Knight Strip Metals Ltd

Austenitic Stainless Steels

Here at Knight Strip Metals Ltd, we are pleased to deliver a fantastic range of top-quality stainless-steel materials to manufacturers based around the globe. Included within the range is our austenitic stainless steel – a non-magnetic form of stainless steel. Traditional Austenitic Stainless Steels feature the 18% chromium and 8% Nickel alloy, known as 18/8 stainless. By increasing the content of chromium and nickel or by adding other elements such as molybdenum, the austenitic stainless steel’s corrosion resistance and mechanical properties can be improved. The 300 Series Alloys range, which was created to enable the range of possibilities available when altering the levels of alloys, features non-magnetic properties when fully annealed. Cold working of less alloyed grades can, however, increase the levels of magnetism.

Ferritic Stainless Steels

We also stock and process ferritic stainless steels. These alloys feature the same structure as iron when at room temperature. They have a minimum chromium content of 11%, low carbon levels and do not contain nickel. Our ferritic stainless steels offer excellent corrosion resistance, stress corrosion cracking hesitance and good formability. Increased chromium levels can improve corrosion resistance, however, unlike other alloys, our ferritic stainless- steels remain magnetic in all tempers. Due to the lack of nickel content, these stainless-steel alloys are available at a lower cost in comparison with other alloys. They are widely used in the automotive industry for the manufacture of exhaust systems and trims.

Martensitic Stainless Steels

Martensitic stainless-steels are also available as a low-cost stainless metal strip option. These alloys are magnetic with grades usually containing 12%-15% chromium and carbon as the main alloying element (with the carbon content ranging from 0.1% to more than 1%). By varying the carbon content, along with other suitable alloying elements, this group of stainless steels can be processed to achieve a range of required mechanical properties. Our martensitic stainless steels are usually formed in the annealed condition and then heat treated. They feature moderate corrosion resistance which can also be modified by the chromium content.

Precipitation Hardened Alloys

Precipitation hardened alloys feature qualities that can be found in both the Austenitic and Martensitic grades of stainless steel. They feature a high carbon content which enables the alloys to be hardened through air, oil or water cooling in order to improve their strength. With the combination of other alloying elements, our precipitation hardened alloys can achieve super high strengths, superior fatigue properties, good corrosion resistance and good formability.

Duplex & Super Duplex

Our Duplex and Super Duplex alloys feature a dual austenitic-ferritic structure. These magnetic alloys feature higher annealed strengths, improved stress relaxation and fatigue properties as well as superior tensile strength when compared to other stainless steels. The alloying of Nitrogen enables the development of mechanical strength, which in turn can lead to reductions in weight. This reduction in weight makes Duplex and Super Duplex alloys a popular choice for a range of industrial applications. Super Duplex alloys are widely used in demanding environments such as marine, petrochemical and nuclear power generation due to their advanced corrosion resistance properties.

KNUFOIL Tool Wrap

Here at Knight Strip Metals Ltd, we are pleased to process and supply KNUFOIL. KNUFOIL is a fabulous stainless-steel alloy widely used with tool wrap applications to protect the surface of tools, dies and parts. KNUFOIL protects the surfaces by creating envelopes which lock out the air. It provides manufacturers with a low-cost solution for the protection of parts. Our KNUFOIL tool wrap is available in a standard width of 610mm, although custom sizes can be created upon request. Please visit our website to find out more about KNUFOIL or contact us directly at Knight Strip Metals Ltd with your enquiries and we will be happy to help.

Precision Alloy Surcharge

Please visit our website to view monthly downloads of the Precision Alloy Surcharge. The Precision Alloy Surcharge is the additional charge placed on all stainless steel and is calculated on the basis of nickel content. Please contact us at Knight Strip Metals Ltd for more information.

Nickel and Nickel Alloys

Nickel is a highly versatile metal in both its pure and alloyed forms. Both forms are able to withstand a range of severe operating conditions including high temperatures and high stresses. Their versatility makes them an extremely popular choice of material for use in demanding industries such as Aerospace, Nuclear Plants, Medical, Chemical and Petrochemical. Various nickel alloys are available including: Nickel-Copper Alloys, Nickel-Chromium Alloys, Nickel-Chromium-Iron Alloys and Iron-Nickel-Chromium Alloys (800 Series). Controlled Expansion Alloys can also be created and are perfect for production in the lighting industry where high strength and low coefficient of thermal expansion is key.

Aluminium

Aluminium is a lightweight, soft ductile metal perfect for extrusion work, milling, cutting, punching and bending processes. Aluminium is non-magnetic and features excellent corrosion resistant properties. It is a readily available metal which can be alloyed with a range of elements to create various surface finishes. At low temperatures, aluminium becomes stronger and more durable. It can be processed at a lower cost (compared to other metals) and is easy to work with.

Please see our list of available grades on our website.

Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Titanium is a metal that’s become increasingly popular during the last 50 years. It’s a versatile metal that has excellent corrosion resistance, excellent strength to weight ratios and is low in weight. Slight changes in the chemical compositions of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon can change the mechanical properties of titanium considerably. The alloys created are grouped in two crystallographic forms and are known as Alpha, Alpha/Beta or Beta Alloys. The alloys can be developed further to create variations in ductability, weldability and ease of forming. Titanium and Titanium Alloys are used in a range of industries including Chemical, Aerospace and Automotive.

Copper Alloys

Copper and Copper Alloys have excellent electrical and thermal conductivities and they are extremely easy to fabricate. They can be formed, pressed, deep drawn or photochemically etched to form any number of parts. Here at Knight Strip Metals Ltd, we deliver Brasses (copper-based alloys), Phosphor Bronzes (copper tin alloys), Nickel Silvers (a combination of copper, nickel and zinc), Cupronickels and High Copper Content Alloys and Copper Beryllium Alloys. Please see available grades on our website.

