Rigidized® Metals' patterns are produced by deep-texturing all ferrous and non-ferrous metals in both sheet and coil product. Deep textured metals hide the effects of high-traffic abuse, reduce the appearance of oil canning, provide controlled light reflection, diffuse light, and add structural rigidity and strength, allowing for the use of thinner gauge materials.
Deep texturing is the movement of metal above and below the neutral axis, thereby increasing strength in all directions. In addition to the aesthetic appeal that deep texturing provides, the strength and durability of these materials helps reduce maintenance costs, ultimately saving time, resources and money.
The deep texturing of metals makes the surface appear scratch-resistant, as scratches, dents and dings become far less visible on the textured surface. Rigidized® Metals' deep textured metals are deterrent to vandalism, resulting in reduced maintenance costs.
Rigidized® Metals' deep textured patterns control reflections and dissipate light for lighting and architectural applications. Stainless steel will naturally reflect the light conditions and colors of its surrounding environment, be it natural light or artificial lighting effects. With the addition of deep texture, the effect is even more dramatic. The deep textured steel "facets" also reflect point light sources, making them excellent choices for special lighting effects, such as LED.
Rigidized® Metals' deep textured patterns diffuse light patterns to produce an optical flatness to sheet metals, thereby eliminating the unwanted "wavy" effect known as oil canning. Oil canning refers to the appearance of metal when it deflects. This deflection can be caused by changes in temperature and pressure. While deep textured metal will also experience this deflection, the texture minimizes the amount of deflection, as well as lends itself to aesthetically minimizing it. This is a direct result of the additional structural rigidity added to the sheet material through the process of deep texturing.
The increased surface area of Rigidized® Metals' deep textured patterns reduces surface tension and friction for processing machinery in industrial markets. In addition, when Rigidized® Metals' deep textured metal is used in place of flat metal, lighter gauges can be substituted, reducing weight and saving metal without sacrificing strength. Rigidized® Metals' products are up to 75% stronger than ordinary sheet metal, allowing for down-gauging, which results in less raw material consumption, thus saving money and precious environmental resources.