Home Page News media A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls when Purchasing Color Stainless Steel Plates: 5 Steps to Lock in High-quality Products and Reliable Merchants

A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls when Purchasing Color Stainless Steel Plates: 5 Steps to Lock in High-quality Products and Reliable Merchants

In fields such as decoration, furniture, and industrial equipment,Colored stainless steel plates have become a popular choice due to their high appearance level and corrosion resistance. However, the quality of products on the market varies greatlyThe qualifications of merchants vary greatly. How can we avoid it The traps of "passing off inferior goods as good ones" and "cutting corners"? This article will provide you with a professional-level purchasing guide from two aspects: key points of purchasing and screening merchants.

I. Procurement of color stainless steel platesFive key points to note

(1) Clarify the requirements: Work backward from the purpose to determine the core indicators

· Decorate the sceneIf it is used for hotel lobbies, kitchen and bathroom decoration, etc., special attention should be paidColor uniformity(Avoid having both positive and negative sides)Surface glossWhether the processes such as mirror finish and matte finish meet the standards andAnti-fingerprint performanceIs the thickness of the fingerprint-free oil film≥3μm)。

· Industrial sceneIt is used for chemical equipment, outdoor curtain walls, etc., and should be given priority for investigationCorrosion resistance gradeSalt spray test(≥48 hours)Hardness indexVickers hardness(HV≥200) andHigh-temperature resistance performanceIt is heat-resistant after hard film treatment≥200℃)。

· Pitfall Avoidance reminderBe cautious of merchants' use For the "general type" vague concept, it is essential to provide a "Material Inspection Report" to verify the nickel and chromium content (for 304 stainless steel, the nickel content should be ≥8% and the chromium content ≥18%).

(2) Visual identification:Identify surface defects in 3 seconds

· Look at the color differenceObserve the entire board under natural light. The color transition should be uniform without any gaps. After taking a photo with a mobile phone and magnifying the contrast edge and center area, it is allowed ΔE (color difference value) ≤1.5; if it exceeds 2, it is considered unqualified.

· Feel the textureWhen you gently scratch the surface with your finger, the high-quality board feels as smooth as a mirror without any grainy sensation. If there are slight protrusions, it may be due to uneven passivation film or incomplete hard film treatment.

· Measure adhesion: UseAfter the 3M tape is pasted on the surface, quickly peel it off and observe whether there is any film layer falling off. The adhesion of the oil film without fingerprints needs to pass the hundred-grid method test (the peeling area after the grid is cut ≤5%).

(3) Verify the process: See the essence through parameters

· Coloring processThe thickness of the oxide film required by the acid bath oxidation methodIf the color is ≥0.1μm, the merchant can be requested to provide a record of the coloring time (for example, the immersion time of titanium gold plates needs to be ≥20 minutes), and for vacuum titanium plating process, the coating thickness (≥0.3μm) needs to be confirmed.

· Protective film sprayingInquire about the paint brand (recommended for use)For products from major manufacturers such as PPG and Nippon Paint, a qualified anti-fingerprint film should have an anti-fingerprint test report (after writing with an oil-based pen and wiping, the residual trace should be ≤10%).

· Practical suggestionsRequest a small sample for boiling test (boiling in boiling water)Within 30 minutes, high-quality boards should not show any signs of fading or bubbling.

(4) Contract Details: Define responsibilities through terms

· Quality ClauseExplicit agreement "If the inspection is not qualified, the buyer has the right to return the goods unconditionally and claim compensation of three times the payment for goods." Attached "Quality Acceptance Standard Annex" (refer to GB/T 18705-2002).

· Delivery TermsRequirement "Batch acceptance" (pre-acceptance before leaving the factory + random inspection upon arrival), during transportation, double-layer packaging of wooden crates and pearl cotton is adopted, and the damage rate should be ≤0.5%.

· After-sales termsNote: "Lifetime free surface maintenance technical guidance provided". If discoloration or film peeling problems occur within the warranty period (recommended to be ≥2 years), the merchant must handle it on-site within 48 hours.

