Materials 101

October 29, 2010 in Rack Mounting Solutions

Materials 101

At Hammond Manufacturing, we use several different materials when manufacturing our products. Our most popular material used for manufacturing racks and cabinets is mild steel.

 

Mild steel is available in a variety of thicknesses. Rack and cabinet manufacturers use steel that is between 20 gauge and 10 gauge on average. At Hammond we most commonly use between 16 gauge and 10 gauge.

 

Here is an example of the products we use for each gauge of steel:

  • 16 gauge (1.63mm) 
    • Used for side/top/bottom panels, shelves and other accessories.
  • 14 gauge (1.99mm)
    • Used for welded cabinet frame.
  • 12 gauge (2.72mm)
    • Used for relay racks and welded cabinet corner reenforcement.
  • 10 gauge (3.37mm) 
    • Used for relay racks, some rails.

 

Three (3) Benefits of using a heavier gauge:

  • Longer product life
  • Fewer product returns
  • Less risk of damage during delivery or during use

The next time you are specifying a project be sure to double check the gauge of the product to ensure it will last for years to come.

If you have any questions in regard to our steel types or for further information, please contact [email protected].