US steel processor Archives | Page 2 of 3 | National Material Company

12 10, 2023

Solar Tracker Manufacturer Spotlight: The Growing Solar Tracker Industry

maria2023-10-12T16:25:59+00:00October 12th, 2023|News Blog|

The Sun is one of the many powerful forces in our universe and an abundant source of energy. It also nourishes a variety of ecosystems through photosynthesis, while the heat it gives acts as a thermostat for our planet.

Throughout Earth’s history, mankind has found a way to harness the sun’s power to shape our lives. In 212 BC, it was believed that Archimedes, an ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, astronomer, and inventor came up with the infamous Archimedes’ heat ray. He purported to have devised a weapon that focuses the sun’s ray and burns attacking Roman ships during the Siege of Syracuse. Fast forward to today and we see vast fields of solar farms that provide renewable energy.

In today’s blog, we’ll survey the rise of solar trackers and the industry around it. we’ll also explore National Material Company’s (NMC) role in helping solar tracker manufacturers continue their valuable contribution to green energy.

A Brief Description: What is a Solar Tracker?

The principle behind a solar tracker is to maximize the efficiency of solar energy capture. This is done by orienting solar panels or mirrors to follow the sun’s path throughout the day. As we all know, the sun moves as the earth rotates on its axis resulting in movement from east to west. Meanwhile, the Earth’s axial tilt results in the sun’s position changing with the seasons — moving it from north to south.

Two Main Types of Solar Trackers

There are two main types of solar trackers: single-axis and dual-axis. Single-axis trackers move the solar panels or mirrors either in a north-south direction (azimuth) or east-west direction (elevation). Dual-axis trackers, as the name suggests, can move in both directions, allowing for more precise solar tracking.

The main goal is to keep the solar modules perpendicular to the incoming sunlight. This ensures that they receive the maximum amount of solar radiation possible. Ultimately, it increases the overall efficiency and output of solar power generation.

Now that we know how it works, what is the steel industry’s role in this orchestra of power generation?

How Steel Plays a Role in Green Energy

Steel’s many properties make it the go-to material for solar tracker manufacturers. The majority of a tracker’s parts (axes, frames, racks, support poles, and mounts – among others) are made of steel. However, it’s imperative to choose the right kind of steel. Exposure to corrosive elements means an increase in maintenance charge as these systems are not set-and-forget products.

With the right steel alloy, the lifespan for solar tracking equipment can be up to 25 years. To reach optimal years of service, solar tracker manufacturers must consider the great significance of choosing the right steel. In doing so, they will reduce maintenance labor and overall cost. Another consideration, they need an excellent supply chain provider for their systems.

The Power of Galvanized Steel

The most widely used alloy by the solar energy industry today is galvanized steel. This is […]

15 05, 2023

American Metal Processor Spotlight: The Versatility of Steel

maria2023-06-28T21:16:51+00:00May 15th, 2023|News Blog|

Steel is one of the most versatile materials on the planet, and National Material Company, a leading American metal processor, knows it better than most. In this blog, we’ll explore the unique properties that make steel a durable, strong, and adaptable material for a wide range of applications. From construction to transportation to everyday household items, steel has become an integral part of our lives.

Join us as we dive into the versatility of this material and why it continues to be a crucial component in various industries.

Strength and Durability

One of the most notable properties of steel is its strength and durability. Steel is known for its high tensile strength, which means it can withstand a lot of stress without breaking or deforming. This makes it ideal for use in construction, where it can be used to create buildings, bridges, and other structures that need to support a lot of weight and withstand harsh weather conditions.

Flexibility and Malleability

While steel is incredibly strong, it is also remarkably flexible and malleable. This means it can be shaped and molded into a variety of forms without losing its strength. This makes it ideal for use in manufacturing, where it can be used to create everything from car parts to household appliances.

Corrosion Resistance

Another important property of steel is its resistance to corrosion. Steel, when properly treated, is highly resistant to rust and other forms of corrosion, making it an ideal choice for various applications. For instance, steel coils can undergo a galvanizing process in a continuous galvanizing line, like the one available at National Galvanizing – a National Material partner company. This process involves applying a galvanized coating to the steel, which further enhances its corrosion resistance. Galvanized steel is widely used in automotive manufacturing, appliances, agricultural equipment, and other demanding applications where superior corrosion protection is essential.