(V) Cost Control: Beware of low-price traps

· Price logic: ToTake 1.0mm thick 304 color stainless steel plate as an example. The normal market price is 200-300 yuan per square meter. Products priced below 150 yuan per square meter are very likely to have material fraud (such as passing off 201 stainless steel as 304) or process reduction (omitting hard film treatment).

· Hidden costLow-priced boards may be caused by poor corrosion resistanceIt needs to be replaced every 2 to 3 years, and the overall cost is actually higher than that of high-quality boards. It is recommended to adopt the "life cycle cost method" to calculate the maintenance and replacement costs within five years.

Second, those seeking high-quality merchantsThe Four Golden Rules

(1) Qualification screening: Excluded "Three-no" manufacturers

· Essential documentsBusiness license (Business scope includes. "Stainless steel processing", ISO9001 quality management system certification, environmental management system certification (environmental impact assessment approval is required for electroplating processes).

· Industry thresholdPriority selection is establishedEnterprises with over five years of experience and an annual production capacity of no less than 5,000 tons are more capable of ensuring process stability.

(2) On-site inspection: Seeing is believingThree key points

· Look at the production lineHigh-quality manufacturers should be equipped with fully automatic coloring production lines (such as continuous electroplating tanks), film thickness detectors, salt spray testing machines and other equipment. Small workshop-style manual operations are difficult to ensure quality.

· Check warehouse managementFinished boards should be stored upright in a constant temperature and humidity warehouse to avoid surface damage caused by flat placement. The packaging labels should clearly indicate information such as material, color, and batch.

· Customer visit casesIt is required to visit similar project cases (for example, in hotel engineering, the completed lobby decorative panels can be viewed) and observe their usageCheck whether the boards over three years old have problems such as fading and corrosion.

(3) Word-of-mouth verification: Multi-dimensional assessment of credibility

· Online channelOn Alibaba, Hc360.com, etcOn B2B platforms, check the "Transaction Medal" of merchants (≥4 stars is preferred) and buyer reviews (with a focus on "description consistency" ≥4.8 points).

· Industry recommendationConsult professional institutions such as the Stainless Steel Association and the Architects Association for information "Recommended Supplier List", such merchants usually have passed the industry standard certification.

· Sample testingRequired to be providedThree samples from different batches will be entrusted to a third-party testing institution (such as SGS or the National Metal Materials Quality Inspection and Testing Center) for full-item testing. Only after passing the tests can they be included in the candidate list.

(4) Cooperative Exploration: From small-scale trials to long-term win-win outcomes

· Trial order strategyThe initial purchase quantity is controlled withinFor an area of 50-100 square meters, the key inspection points include the delivery cycle (within ±3 days of the promised time is considered qualified), packaging protection (no scratches on the surface of the board after opening the box), and the accompanying documents (complete quality inspection report and material certificate).

· Long-term cooperation"Establish" The "Supplier Performance Scoring Sheet" is evaluated monthly from three dimensions: quality (40%), delivery time (30%), and service (30%). A score of 85 or above can be upgraded to a strategic partner.

Iii. Analysis of Procurement Pitfall Avoidance Cases

Case1A certain decoration company is purchasing at a low price The "rose gold board" turned black in large areas three months after installation. After testing, the material is 201 stainless steel (with a nickel content of only 1.2%), and no hard film treatment has been carried out. The thickness of the oxide film is less than 0.05μm.

Lesson: Failing to verify the material report and trusting the merchant blindly The rhetoric of "high cost performance".

Case2A certain industrial enterprise chooses to possessIso-certified manufacturers are required to provide salt spray test reports for each batch (5% sodium chloride solution, no corrosion after 24 hours of spraying), and no quality issues have occurred in the five years of cooperation.

ExperienceLock in the quality bottom line with standardized testing procedures.

The procurement of colored stainless steel plates is not It's not as simple as "buying cheap" or "buying expensive". Instead, it requires professional knowledge to break down demands, scientific methods to verify quality, and systematic thinking to screen merchants. Through the "5-step Purchasing Method" and "4 Major Screening Rules" in this article, one can not only avoid falling into the trap of inferior products but also establish long-term and stable cooperative relationships with high-quality merchants, making every purchase a "value investment" rather than a "risk game".