but depending on what your looking for it will all start to make sense when your metal shopping. Look for a company that is willing to teach you the names and what they are used for so you have a bit of an education when shopping. A company that is willing to take the time to teach you is one that truly cares about their customers.
