From Metal Quarries to Steel Fabrication
Metal fabrication is an in-depth and sometimes complicated process, and metals in general aren’t as straightforward as they seem. Here are some of the most interesting facts about metals and fabrication for you to sink your teeth into:
1. The word metal comes from the Greek word “metallon”, which means quarry or to mine or excavate.
2. The earliest metal fabrication practices are attributed to the Egyptians who bent and shaped gold into jewellery. This jewellery was such an integral part of society that everyone from poor farmers to royalty wore it. Some original pieces can still be seen in museums around the world.
3. The Ancient Spartans used large iron sticks as currency. They were used in a similar way to how we use coins today, however their large and inconvenient nature discouraged the pursuit of wealth within society.
4. The most abundant metal in the universe is iron, making up 34% of Earth’s mass. Second to iron in the universe’s make-up is magnesium.
5. The composition of the Earth is not entirely known, but the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust is aluminium. However, the earth’s core likely consists mainly of iron.
6. The arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge is made entirely of steel, meaning that on a hot day it can expand up to 18cm vertically.
7. In the 1920s when the Sydney Harbour Bridge was being built, industrial welding had not yet been developed to a level where it could be used on such a large scale; so six million steel rivets hold the bridge together.
8. The Eiffel Tower, built in 1889, contains 18,038 large pieces of iron, which had to be fabricated and are now held in place with over two million rivets.
9. In 2013, the world manufactured enough crude steel to build 160,000 Eiffel Towers.
10. The first attempt at welding in space was performed by Russia in 1969. Early experiments such as these paved the way for the technological advancements, which are now used in constructing space stations.
11. Because there is no oxidised material in space, when two pieces of metal touch they will become fused together immediately.
12. Steel is a very sustainable material. It can be recycled over and over without losing the strength and durability that make it such a valuable construction resource. For this reason, many of the sustainable developments you see being erected today are steel based.
13. Up to 150 years after steel is originally used it will still have its original strength and be fit for recycling.
14. The amount of steel currently in use across the world today averages out to 270kg per person. It is most commonly used in construction. Most large modern buildings such as bridges, airports and stadiums are supported by a steel skeleton, even those with a concrete structure use steel for reinforcement.
15. Before a NASCAR vehicle takes to the road, over 950 hours of fabrication and welding are spent bringing the car up to scratch.
If you knew half of those then that’s impressive. Metal is something that we take for granted, but in fact, without it the world wouldn’t be what it is today. For more information about metal work, contact Acorn Metals today!