Using metal for manufacturing has been around since the Bronze Age, which gives this period its name. Ever since then, humans have been on the hunt for new and ingenious ways to utilise and refine metals to make our lives easier and more efficient. There are so many different types of metal available and an equally staggering number of different grades for those metals, this grading system helps us to know which metal will best suit a particular application. Here are the top 5 metals that are used within a manufacturing environment.
Aluminium
Aluminium is an impressively durable, and lightweight metal that is well-recognized for its ability to withstand corrosion. This is the third most abundant element in the earth’s crust and is widely used within the manufacturing environment for food packaging, medication packing, and soft drinks. Order yours from the UK’s best online aluminium store and start producing your line of aluminium products.
Steel
Steel is one of the most recycled materials on Earth because it can be recycled without compromising on its strength. This wonderfully helpful renewable resource is used in manufacturing as sheeting, pipes, and bars. Stainless steel is one of the most common materials used in manufacturing steel structures that can withstand a lot of damage. Domestic appliances and even automobiles are manufactured by using this dynamic metal.
Iron
Iron is the second most abundant metal of them all and steel cannot be made without iron, so it is a particularly important metal. Most of our planet’s inner and outer core is made from iron and even our bodies contain iron which keeps us healthy and functioning. Iron is widely used in the manufacturing industry to make steel and reinforce concrete. Items manufactured by using iron include bicycle chains, cutting tools, and rifle barrels.
Copper
Copper has a unique reddish-metallic colouring that is unlike any of the other elements we know of. This metal, like iron, is an essential part of our nutrition and is a natural antibiotic. Copper was one of the first metals to be worked by man and continues to serve within the world of manufacturing. This metal is conductive, both thermally and electrically, and it is often used in the production and manufacturing of electrical conductors, transformers, and switches. Copper is a popular graded material for manufacturing doorknobs and public handrails. Apart from its wide use in industrial machinery, consumer products, and electrical products, copper is also largely used for making tubes. Copper tubes are used for heating systems and play an integral role in HVAC systems.
Bronze
Bronze was the first alloy used by humans during the Bronze Age and only when people learned how to make and work iron did that signal the start of the Iron Age. Bronze is still widely used within the manufacturing environment to make musical instruments, medals, and bushings and bearings. Bronze is corrosion-resistant and is responsible for everything from art to die-cut pasta because it is easy to melt which makes it easy to cast.
