In the design and manufacturing of warehousing and display equipment, material selection directly determines the mechanical properties, durability, and applicable environment of riveted shelving. Due to its light-load positioning and structural characteristics, riveted shelving emphasizes a balance between strength and lightweight, adaptability to forming processes, and environmental resistance in material application, thus forming a material system based on steel, supplemented by specific metals and coatings.
The main frame material is mostly cold-formed angle steel or steel plate folding. Cold-formed equal or unequal angle steel has excellent section moment of inertia and bending stiffness, which can control its own weight while ensuring structural stability, facilitating manual handling and on-site assembly. Commonly used angle steel grades are Q235 or equivalent strength carbon structural steel, which has good weldability and stamping performance, suitable for rolling, punching, and cutting processes. Steel plate folded edge shelves are made from cold-rolled steel plates, cut, bent, and reinforced with welded ribs. This ensures the flatness of the load-bearing surface and improves resistance to localized dents, meeting the need for stable storage of lightly loaded goods.
The materials of connections and fasteners are particularly critical in riveted shelving. Rivets are the core components for achieving permanent rigid connections, and common materials include aluminum alloy and stainless steel. Aluminum alloy rivets have low density and are lightweight, further reducing the overall structural weight, making them suitable for scenarios requiring high ease of handling, but their strength and corrosion resistance are slightly inferior to stainless steel. Stainless steel rivets, represented by grades 304 or 316, possess excellent corrosion resistance and high shear strength, making them suitable for use in humid, dusty, or mildly acidic/alkaline environments, maintaining connection reliability over a long period. Some shelving also uses carbon steel rivets with galvanized or blackened surfaces to balance cost and rust prevention.
The surface treatment materials and processes have a significant impact on the durability of the shelving. To enhance weather resistance and corrosion resistance, angle steel and steel plates are typically phosphated to form a dense phosphate film, followed by electrostatic powder coating or baking paint. The powder coating material is mostly epoxy resin or polyester resin-based, possessing good adhesion, wear resistance, and color stability, forming a uniform and dense protective layer that effectively prevents moisture and corrosive media from penetrating the substrate. For outdoor or high-humidity environments, hot-dip galvanizing can be used, creating a sacrificial anode protection layer on the steel surface, significantly extending service life.
The selection of shelf material is flexibly determined based on load-bearing capacity and operational requirements. In addition to the aforementioned cold-rolled steel plates, multi-layer plywood or high-density fiberboard can also be used. These types of wood-based shelves offer advantages in cushioning and aesthetics, making them suitable for display or light-duty storage environments where high levels of protection and visual harmony are required. However, attention must be paid to moisture-proofing and fireproofing. Grating panels, constructed by welding or riveting metal strips, combine ventilation, drainage, and weight reduction functions, and are commonly used in situations requiring moisture protection or observation of lower-level goods.
In general, the main material system of riveted shelving uses cold-formed angle steel and cold-rolled steel plates as the framework, with aluminum alloy or stainless steel rivets as key connectors, supplemented by surface protection such as phosphating, electrostatic spraying, or hot-dip galvanizing. The shelf material is flexibly configured between metal and wood according to load-bearing and environmental requirements. This material combination ensures structural stability, convenient assembly, and economy, while giving the shelving good environmental adaptability and a long service life, making it a typical representative of practicality and reliability in light-load storage and display applications.
