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Metal Drums
Metal drums are large, cylindrical containers formed from
metallic materials that are used to store or transport liquids or solids,
although liquids are much more common. The most common type of metal used in
manufacturing industrial drums is steel and it is rare that a different metal
would be used.
The three main types of steel used to fabricate drums are carbon
steel, stainless steel and cold rolled steel. Carbon steel is steel that has
carbon as the primary alloying constituent, and the properties of the metal are
determined by how much carbon it contains. Although carbon steel is generally
fairly corrosion resistant, stainless steel is more so due to the addition of a
minimum amount of chromium, typically 10.5 – 11%. Cold rolled steel is steel
that has undergone a cold hardening process in which the steel is rolled at
room temperature in order to preserve its original crystalline structure. Each
of these different types of steel are better suited for certain industries and
applications: for instance, carbon steel is often used in the handling of
hazardous chemicals for chemical processing, pharmaceutical, petrochemical and
wastewater industries; stainless steel is ideal for sanitary applications as
well as applications requiring a high degree of corrosion resistance such as
food and beverage, industrial manufacturing and construction; and cold rolled
steel is best-suited for industries requiring very high tensile strength, such
as mining and defense.
Metal drums are manufactured using roll forming processes. A
continuous metal forming process, during roll forming a metal sheet is rolled
into the shape of a ring. This rolling is brought about by roll forming
machines that consist of sequences of calenders, or roller die pairs, that are
positioned both above and below the metal sheet. As the sheet moves through the
machine, the rollers bend the material along the linear axis. Most commonly,
roll formed parts are created at room temperature, causing it to be a cold
forming process. After the metal sheet is in ring-form, the ends of the ring
are welded together to create the body of the drum. Steel rings are welded onto
the body at the bottom of the drum, a quarter of the way up from the bottom, a
quarter of the way from the top and at the top of the drum to serve as
reinforcement. The next step of construction depends on whether the drum is to
be open or closed head. Open head drums feature removable heads, while closed
head drums, also called tight head drums, have a permanent lid with a small opening
to allow for the enclosed material to be poured out. For industrial
applications, metal drums are often required to meet both United Nations (UN)
and Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, which have fairly strenuous
restrictions and requirements concerning the steel drum manufacturing process.
More Metal Drums
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Metal Drum – Rahway Steel Drum Company, Inc. |
Metal Drum – Rahway Steel Drum Company, Inc. |