Stainless Steel Wire: The Importance of Tensile Strength
The reason that stainless steel is so widely used for such a vast array of different applications is that the material boasts an equally-vast array of qualities. From its relatively light weight and low cost to its unmatched versatility and resistance to corrosion, stainless steel is a crucial material that has no equal. Another of its key qualities is its strength, with tensile strength being an important consideration depending on the application the material is used to facilitate.
The tensile strength of any material is essentially a measure of the force that it can withstand before first stretching and subsequently breaking. For the majority of 'off the shelf' stainless steel products (including common formats like strip, plate and sheet), the tensile strength of the material is set to a recognised standard. This is not the case when it comes to stainless steel wire, the tensile strength of which can be infinitely adjusted to suit different applications.
An elevated tensile strength is not always desirable in stainless steel wire. For many applications, the wire has to be ductile and malleable so that it can be twisted, tied or bent easily. This is the case for stainless steel tying and lacing wire, which has many different uses from insulation and re-bar to fencing and garden work. The overall robustness of the wire remains high, as does its exceptional resistance to corrosion.
At the other end of the scale, stainless steel wire can be produced with an extremely high tensile strength. This type of wire, though very different, can be used for an equally-wide array of applications. One example of this is for the manufacture of razor wire for security purposes; the high tensile strength of this type of stainless steel wire makes it extremely difficult to cut.
As one of the UK's largest and most prominent suppliers of stainless steel wire, BS Stainless is able to supply top-quality wire in both of these levels of tensile strength, as well as anywhere in between. Working closely with leading manufacturers, we can produce stainless steel wire that displays any combination of qualities, with a comprehensive range of types in any size, grade or shape.
Please browse the BS Stainless website to discover our complete collection of stainless steel wire. If you have any questions or need expert advice, our technical team will be happy to help so please do not hesitate to get in touch.