ISMR March 2022 | Page 61

PRODUCT REVIEWS

Lean Duplex steel

Rising prices , supply problems and a shortage of raw materials are currently causing tension in business climates in Germany and further afield .
Wilhelm Modersohn GmbH & Co . KG , a manufacturer of industrial components and fastening systems for concrete and masonry , is focusing its attention on the price development of stainless , acid and heat-resistant steels and the corresponding supply of raw materials . The company is based in Spenge , North Rhine- Westphalia ( Germany ).
After more than 50 years of experience and expertise in the processing of stainless steel and Lean Duplex steels , the company has also made a name for itself with the manufacture and sale of series and special products for industry as well as construction fastenings . As a DEKRA-certified welding company with manufacturer ’ s qualification according to DIN EN 1090 EXC3 , the stainless-steel specialist also covers special customer requirements in custommade products for heavy-duty construction e . g . tunnel and bridge construction and the renovation of old buildings and monuments .
Prices in focus
“ The relevant stainless-steel prices for materials such as 1.4301 ( austenitic steel grade , also known as V2A ) and 1.4016 ( ferritic steel grade ) have doubled since January 2020 . Raw materials such as chromium , nickel and molybdenum are important components of stainless steels and peaked in terms of prices for alloy surcharges in the fourth quarter of 2021 ,” it said .
For the first quarter of 2022 , stainlesssteel experts do not reportedly foresee any major price reductions , which does not come as a surprise to Wilhelm Modersohn , managing partner and owner of Wilhelm Modersohn GmbH & Co . KG .
“ We have been experiencing fluctuating raw material prices in the procurement markets for stainless steel for quite some time . It is precisely these price volatilities that reflect the high level of supply uncertainty in the raw material markets , which is then confirmed by the real supply bottlenecks ,” explained Wilhelm Modersohn , who is also a Member of the Board of Informationsstelle Edelstahl Rostfrei .
He continued : “ This enormously restricts planning reliability in the processing industry and for construction
companies . To offer our customers supply security , we have taken strong precautions with our material purchases last year and this year . We should not experience a supply shortage due to material shortages in 2022 .”
High stock levels , rapid production and delivery capabilities are part of the company ’ s 2022 corporate strategy
Lean Duplex steel
For some time now , Modersohn has been focusing on Lean Duplex steels which are less volatile in terms of price .
“ These steels are also currently cheaper and , due to their basic strength which is at least twice as high as standard austenites , significantly more economical than austenites , which are comparable in terms of corrosion technology . The explanation lies in the lower alloying proportions of the expensive components , such as nickel and molybdenum , and in the increased proportion of chromium and nitrogen . This makes Lean Duplex steel a clear alternative to the standard A4 and A2 austenites in almost all common areas of application ,” explained the materials specialist .
Special structures made of Lean Duplex steel from MODERSOHN ® were also used in the construction of the V & A Dundee design museum in Dundee , Scotland , close to the sea . ( Photo : 4025 _ V & A Dundee construction 12 May 2017 ).
Other benefits cited over the standard austenites include : -
■ Higher fatigue strength .
■ No chloride- and hydrogen-induced stress corrosion cracking up to 50 ° C .
■ Less risk of cold welding when bolting under load .
■ Good resistance at higher temperatures i . e . not the typical chi or sigma phase embrittlement ).
■ Lower coefficient of thermal expansion with the same thermal transmittance of Lambda 15 .
For many years , Modersohn has kept an extensive stock of Lean Duplex steels , especially for sheet .
“ At the beginning of this year , the standard for ‘ Mechanische Verbindungselemente ’ ( Mechanical Fasteners ) DIN EN ISO 3506 was published in a revised version . With this internationally valid manufacturing and application basis for screws , nuts , washers , threaded rods etc ., more and more standard parts are coming onto the market as stock items . This means that strength class 100 is then often also available , which our engineers can once again optimise to the customer ’ s product due to better design possibilities ,” said Moderson .
MODERSOHN ® stainless steel
Modersohn provides its business customers with specialists who have the necessary knowledge and expertise in very highperformance , high-strength steels . On the company ’ s home page , visitors can ask important construction and project-related questions directly when visiting the site via an expert chat .
For years , the company has relied on Duplex steels , especially Lean Duplex steels ( 1.4062 , 1.4162 , 1.4362 ) whose market launch in the German construction industry has been personally championed by managing director , Wilhelm Modersohn , since 2002 . n
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