Copper and Copper Alloys are extremely strong and have excellent corrosion resistance and antimicrobial properties.

Mild & Carbon Steel

Here at Knight Strip Metals Ltd, we deliver Low Carbon Mild Steels and High Carbon Spring Steels.

Low Carbon Steel – the hardness of cold rolled mild steel can be determined by its analysis, the amount of cold rolling or by a final annealing process. This steel is often selected by manufacturers looking to achieve the mechanical properties necessary for processes such as deep drawing, forming or flat blanking.

High Carbon Steel – annealed, bright rolled carbon steels are widely used for the manufacture of components. Hardened and tempered spring steel is used for processing where the material doesn’t require severe bending and forming.

Plated Steel

We also supply a wide selection of plated products and finishes to suit different customer requirements.

Examples of the range include:

• Brass plated onto mild steel (bright satin/brushed and antique)
• Nickel plated onto mild steel (bright satin/brushed, mirror-black)
• Chrome plated onto mild steel (bright, satin/brushed)
• Copper plated onto mild steel (bright)
• Chrome plated onto stainless steel (bright, satin/brushed).

Our pre-plated strip is created via the application of a thin layer of material onto the surface of another (usually stainless steel). While this process can be used to achieve a specific decorative finish, it can also be used improve corrosion resistance, solderability, wearability, paint adhesion and more.

Clad Aluminium

Clad aluminium is created when layers of metal are bonded onto another. It is often selected as a material of choice by manufacturers for its superior durability and light weight properties in comparison to other types of metal such as copper. It is also a less costly material and features superior heat transfer performance and corrosion resistance. Like Pure and Alloyed Aluminium, Clad Aluminium is easy and cost effective to recycle. If you’d like help sourcing the right material for your application, please give us a call to discuss.

Clad Metal Products

Clad metals are a dream for designers, engineers and manufacturers who are able to create perfect solutions for their projects with the perfect materials. Due to the materials that can be created, clad metals are widely used in demanding industries such as Aerospace, Petrochemical, Oil and Gas, Construction, Medical, Defence and more. Superior end products with specified properties of strength, corrosion resistance, thermal and electrical conductivity and more can be achieved with clad metals. Please visit our website to view our clad metals brochure or contact us directly at Knight Strip Metals for more information and we will be happy to help.

Recoiling

Here at Knight Strip Metals Ltd, we are pleased to operate 27 state of the art recoiling machines which allow us to meet small and large production requests in fast turnaround times. Our recoiling machines are used to create recoiled metal strip material in a range of sizes and weights to meet specific customer requirements. Options available include: Pancake coils, Traverse wound spools, Open sided oscillate wound coils, up to 1000mm wide, low weight coils and coils on cardboard centres. Please get in touch to find out more about our recoiling services and recoiled metal strip material.

Slitting & Shearing

We also house 26 slitting and shearing machines at our production facilities. Our highly skilled and experienced machine operators use these state of the art machines to process materials in a range of sizes and specifications. We work swiftly and efficiently to turnaround your requests in the shortest time possible taking the very best care with materials from arrival through to dispatch. Please visit our website to view our Slit Width Tolerances dimensions table and brochure. Alternatively, please contact us directly at Knight Strip Metals for more information.

Traverse Winding

The Knight Group is continually evolving and developing its products and services in order to provide customers with the very best service possible. As such, we have successfully developed our in-house traverse winding capabilities to help reduce manufacturing times and costs. Traverse wound coils can hold up to ten times more material in comparison with single coil ‘pancake’ forms of feed supply. This leads to a number of benefits including a longer, uninterrupted production run, reduced machine downtime, minimised coil handling, storage and scrap. We can deliver traverse wound strip on a choice of spools from 20kg to 100kg.

Cut to Length

We are pleased to provide our customers with cut to length materials to assist with manufacture and production processes. Cut to length materials can help manufacturers reduce machine downtime and costs as well as to help solve material storage issues. We operate eight cut to length lines and strict quality control procedures are in place to ensure all materials are in perfect condition ready to be carefully packed for collection or dispatch. Please head over to our website to view our Cut to Length Brochure and table of Cut to Length Tolerances for widths up to 1000mm,.

Edge Dressing

Here at Knight Strip Metals, we provide edge dressing services to remove sharp edges (burr) making materials safer and easier to work with. We offer a range of edge dressings to meet your needs. Examples include: De-burred Safe, Fully Rounded, Dressed Square, Chamfered and Rolled Round. Our edge dressings are carried out to meet specific customer requirements. We use bespoke Tungsten Carbide tooling to achieve custom edge dressings on precision strip. For more information on our edge dressings, material widths and thickness, please head over to our website. Alternatively, please give us a call at the Knight Group to discuss your requirements.

International Sales

We supply to a world-wide market, exporting to more than 40 countries.  Having traded internationally for more than 70 years, we have the experience and expertise to ensure that our customers all over the world are satisfied and keen to continue working with us.  We are known and appreciated globally for producing precision metal strip of unsurpassed quality, as well as for dedicated and committed customer support.  Both at home and internationally, we are proud to offer efficient, reliable and cost-effective solutions, so that we are trusted by clients across the globe.

Quality Assurance

At Knight Strip Metals we are committed to the highest levels of quality management.  We understand that it is vital to ensure that continuing training and education is available to all our employees.  We make sure that everyone working for us is fully aware of the company quality policy.  We work to a quality management system that is fully compliant with BS EN ISO 9001/AS9120 Rev, which is approved by the BSI (the British Standards Institution).  The BSI carry out regular inspections and audits to assure continued compliance with their exacting standards.  We aim for complete customer satisfaction in terms of both our products and services.