Lincoln Industries

The material selection process makes an important difference in the overall quality and effectiveness of products requiring high performance metal finishing. Just as every product lifecycle has different needs, each type of substrate has its own unique characteristics and properties that influence a number of factors, including corrosion resistance, forming ability, machining ability and others. A material can also contribute to the ability of a part to meet cosmetic requirements; some types of metals being easier to polish than others. Making the right selection requires a solid working knowledge of metal finishing and equal understanding of what the planned part requires.

The Process
What does our metal selection process involve? It begins with an in-depth look at a customer’s product requirements. Often times this means analyzing comparable products in the industry and global best practices; and finally integrating our years of experience into the final product. Some of the most important questions include: What will this product have to achieve in order to be successful? In what environment will this product operate? What type of load cases will the product be subjected to? What other factors (including budget) have to be considered?

At Lincoln Industries there are four areas we consider. These include corrosion resistance weight, strength and the ability to accept the desired finish. For example, aluminum is highly corrosion-resistant, formable, and more lightweight than steel, but is not as strong. By comparing the different properties of metal against the product’s needs, we can find the best possible solution.

Why?

Without proper metal selection, a number of problems may result – the largest: Increased cost. When the proper metal isn’t selected in the first place, costly workarounds can result from trying to get the metal up to spec through other processes. In addition, the product will not be able to operate at its maximum efficient output, resulting in harmful opportunity costs that limit the overall quality and life of the product. In some cases, the product may not even be able to be produced at all without the proper material, as some metals simply cannot withstand certain temperature or operational stressors. In other cases, the metal might achieve all necessary performance constraints, but fail simply because the metal will make the end product too heavy.

Of course, if you work with us you won’t have to worry about finding the proper materials for your project. With our 57 years of experience and over 30 degreed engineers on staff, we can ensure the right metal is selected for the right project.