Appliance Design - March 2008 - (Page 44)

METALS native for applications where anodized aluminum is used. Traditionally, manufacturers used aluminum because of its lower cost and its formability resulting from it being a soft metal. But, because aluminum is not as hard, strong or durable as stainless steel, it is often put through an anodizing process that strengthens it, and makes it more corrosion and abrasion resistant. The anodizing process also is used to achieve the required color. It is these extra anodizing steps that negate any initial cost advantage anodized aluminum may have over stainless steel, says Andrew Keirns, a Sandvik product specialist based in California. For example, Sandvik did a cost analysis of stainless steel vs. anodized aluminum material for use on a USB flash drive. The initial cost of the stainless steel was much higher, he says, but after analyzing the anodizing production steps needed to get the required color, the actual per piece cost using stainless steel was about 20 percent less than with anodized aluminum. In addition, stainless steel has a number of other advantages, says Christina Berardi, marketing and sales manager for Sandvik. She says that stainless steel is stronger than aluminum and less material is needed to meet stiffness and yield strength specifications. Stainless steel also provides more corrosion and abrasion resistance than does even anodized aluminum, she says. Berardi says that the Decorex material is very formable and can undergo a variety of fabrication processes such as stamping, deep drawing, punching and marking. The strips can be welded, laser cut, etched or engraved. The fabrication and finishing processes can be accomplished without any oil or lubricant, which helps eliminate cleaning steps, she says. Berardi adds that Sandvik’s close control of production processes have resulted in color tolerances that keep the color consistent and helps ensure adhesion between the base material and the color coating. This makes it possible for Decorex to be cold formed and bent to a close radii without hurting color quality. “The color, no matter how the material is bent, will stick and not flake off,” she says. Adhesion was tested in accordance with the “Cross-cut test to ISO 2409:1992.” The coloring of Decorex is based on a rollto-roll process that enables a wide range of coating materials to be applied to stainless steel strip at high speeds. The technique also allows for single-sided as well as double-sided coatings. Coating thicknesses can range from a few nanometers to a few micrometers and the coatings can consist of aluminum (AI), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) or silver (Ag) and mixtures of elements or binary compounds such as A1203 or Ti02. Delivered in coiled strips, Decorex comes in 12 different colors including amber, olive, sapphire, hazel, pacific, tangerine, granite, lavender, mocha, ebony, coral, and emerald. It comes in four finishes including dull, satin, hairline and bright. Berardi says that the company is coming up with new textures and colors that will be introduced soon. Decorex is available in thicknesses from 0.1 mm up to 0.8 mm and in strip widths of up to 370 mm. Eventually, the material will be available in widths up to 800 mm. The base material comes in stainless steel material grades of AISI 304 in annealed condition and AISI 301 in cold-rolled condition. Other stainless steel alloys are available on request. According to Berardi, the finishes are fingerprint resistant; smudges can be wiped away even on a bright finish material. The surface finishes are also scratch resistant and meet pencil hardness tests as outlined in ISO 15184:1984 Paints and Varnishes and D3363-00 Standard Test Method for Film Hardness by Pencil Test. It has a 150HV rating and tensile strength of 650 +/-100 MPa. Its corrosion resistance is derived from the base material such as AISI 430, 301 or 304. Properties include magnetism and conductivity and other capabilities can be achieved through changes in the base material or with additional coatings. While stainless steel upfront costs is higher than that of other materials, Berardi says that the final cost for the OEMs is lower than aluminum because of improved production Sandvik offers 12 colors and four finishes in its Decorex line and additional versions are under development. 44 applianceDESIGN March 2008 www.applianceDESIGN.com http://www.appliancedesign.com

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Appliance Design - March 2008 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch A New Appliance is Set to Break into Homes Soon - the Micro CHP Unit, which Generate both Heat and Power. Thermally Enhanced Varistors Help Protect Low-Power Systems Against Damage Caused by Over-Current, Over-Temperature and Over-Voltage Faults. Hybrid Controller Reduces Standby Power Consumption and Improves Active-Mode Efficiency. Battery-Management ICs Solve Design Challenges for Cordless Appliances Using High-Voltage, Lithium-Ion Battery Technology. A Semiconductor Solution Protects the Relay in a Temperature Controller for a Cooking Appliance. New Polyurethane Foam Insulation System Optimizes both Insulation Performance and Productivity. Innovations in Decorative, Pre-Finished Metals Expand Range of Design Options for Appliance Designers. Design Marts Association Report: AHAM Advertiser's Index

Appliance Design - March 2008

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