material knowledge
Aluminum
Properties:
Aluminum is a soft light metal. Therefore it can be well formed and rolled and edges are absolutely break-proof. It also has a rather low melting temperature so that it can be cast. Due to its high thermal conductivity it can be used as a substitute for copper in electrical engineering.
A special advantage of aluminum is that it is completely weatherproof/ rust-proof and can therefore also be used very well in the garden. This is due to the fact that the surface of the aluminum reacts with oxygen and thus forms a hard, resistant oxide layer. This means that rain and weather cannot affect the underlying material. For this reason, aluminum is considered a base material.
Furthermore, aluminum is a very sustainable material because it is infinitely recyclable. Large amounts of energy can be saved by recycling secondary aluminum sheet.
Aluminum, however, does not have magnetic properties and therefore cannot be used as a magnetic board, etc. Steel is better suited for this purpose.
Surfaces and variants:
In order to be able to offer the right solution for every need, we have a large selection of different surfaces and patterns. These are briefly presented below.
This is the most original form of aluminum sheet. The aluminum is simply rolled into sheets of different thicknesses and therefore has a bright surface. For these sheets we use the material AlMg3 W19 (material number: 3.3535 / DIN: EN AW 5754). It is mainly composed of aluminum and magnesium. W19 means that it is a soft material. This means that e.g. edges are shapely and break-resistant and the sheets can be welded and cut easily. We always apply a protective film to one side of bright-rolled aluminum sheets so that they do not scratch during transport.
Anodizing is a chemical process that refines the surface of the aluminum. For this purpose, the sheet is immersed in an acid bath. Then an external power source is switched and the aluminum sheet functions as the anode. This treatment makes the surface very hard, absolutely scratch-resistant and corrosion-resistant. Furthermore, no fingerprints can be seen on the metal. For this kind of processing we use sheets of the material AlMg3 (3.3535 / EN AW 5754 - natural/ bright-rolled).The exact designation of the anodization is E6EV1. The sheets get a silver color. Afterwards the anodized sheets can be perforated etc.
Our checker plates are also made of aluminium AlMg3 (material number: 3.3535 / DIN: EN AW 5754). The corrugated structure gives the plates a higher stability and strength. In addition, the surface is very non-slip. Liquids can easily run off. Therefore, checker plates are especially popular for outdoor applications. As a structure we offer the quintet. This means that 5 tears/ elevations are always next to each other. We have checker plates in the thicknesses 2/4mm (2mm normal thickness and 4mm on the elevations) as well as 3/5mm (3mm normal thickness and 5mm on the elevations).
Perforated plates are available in a wide variety of designs. Depending on the perforation and pitch, they can be used in different ways. The first letters of the designation always stand for the type of perforation:
- RV = round, staggered holes
- RG = Round, straight distributed holes
- QG = Square, straight distributed holes
- HV = Hexagonal (hexagonal), staggered distributed holes
The pitch (e.g. 5-8) indicates the diameter/ edge length of a hole and the distance between the hole centers. Perforated sheets with small holes (e.g. RV5-8, RV10-15, QG5-8 or QG10-15) are ideal for example as covers in the house and garden, as protection against rodents or as basement windows etc. Other perforated sheets (e.g. QG20-50) can also be used for example as stair railing infill or balcony balustrade.
We use almost pure aluminum for perforated aluminum sheets. The material is designated Al99.5 (99.5% aluminium) and carries the DIN EN AW 1050a. This material has a high anodizing, welding and pickling capability and is thermally stable up to approx. 120 °C.
Colored sheets and perforated sheets are not painted by us, but powder-coated in high quality. For this purpose we use aluminum sheets of the material AlMg1 (DIN: EN AW 5005), which are powder-coated on one side afterwards. We offer this in white (RAL 9016) and anthracite grey (RAL 7016). Finally, the sheets are provided with a protective film on one side so that they arrive at your premises without scratching.
expanded metal is available in many different designs, just like perforated sheets, and can therefore be used in many different ways. They can also be used as covers of all kinds, but also to create optically attractive demarcations. They are characterized by high stability and easy workability. Our aluminum expanded metal is made of aluminum Al99.5 (DIN: EN AW 1050a). This material consists of 99.5% aluminum, has a high anodizing, welding and pickling capability and is thermally stable up to approx. 120 °C. Our expanded metals have rhombus-shaped meshes. The exact designation (e.g. MW 16 x 6.5 x 1 x 1) always indicates the mesh length, mesh width, web and wire thickness.
