A steel stillage is a sturdy and hardy form of support platform that's ideal for storing and transporting goods. They are usually manufactured from carbon steel with mesh cages to transport items. Stillages save time and reduce the risk of injury and damage to goods when compared to open wooden pallets. There are plenty of varieties to pick from too, from stackable stillages to frame stillages without walls for transporting large items like glass windows.
A typical stillage uses several types of structural steel for various components, and the material composition can vary between specialist stillages designed for different purposes.
Closed Sections
SHS, or square hollow section, refers to a type of hollow structural steel with equal sides forming a square. Steel is generally designed to be hollow rather than solid to save on production costs. This tends to be more economical for welding or joining.
RHS, or rectangular hollow section, uses the same principle as rectangular shapes. The larger profile sides add more strength to the steel than square designs.
CHS, or circular hollow section, is a perfectly tubular steel shape that’s structurally strong and lightweight. As with other hollow sections, it’s labelled by its diameter and steel thickness.
More solid steel material is categorised as a BAR. These are available in rectangular, circle or square shapes. Hollow and BAR sections are categorised by their wall thickness in addition to their weight.
Sheet or plate steel is often used for thin panels. These come in all manner of shapes and sizes, but square and rectangular ratios of 1:1 and 2:1 are most common. These are also distinguished by their thickness in mm.
Open Sections
The most common types of structural steel used in open sections include UB (Universal Beam), UC (Universal Column) and PFC (Parallel Flange Channel). UBs are I-sections that are taller than they are wide, and UCs are I-sections that are roughly equal in height and width. PFC's are essentially C-sections and among the most versatile steel beams. Each section comes in varied thicknesses to allow the most effective beam for its use.
Order Steel Stillages From Steps & Stillages
All of our steel stillages come with UKAS marking (replacing the EU’s CE mark for products made in the UK) that indicates trusted manufacturing quality, safety, and reliability. To find out more or to place an order, please contact one of our sales team today.
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