3 Storage Tips To Improve Your Steel Manufacturing Processes
Steel is one of the most commonly used metals in modern manufacturing. Steel is durable and resistant to corrosion, yet attractive and able to be molded into a wide range of forms.
One of the most important factors in determining the quality of your steel manufacturing processes is the quality of the steel itself. Many facilities don't invest enough time and energy into developing a storage system that will protect their steel against damage over time.
Here are three simple storage tips that you can implement in your facility to improve your steel manufacturing processes in the future.
1. Get Your Steel Off the Ground
If you have raw steel stacked on the ground inside your manufacturing facility, you could be compromising the quality of this steel.
It's important that you store your steel off the ground to prevent changing floor temperatures from causing rapid temperature fluctuations within your steel.
The best way to store steel off the ground is to invest in specialized racks. These racks allow you to sort and store your steel in a way that makes sense for your facility.
2. Use Metal Pallets to Move Steel
A lot of facilities choose to house their steel reserves on pallets. This can be an excellent way to keep steel off the ground, but only if you are using metal pallets.
Wood pallets may not be strong enough to withstand the weight of a full load of steel. The pallet could break at any moment, putting the safety of your employees at risk.
Wood pallets can also contaminate the steel stored on them. Dirt and debris that are transferred from the pallet to a piece of steel could interfere with the efficiency of your manufacturing processes in the future.
Always use metal pallets to store and move raw steel.
3. Sort Your Steel Prior to Storage
Taking the time to sort through all of your steel before you place it in long-term storage could help you reduce manufacturing times in the future.
The best way to sort your steel is by size. Invest in separate metal containers for each size of steel that you work with on a regular basis. Plastic containers don't have the structural strength needed to house steel on a long-term basis.
Keeping all of your steel sorted by size makes it simple for your employees to grab the right materials for any project. You will also be able to easily identify when the inventory of a particular size is low so that you can order a new batch of steel and avoid manufacturing delays.