Steel
Properties:
Steel is a very hard, solid alloy. It consists mainly of iron and has a carbon content of less than 2%. However, it can also contain other alloying elements such as chrome or manganese. Depending on the alloying elements added and the heat treatment level, the properties of the steel can vary.
Steel is a very versatile material and can be recycled very well, so that it also scores highly with sustainability. It can be easily processed by rolling, milling or welding. In addition, despite its high strength, it is ductile so that it does not break quickly even under heavy loads. Cutting edges are therefore also always shapely.
We only offer bright and galvanized steel, as these types of steel have a smooth, even surface.
In addition, both types of steel have magnetic properties, so that they can be used excellently as magnetic walls.
All the same, steel is not stainless and is therefore better used in dry places where it is not exposed to the weather.
surfaces and variants:
In order to be able to offer the right solution for every need, we have a large selection of different surfaces and patterns. These are briefly presented below.
Blank steel is the material DC01 with DIN 1.0330. It is descaled during production and cold formed without cutting. After this processing it is characterized by a flat, smooth surface and high dimensional accuracy. In addition, it can be easily further processed.
The galvanization of the steel is carried out by us using the Sendzimir process. We use the material DX51D (material number: 1.0917/ DIN: EN 10346). During this process, the steel runs in the form of a wide strip through a zinc/zinc-aluminum bath. As a result, a 10 - 20 μm thick iron-zinc alloy layer is formed on the steel. After galvanizing, the steel strip is cut into individual pieces. Consequently, the cut edges are not galvanized. However, this is normally not a problem, as they are still protected by a cathodic protection. Nevertheless, even galvanized steel sheets are best used in dry interiors, as they are not protected from rust and weatherin.After galvanizing the surface is very hard and corrosion resistant. However, the sheet metal can still be easily processed.
Colored sheets and perforated sheets are not painted by us, but rather powder-coated in high quality. We use galvanized steel (material DX51D). We offer powder-coated steel perforated sheets in black (RAL 9005) and white (RAL 9016). These are very suitable, for example, as decorative magnet and pin boards.
Perforated sheets are available in a wide variety of designs. Depending on the perforation and pitch, they can be used in different ways. The first letters of the designation always stand for the type of perforation:
- RV = round, staggered holes
- RG = Round, straight distributed holes
- QG = Square, straight holes
- HV = Hexagonal (hexagonal), staggered distributed holes
For perforated steel sheets we also offer somewhat more unusual hole patterns, such as the cloverleaf or Euro perforation. The former is particularly eye-catching because of its cloverleaf-shaped holes, while the latter can be used particularly well as a tool wall or shelf.
The pitch (e.g. 5-8) indicates the diameter/edge length of a hole and the distance between the hole centers. Thus, perforated sheets with small holes (e.g. RV5-8 or QG5-8) are suitable as covers of all kinds, while others (e.g. QG20-50), for example, can be used as stair railing fillings to create visual highlights.
We have both bright (DC01) and galvanized (DX51D) steel perforated sheets.
wire- and cavy wire mesh:
These meshes are made of galvanized steel (DX51D). They are meshes made of woven wire, which means that the junctions are not welded. They have square meshes of different mesh sizes. The term MW20x20, for example, refers to a mesh with an edge length of 20 mm. Wire meshes are usually made from rolls. With woven wire meshes, the steel wire is crimped before weaving. Wire meshes and woven wire meshes are used (similar to perforated plates) for example as covers and demarcations.
