Don't Hesitate, Corrugate!

Since the 1820s, corrugated metal has been seen offering protection to a wide range of structures as well as sometimes being used to create the structures themselves. Yet another piece of industrial magic that we take completely for granted due to its very versatility, corrugated metals combine strength with flexibility to provide a unique material. So how did this seemingly-simple invention come into being?

Corrugation is the name given to the process of creating a metal sheet that has running through it an endlessly-repeating series of waves, each identical to the last. Its also sometimes referred to as profiling due to the fact that the sheet has a specific profile. Two common types of corrugation are sinusoidal (round curves) and trapezoidal (rectangles) Forming metal in this way gives it a unique wind-deflecting quality which has seen it used in many major projects around the world, notably ConocoPhillips Jasmine Project in Dubai to which we supplied corrugated steel.

The first metal ever to be corrugated was iron and the process was worked out by an architect and engineer. Henry Palmer worked for the London Dock Company during the 1820s and his Corrugated Galvanised Iron was an instant hit thanks to it being light, strong, easy to transport and resistant to corrosion. CGI became a crucial building material for countries that were then developing, such as Australia and the USA, and allowing many people to effectively get on the property ladder.

As aluminium and stainless steel were developed and became more widely available, the corrugation process was applied to them also, with similarly successful results. Created using a roll forming technique in which metal coil or sheet is fed into a powerful machine and pressed into the desired corrugated shape - specialist bespoke dies allow for any shape to be created. Each identical sheet can then be simply, conveniently and efficiently stacked for storage and transportation.

Cladding is one of the major applications that corrugated metal is used for, offering protection for the wind and rain. Storage tanks, particularly those found with the petrochemical industries, are almost always to be found with a protective corrugated cladding system in place. There is a strange yet undeniable beauty about corrugate metal used at a large-scale, the scintillating geometric moiré patterns created have a mysterious yet definite aesthetic appeal.

We supply all kinds of corrugated metals along with the stainless steel banding, screws and rivets that are used for its safe and complete securement. To find out more about our corrugated metal services just give us a call.

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