Notably, galvanized steel body panels are highly sought after by automakers due to their exceptional corrosion protection. These panels enable automakers to offer corrosion-free performance for extended periods, often guaranteeing a decade or longer of rust-free operation.

Recyclability

Steel is also highly recyclable, which makes it an environmentally friendly choice. When steel products reach the end of their useful life, they can be recycled and used to create into new steel products, reducing the need for new steel production, and conserving natural resources.

Cost-Effectiveness

Finally, steel is a cost-effective, widely available material and is easy to manufacture. This makes it an affordable choice for a wide range of applications, from construction to manufacturing to consumer goods. American metal processors like NMC have the expertise to offer cost-effective solutions to their customers. By leveraging their knowledge of steel processing and manufacturing, they can produce high-quality products at competitive prices.

What are the types of steel and how is it determined?

Steel types are determined based on various factors, including their chemical composition, physical properties, and intended use. The main elements that determine the properties of steel are carbon, alloying […]

15 04, 2023

American Steel Processor Spotlight: Roll Forming

maria2023-05-10T16:10:53+00:00April 15th, 2023|News Blog|

Roll forming plays a critical role in the steel manufacturing industry by shaping steel products in a way that can significantly impact their strength, durability, and performance. As you look around, you’ll notice that every object has a shape that distinguishes it from others, and this is equally true for steel products. From the curves and angles of a car frame to the outline and contours of a building’s roof, this process plays a vital role in shaping our world.

That’s why we’re putting roll forming in the spotlight and showcasing how National Material Company (NMC) leads the industry in this process.

Roll forming is a manufacturing process that is commonly used in the steel industry to shape sheet metal into various cross-section profiles. In a nutshell, it’s a continuous process that involves passing a metal strip or sheet through a series of rollers. This method is highly precise, and the rollers are designed and/or calibrated to gradually shape the material – making complex shapes possible with tight tolerances and consistent quality.

How Roll Forming Changed the Steel Industry

Its origin can be traced back to the late 19th century when the first roll forming machines were developed in Europe and the United States. These early machines were used primarily for producing simple shapes, such as roofing panels and gutters, and were powered by manual or hydraulic systems.

Prior to the invention of this process, shaping metal into various forms was a labor-intensive process that required skilled craftsmen to forge, cast, or fabricate the material by hand. Some of the most common processes used are forging, casting, extrusion, machining, and stamping.

While these processes are still used today for certain applications, roll forming offered several advantages over these traditional methods, including faster production times, lower labor costs, and the ability to produce more complex shapes and profiles. By feeding a continuous strip of metal through a series of rollers, roll forming machines could produce long, uniform sections of material with a high degree of accuracy and repeatability.

Roll Forming Process

Determining the specifications for the profile – in addition to form and function – is the initial stage of the production process. This includes the material type, thickness, width, length, and the desired cross-sectional shape.

The profile is then sketched out in 2D, or 3D using CAD (computer-aided design) software and should meet the specific requirements – including any tolerances or other design constraints. A flat pattern (two-dimensional representation) is then created and shows how the profile will look when it is unrolled into a flat sheet.

The next step is to add the necessary tooling to the forming machine. This includes the rollers, guides, and other components that are required to produce the profile. Once the profile design is complete, it is simulated using roll-forming software to ensure that the design is feasible and that the tooling is correct. Once the design is finalized, a prototype of the profile is produced and tested to ensure […]

14 03, 2022

Metals Processing: Advantages of Cold Rolled Steel

Cara2022-08-05T16:30:32+00:00March 14th, 2022|News Blog|

There are many steps required in metal processing in order to achieve a high-quality product. American steel processor, National Material Company (NMC), believes there can be no exception to this rule. Steel is an alloy that is a mixture of both iron and carbon and it is durable, sustainable, and highly desired by many industries. Formal specifications and different grades of steel can affect the performance and use of the metal, but there are additional techniques within the metals’ processing that can alter the strength and finish. In this article, we will focus on one technique known as cold rolling.

