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Article: Stainless steel in a can: good as gold? Stainless steel has long been thought of as the ideal material for the construction of food processing equipment. But stainless steel coatings may give other materials a chance.(Food Manufacturing Exclusive)
- Article from:
- Food Manufacturing
- Article date:
- February 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Advantage Business Media. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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To most manufacturers, 316L stainless steel is the solid gold of the food processing equipment industry. It is ideal for applications requiring high corrosion and heat resistance, frequent washdown and long life. It gives equipment both a professional and attractive look.
However, like gold, stainless steel can also be expensive. For some companies, building an entire machine out of stainless steel is considered both unnecessary and impractical. Manufacturers often opt to make parts that do not come in contact with food (such as support frames, motor mounts, electrical enclosures, etc.) out of alternate materials, such as aluminum or carbon steel.
These ...