Stainless steel is an ideal material to consider choosing when ordering custom equipment parts for your construction machinery. This metal has high strength and durability, so it will provide prolonged service in harsh building environments. In addition, it is resistant to tarnishing and corrosion due to exposure to moisture and air. There are different factors that you must consider before commissioning parts manufacture. One of these is the surface finishing for your stainless steel parts. This will determine the aesthetics and long-term wear and tarnish resistance of the material. Here are the main categories of stainless steel finishes that are ideal for construction equipment surfaces.

Mill Finishes

If you want a basic surface finish for your equipment, you should elect mill finishes for your equipment parts. This type of texture is usually rough and unrefined, and it lacks lustre or decorative properties. Generally, mill finishes are produced by the normal cutting processes during fabrication, not special texturing techniques. Therefore, the type of finish produced will depend on the stainless steel used. There are different levels of milled finishes, and these can be distinguished by aspects like surface uniformity, grain appearance, pitting aspects and surface dullness. Request samples of the available options from your fabricator before making a decision. The main advantage of mill finishes is the lower cost of production.

Polished Finishes

Polished finishes are produced by mechanical grinding of the stainless steel components using special equipment. In most cases, a work wheel with abrasive properties is utilised during the process. The rotatory motion of the wheel, coupled with the grinding action, removes the surface imperfections. This improves the smoothness and uniformity of the components. In addition, the refined surface will be easier to clean after exposure to oil, dust and concrete in the construction environment. If you decide to use this type of finish, consider factors such as level of surface defects, reflectivity and general consistency. If you want a high lustre appearance, you should ask for buffing services to improve on the normal polish.

Specialty Finishes

There are specialty finishes which are designed to improve the level of tarnish, wear and corrosion resistance in stainless steel components. If you will be working in marine environments or your new machinery parts will be exposed to chemicals, this category of finishes is ideal. You can choose electroplating which covers your equipment with premium metals like nickel, chromium and silver. Metal sprays and special industrial-grade coatings can also be applied to protect the metal from adversity and improve the colour properties. 

For more information about having custom parts made, contact a company that specialises in industrial machinery products.

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