Engineers and designers alike must decide on the type of metal they will need to begin work on their projects. Cold rolled steel for many reasons might be the ideal metal. “Cold rolled” refers to the process the steel undergoes before becoming the final product. The temperature is not what we may consider “cold.” Instead, the entire process occurs at room temperature and involves applying great pressure to the steel. However, this does not mean cold rolled steel never experiences its recrystallization temperature. In fact, cold rolled steel endures extreme temperatures and compression rollers just like hot rolled steel. Cold rolled steel simply undergoes more processes once it has cooled down to get exact dimensions and better surface qualities. In many cases, steel may undergo processes like rolling, turning, grinding, and polishing. Each one gives the steel a unique finish.

There are many advantages of cold rolled steel, such as increased strength. (Read about Advanced High Strength Steel, or “AHSS” here.) The compression of the steel at room temperature hardens the strain, giving the metal significant strength when compared to other types of steel. That being said, the steel is not needlessly thick to create this strength. Cold rolling allows for tighter tolerances not found within other steel manufacturing. In other words, the metal will have thinner walls without sacrificing integrity.

One of cold rolled steel’s most desirable aspects is its aesthetics. The cold rolling process enables metal processors like National Material Company to improve the surface finish. It leaves a smooth surface with few imperfections that are ideal if a project requires visual appeal. An excellent surface is great not just for its beauty, however. Cold rolled steel is used in the construction of bridges due to fewer visible surface flaws.

Additionally, cold rolled steel is ideal for projects that require more precision and need to be durable. Bars created with this technique have well-refined edges, and tubes are very straight with excellent concentric uniformity.

Cold rolled steel can be found across many industries today. It is used in parts for home appliances, roof and wall systems, metal furniture, aerospace structural members, and a wide scope of applications too numerous to list. Despite the many steps within the cold rolling process, cold rolled steel has a short manufacturing time and can be delivered promptly so customers can begin work on their projects quickly.

National Material Company […]

24 06, 2021

The Slitting Line and Steel Slitting Process Explained

andre2021-06-24T18:47:26+00:00June 24th, 2021|News Blog, NMC Media|

Steel is an alloy of iron that is mixed with carbon which improves its strength and durability. Combine these properties with its low cost and you have a perfectly-suited alloy for a multitude of uses in various end applications, including (but not limited to) automotive, infrastructure, and appliance/HVAC.

Enter the role of steel processors. Steel processing companies like National Material Company provide manufacturers with the right steel material for their industry. This article will focus on the topic of steel slitting and how the slitting process works.

Steel slitting is a steel manufacturing process wherein a coil of steel is slit into the lengths and widths specified by the end application. This process requires machinery lines equipped with a decoiler, slitter, and a recoiler — to achieve the end product: slit steel coils, or “mults.”

An operator will feed the steel coil onto the uncoiler mandrel. The uncoiler unwinds the master coil, feeding it into the slitter head where the steel will be slit into narrow mults (strips) by rotary knives. The operator then inspects the individual mults to ensure the gauge width and edge condition meet required specifications. The mults will then travel through a looping pit to insure stress-free and camber-free recoiling of the slit material. Individual mults are then banded and packaged to specific customer requirements.

This process requires careful precision. Leading steel processing company NMC operates several steel service centers in the United States and Mexico using robust precision slitting machines equipped with advanced technology in software, tooling practices, and hardware. This helps National Material Company streamline their production and reduces their time to delivery. NMC thoroughly checks their equipment for alignment and regularly calibrates their machine line to help reduce scrap and overall cost.

National Material Company spent decades perfecting the art of steel processing to provide only the best to their clients, earning their position as a top steel processor. NMC guarantees top tier quality for all of your steel supply needs, and they also offer a wide variety of steel processing capabilities.

About National Material L.P. – National Material L.P. (NMLP) has been in the steel service industry since 1964. Operating 16 steel service centers and processing facilities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico makes them one of the largest independent steel service centers in North America. For more information about National Material L.P, visit www.nmlp.com

To find out more information about NMC’s products and services, please visit us at www.nationalmaterial.com or call (U.S.) 847-806-7200 to speak with a sales representative.

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