What materials we use
At B&R, we choose only the best materials when manufacturing our enclosures. This superior quality ensures you can trust the product and us.
316 Stainless Steel
The main benefits of using stainless steel are its structural strength, aesthetic appeal and high level of corrosion protection due to naturally occurring chromium-rich oxide film formed on the surface of the steel.
Grade 316 stainless steel can be used successfully in coastal locations where many other grades
may experience corrosion due to the higher levels of chloride present in the environment. It is also the preferred material used in food processing applications, it can be easily cleaned and resists many organic chemicals, dyes and a wide variety of inorganic chemicals.
B&R Enclosures use only the highest quality 316 stainless steel materials, manufacturing and finishing techniques and are accredited by the Australian Stainless Steel Development Association (ASSDA). For more details on ASSDA visit
www.assda.asn.au.
Surface Finish
We finish our stainless steel products in a way that is aesthetically pleasing and also ensures superior protection. We apply an N4 surface finish, with a maximum Ra or 0.4μm. This Ra rating is a key factor in the corrosion protection and ‘cleanability’ of our products.
Surface corrosion, often referred to as ‘tea staining’ is common along the coast fringe and high salinity areas of Australia. Tea staining is a discolouration of the metal surface which is unsightly, but does not affect the structural integrity of the enclosure.
For more details on tea staining visit
www.brenclosures.com.au/PDFs/Tea Staining.pdf
Zinc Coated Steel
We use primarily zinc coated steel for our B&R branded products. This is a matte, hot dipped, zinc iron alloy which when combined with chemical pretreatment and powdercoat finish offers the best possible corrosion protection for enclosure systems.
Pretreatment
A B&R branded zinc coated steel enclosure is punched, bent, welded and ground on the way through our factory. Following fabrication it goes through an automated process which consists of the following:
- Alkaline cleaner
- Reticulated freshwater rinse
- Iron phosphate coating
- Reticulated freshwater rinse
- Demineralised water with polymer additive
Titration tests are also conducted to ensure that the material meets the required specifications.
Powdercoat Finish
The powdercoat paint is applied at an average coating thickness of 100μm for a ripple finish and 70μm for a gloss. The minimum coating thickness is 60μm on the exterior of the enclosure and 25μm on the interior (conforms to AS/NZS 4506:1998).
Testing
The powdercoat paint finish is tested extensively to the following standards ensures consistent paint finish in terms of both quality and colour across our range of enclosures.
- Powdercoating thickness test (AS1580.108.1:1994)
- Cure Test, solvent resistance method (AS/NZS4506:1998)
- Adhesion, cross cut test (AS/NZS 1580.408.4:1993)
- Paint colour comparison test (AS2700:1996)