Welded wire meshes are in principle similar to wire and woven wire meshes. However, we use bright steel (DC01) for this purpose. There are also square meshes and the same designations apply to the mesh size. However, welded wire meshes are characterized by their high stability and robustness, since the wires are not woven but welded at the nodes. They are therefore spot-welded meshes. The closer the points are to each other (the smaller the mesh size), the more stable the welded mesh becomes as a result.
stainless steel
Properties:
General is described as stainless steel alloyed or unalloyed steel with a particularly high degree of purity (low sulfur and phosphorus content).
We use the material X5CrNi18-10 (material number 1.4301) for all our stainless steel products. This is an alloy of iron, chrome and nickel. The number 43 in the designation stands for "stainless". Therefore, our stainless steel sheets can be used outdoors without any problems, as they can withstand any weather conditions. The chromium-nickel alloy provides good weldability and high resistance to heat and corrosion. Thus, the stainless steel withstands temperatures from approx. 0 to 600 °C.
An older designation for this and other stainless steel grades is V2A. V stands for "test", 2 for the two alloying elements chrome and nickel and A for "austenitic". Austenite is an important structural component of stainless steels.
This stainless steel has good formability and can therefore be easily processed further, for example by folding, rolling etc. When machining, however, high-quality tools should be used, since stainless steel tends to work harden.
In addition, stainless steel is resistant to water, steam, humidity, as well as edible acids and other weak acids. This makes it ideal for solutions in the kitchen and household, but also in the food industry. However, it is not resistant to chlorides. For applications with salt water, it is therefore advisable to use stainless steels of group V4A.
Furthermore, this stainless steel does not have any magnetic properties. If its use as a magnetic wall etc. is desired, it is therefore better to use steel.
surfaces and variants:
In order to be able to offer the right solution for every requirement, we have a large selection of different surfaces and patterns. These are briefly presented below.
Blank stainless steel is characterized by its smooth, shiny surface. For this purpose the raw stainless steel is cold rolled. In contrast to hot rolling, stainless steel does not oxidize in the process, so that the characteristic flat surface is created. In addition, the result of cold rolling is more accurate to size than that of hot rolling. After cold rolling, the stainless steel can be further processed, for example, by grinding or punching.
In this process, bright stainless steel is ground lengthwise with an abrasive and thus receives a matt surface with a grinding pattern. This gives it a noble appearance. We use 240 grit abrasives, which is why the name for this finish is K240. After sanding, the sheets can be further processed, for example by punching holes. Finally, all sanded sheets are provided with a protective film on one side and perforated sheets on both sides so that they arrive at your premises without scratching.
Perforated sheets are available in a wide variety of designs. Depending on the perforation and pitch, they can be used in different ways. The first letters of the designation always stand for the type of perforation:
- RV = round, staggered holes
- RG = Round, straight distributed holes
- QG = Square, straight distributed holes
The pitch (e.g. 5-8) indicates the diameter/ edge length of a hole and the distance between the hole centers. Thus, perforated sheets with small holes (e.g. RV3-5 or QG5-8) are suitable as covers of all kinds in house and garden, for example as rodent protection or basement windows. Other perforated sheets, on the other hand, (e.g. QG20-50) provide visual highlights, for example, as stair railing fillings or balustrades.
We offer both perforated sheets made of bare and ground stainless steel, although the offers may vary in some cases.
wire- and woven wire mesh:
These meshes are made of bare stainless steel. They are meshes made of woven wire, which means that the junctions are not welded. They have square meshes of different mesh sizes. The term MW20x20, for example, refers to a grating whose meshes have an edge length of 20mm. Wire meshes are usually made from rolls. With woven wire meshes, the steel wire is crimped before weaving and is therefore quite decorative. Woven wire meshes and woven wire meshes are used (similar to perforated plates) for example as covers and borders in the house and garden.
Welded wire meshes are in principle similar to wire and woven wire meshes. We also use bare stainless steel for these. These meshes also have square meshes and the same designations apply to the mesh width. However, welded wire meshes are characterized by their high stability and robustness, since the wires are not woven but welded at the nodes. They are therefore spot-welded meshes. The closer the points are to each other (the smaller the mesh size), the more stable the welded mesh becomes. If stability is particularly important to you, you should therefore use welded mesh instead of woven mesh.
