Titanium: For High Performance Automotive Applications

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Less mass = greater speed and better performance! Most of us know that cars go faster and burn less fuel if they weigh less but very few of us know how to reduce the weight. In fact, many of the constructors we meet that design and build high-end race cars are very surprised to learn […]

History and Composition: The Resilience of Stainless Steel

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Stainless steel has become such a common metal that it’s used in everything from home appliances and cutlery to chemical and pharmaceutical, medical, and oil and gas applications. It is so commonly seen by everyone that it is difficult to remember that there was a time when stainless steel did not exist. A History Lesson […]

Mexico City Construction- On the Comeback Trail

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There’s no denying that there was a serious slowdown in the construction industry in Mexico City around 2012 and 2013. General economic lethargy had a huge impact on construction, as both commercial and residential consumers worried about their financial futures. The end result was a Mexico City construction industry that contracted for 9 straight months […]

Nickel Alloys: Breaking Down the Elements

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Nickel alloys are composed of nickel and copper, as well as smaller amounts of iron, manganese, carbon and silicon. The combined properties of these elements make nickel alloy both easier to machine and stronger than the elements would be on their own. Nickel—or at least commercially pure nickel—is a metal with a high electrical conductivity, […]

What is the Difference Between Inconel® and Incoloy®?

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Although Inconel® and Incoloy® belong to the same family of superalloys, each possesses its own distinct properties, as well as sharing others. Also known as high-performance alloys, the superalloys in general provide high resistance to corrosion and oxidation, as well as mechanical strength at elevated temperatures. The most fundamental of difference between them lies in […]

Subsea Applications of Nickel Alloys

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It is critical for piping systems in subsea applications to maintain their reliability and integrity. When selecting the material for these systems, you need to optimize investment and operational costs, in a way that Life Cycle Costs (LCC) are minimized while providing acceptable safety and reliability. When piping is used for critical applications such as […]

The Construction Boom in Florida

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After collapsing under the weight of the last great recession, the building trades in Florida are coming back strong. Construction activity is high across the entire state, with projects in South Florida leading the way. The current building boom is putting skilled workers back on the job. Furthermore, the type of building is spread between […]

Common Metals in the Construction Industry

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Chosen for their durability, strength and resistance to weather, metals used in the construction industry serve a wide range of functions. The most common of them are carbon steel, aluminum, copper tubing and stainless steel, which each have their particular qualities and ideal uses. As a whole, however, these metals are ubiquitous in the world […]

Continental Steel and the Chlor-Alkali Industry

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It might not be a household name, but the global chlor-alkali industry is a critical part of modern manufacturing. At its most basic, chlor-alkali production is a process by which electrolysis is used to turn sodium chloride (saltwater/brine) into two byproducts: chlorine, and sodium hydroxide. In fact, the chlor-alkali process is responsible for 95% of […]

Considerations when Machining Nickel Alloys

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Learn when to use nickel and how to meet its challenges. Although Continental Steel & Tube does not machine nickel alloys, we wanted to provide a useful article to our current and future customers who do. Nickel as a material has a long history in countless applications, from its use as a plating, to an […]