Your Quick Guide to Stainless Steel Bends

Stainless steel bends are very common in pneumatic conveying systems for a wide variety of industries – and for good reason. They’re incredibly versatile, offering both incredible strength and high resistance to corrosion and wear. Depending on your application, stainless steel bends can help you extend your system lifespan and reduce maintenance costs all while raising the quality of your products.

How is stainless steel made?

Plain steel is an alloy made of just two elements: iron and carbon. But stainless steel combines iron with many other elements, such as chromium, nickel, molybdenum, titanium, niobium, manganese, carbon, and more.

The precise mix of elements in stainless steel differs depending on what qualities the manufacturer wants it to have. These component materials are melted together in an electric arc furnace before excess carbon is removed. In general, stainless steel is defined as containing at least 10.5% chromium, less than 1.2% carbon, and other alloying elements.

Keep Reading: Guide to Pneumatic Conveying Bends

Benefits of stainless steel

• Extremely corrosion resistant: The high levels of chromium in stainless steel protect it against corrosion, rust, and oxidation. This makes stainless steel bends compatible with a vast range of liquids and chemicals that would corrode carbon steel or aluminum bends.
• Food safe: In addition to its non-reactive qualities, stainless steel is also very easy to clean and sanitize. Its smooth, non-porous surface makes it difficult for dirt, bacteria, or impurity condensation to take hold. As such, stainless steel bends are a widely popular choice for food processing systems.
• High temperature resistance: Stainless steel safely functions in temperatures of -270 – 400oC. Even in these extreme conditions, stainless steel bends won’t lose their strength or shape.
• High impact resistance and tensile strength: This material is extremely tough with a low susceptibility to brittleness. It can reliably withstand repeated impacts from dry bulk materials and doesn’t bend or deform under weight.
• Exceptional long-term value: The incredible strength and wear resistance of stainless steel bends give them a much greater lifespan than those of other materials. The maintenance costs for stainless steel are also very low. That means you get an excellent return on your investment in terms of performance and longevity.

Drawbacks of stainless steel bends

• Difficult to manufacture: Forming, welding, and machining stainless steel takes a great deal of labor. As such, stainless steel bends are often more expensive than other options. However, this cost is generally offset by their high lifetime value, meaning they can cost the same (if not less) in the long run.
• Heavy: Compared to aluminum, their weight makes them more difficult to install.

Should I use stainless steel bends in my pneumatic conveying system?

Stainless steel bends offer superb corrosion and temperature resistance, as well as high tensile strength. They’re also food safe, and easy to clean and sanitize. So although they might come with a higher price tag, their superior performance and longevity make them a worthwhile investment.

However, not all systems require these kinds of superlative qualities. If you convey non-abrasive or non-corrosive materials, you might find that aluminum or carbon steel bends offer the same performance at a lower cost. Whether or not you install stainless steel bends should depend on the characteristics of your materials and your needs as a materials processing plant.

Buy custom stainless steel bends online – no sales calls required!

Manufacturers in all sorts of industries from across the world trust PneuComponents to provide high-quality, affordable stainless steel bends. And with quick, straightforward online ordering, it’s easier than ever for you to find out why!

In our online store, you can select your preferred degree, thread size, centerline radii, and more for your stainless steel bends before adding them to your cart. That way, you can be sure that your new parts can integrate seamlessly into your pneumatic conveying system.

Visit our online store now for industry-leading stainless steel bends that can boost your productivity while cutting costs and downtime.

As a part of Progressive Products, Inc, PneuComponents draws on over 40 years of technical expertise and industry innovation to give you the best possible guidance and service. Progressive Products is an industry-leading manufacturer of abrasion-resistant components, and their products are used in pneumatic conveying systems worldwide.