Expanded metals are meshes with elongated, rhombus-shaped meshes. They can be used (like perforated plates and other grids) as covers and demarcations, but also fulfill decorative purposes due to their striking shape. Our stainless steel expanded metals have a bright surface. The exact designation for the meshes (e.g. MW 28 x 10 x 2 x 1.5) always indicates the mesh length, mesh width, web and wire thickness.
copper
copper is a rather soft, tough semi-precious metal. Therefore, it is very easy to form and can be processed easily. In addition, it has a very high electrical and thermal conductivity and is therefore often used in electrical appliances etc. Application.
We offer copper sheets of the material CU-DHP-R240 (material number: CW024A / DIN: EN 1652; semi-hard). These are cold rolled by us. This process guarantees high dimensional accuracy and gives the sheet a smooth, high-gloss surface. Therefore our copper sheets are very decorative and can be used for example as jewelry, name and bell sheets.
But our copper sheets are also very suitable for the garden.Due to weathering, the color there changes from a shiny red to a matt dark brown and then to a shade of green. At the same time it forms a natural protective layer. Copper sheets in the garden are therefore highly resistant to corrosion and weathering. They can be used as lawn edges, for example. In addition, this type of copper is resistant to water, steam, alkaline solutions and neutral salt solutions.
All the same, copper is diamagnetic, i.e. it has no magnetic properties whatsoever.
Finally, we provide our copper sheets with a protective film on one side so that they reach you without scratching at least on one side.
brass
As brass is generally referred to as a copper alloy with up to 40% zinc.
For our brass sheets we use the material CuZn37-R300 (material number: CW508L / DIN: EN 1652). This consists of approx. 63% copper and approx. 37% zinc. The high zinc content gives the material its characteristic light yellow color. R300 stands for the condition of the sheets, namely soft. Like the copper sheets, our brass sheets are cold-rolled. This makes them very accurate to size and gives them a smooth, high-gloss surface. Due to their decorative appearance, they are also very well suited as jewelry, name or bell plates of all kinds.
Brass is extremely resistant to water, steam, salt solutions and other organic liquids. However, liquids with a high Cl content and low carbonate hardness can cause dezincification of the brass, so brass is not completely protected against corrosion. Moreover, like copper, it does not have magnetic properties.
Brass sheets are also coated on one side with a protective foil by us to protect them from scratches during transport.
Titanium zinc
Under Titanzink is an alloy of zinc, titanium, copper and occasionally aluminum.
Our titanium zinc is subject to DIN EN988. It consists mainly of electrolytic fine zinc (99.995% according to DIN EN1179) and, in smaller quantities, the alloyed materials copper (0.08-1.00%), titanium (0.06-0.20%) and aluminum (maximum 0.015%).
By adding titanium and copper, the material can be better processed by rolling and bending. In addition, the strength and resistance to corrosion and weathering is increased. Titanium zinc is therefore a very robust, durable material that can be used outdoors without any problems. For example, many roofs, gutters and down pipes are made of titanium zinc. Although these are particularly exposed to the weather on a daily basis, there are many examples where the material remains completely intact even after many years. This is due to the natural protective layer (patina) that the sheet metal develops when used outdoors. The color changes from a shiny silver to a matt grey.
The shiny silver color and the even, smooth surface are achieved by cold rolling. We subject all our titanium zinc sheets to this processing step, as the result is very accurate and gives the sheets a noble appearance. This makes the titanium zinc sheet also suitable for use indoors as a decorative sheet or cover. In addition, we finally provide all titanium zinc sheets with a protective foil on one side to protect them from scratches during transport.
Another advantage of titanium zinc is that it can be recycled indefinitely and without great energy expenditure. The melting point is approx. 418 °C.
However, titanium zinc - just like copper or brass - has no magnetic properties. If the sheet metal is to be used as a magnetic wall, for example, it is better to use steel.