A quality warehouse equipment manufacturer makes racks, trolleys and tables from tubular steel which is both lightweight and strong. There are many different grades and qualities of tubular steel, so how does a manufacturer choose which type to use?
If a manufacturer wants to be certain that the tubular steel will be suitable for use in heavy duty equipment, there are a number of tests that can be performed.
The MYS test calculates the lowest force that can bend the steel. The UTS test measures the force that causes the steel to break. The way to visualise this is to think of a wire coat hanger. MYS tests the force it takes to bend the wire. If each end of the coat hanger wire is pulled with pliers, the point at which the wire breaks is what UTS measures.
A hardness test is how the steel responds to an impact. When used in shelving systems, tubular steel needs to be hard enough to resist an impact from a warehouse trolley.
The supplier of the tubular steel should provide the steel specifications after it has been tested. This provides assurance for the warehouse equipment manufacturer, and the end user, that the equipment is fit for purpose as long as the tubular steel lengths are welded securely. The equipment manufacturer will specify the maximum loads that can be supported. Provided this is not exceeded, the warehouse equipment is safe for all workers to operate.
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