An important issue that should be focused on in any environment is the cleanliness of flooring surfaces. Keeping slip resistant plates clean is an essential aspect of a safe work place. Through the years, plates will accumulate a buildup of grime, particularly in the valleys. The peak to valley profile of your slip resistant plates should be monitored, so that the grime is kept to a minimum.

The most effective way of cleaning the plates is by power washing; this method removes accumulated grime and debris buildup. Another option would be to take a stiff bristle brush to the plates; this also is generally effective in removing debris.

Though messes, grime, and build up happen. It is essential for the safety of your workplace and the longevity of your surfaces to keep them clean. Simple, proper maintenance, such as the cleaning techniques described above will keep your surfaces in great shape for many years to come.

We have many customers asking us for the galvanization specifications for Steel Plate and Grating. It has been established that ten minutes would be the maximum amount of time that steel plates should be submerged in acid during the pickling process. There are many reasons we’ve established this time frame.

Faster pickling reduces the amount of time the surface/plate interface is in contact with the acid. It cuts down on the possibility of “Hot Spots” developing. Hot Spots develop within pickling tanks as the plates react with the acid.  When this occurs, plates in the center of the rack experience a higher temperature than the plates on the outer sides.  We have seen instances where the outer plates will galvanize beautifully while the inner plates experience surface degradation.

It is essential that acid not be allowed to destroy the interfaces, and plates should be rinsed as soon as possible to remove any residual acid from the surface. Your plates should have the least amount of acid exposure as possible. Extended acid exposure can result in damage to your steel plates.

There are important factors to consider for those working with ADA ramps. When using an aluminum plate as the substrate, there are different surface options to evaluate before making a final decision.

One surface option would be Aluminum. The aluminum, being a softer alloy, is more suited to lighter duty applications. Another option would be a Stainless Steel surface. Stainless Steel will offer greater durability and longevity. The Stainless Steel surface will have a surface hardness of over 60 on the Rockwell “C” Scale and bond at over 4000 psi.

Road plates and bike lane plates are a durable alternative to other surface coatings. They are ideal for high traffic areas that can become slippery with water, oil, gasoline and other substances.  Road plates provide dependability and safety day after day.  It is the strength and surface hardness of road plates that ensure their quality. The conditions of these road plates are monitored by different organizations, such as the ANSI, ASTM, NFPA, and OSHA, so as to ensure the safety of all. Road plates should be subjected to both field and laboratory trials, and should prove effective in providing sure-traction surfaces even after years of wear. These tests minimize liabilities by continuing to ensure maximum slip-resistance without wearing smooth or flaking off like other temporary surface coatings.

At SlipNOT®, we put our road plates and bike lane plates through such tests, and the results have been positive. Our road plates and bike lane plates are trusted all across the country. Chances are, you’ve heard of or visited some of the municipalities that are using our products. Our plates are utilized by the city of Milwaukee to create cycle-safe lanes over existing bar grating. Our plates are also used as high-friction highway construction road plates for New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and many other municipalities.

When surfacing a substrate, it is important to understand what happens to the substrate’s physical properties. While we are not able to discuss the effects of all the different surfacing techniques on substrates, we can let you know how a SlipNOT® Surface affects a substrate’s properties. Our surfacing technique does not alter the physical properties of the steel substrate (be it plate or grating) in any way. By applying a molten metal surface to the substrate material, we create a hardened (50+ Rockwell “C” Scale Hardness) surface bonded at 4000 psi to the substrate. The surface is approximately 0.025″ peak-to-valley height and is in a random stacked hatched matrix. This process allows for an unaltered state of substrate properties.

Galvanization is a procedure standardized by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). It is a method of protecting surfaces from wet elements, and ultimately from rust, corrosion, and other deterioration. Steel surface products that are going to be exposed to rain, snow, or water, should be galvanized.

Hot dip galvanizing (HDG) is a popular form of this procedure. This particular method involves coating the products with a thin zinc layer. HDG protects surfaces from different environments for years to come. At SlipNOT®, we recommend and perform a hot dip galvanization if a product is going to be exposed to rain, snow or water. We galvanize in accordance to ASTM Standard A123.

We recently had a customer, Victor, come to us inquiring about a plate and galvanization options. In response to this customer’s situation, we were able to recommend galvanized steel plates, and discuss the following situations.

Victor was seeking a plate for a pier that would be functioning as expansion joints in a harsh environment. He wanted a surface that would be as durable as galvanized checker plate, as fishermen will be dragging chains and other items over the plate. The galvanized steel that we recommended is very durable & is much more slip resistant than the diamond plate he was also considering. He was concerned that steel particles placed on the plate would dislodge. Our steel products must be galvanized according to special galvanizing guidelines. Our slip resistant surface is bonded to the plate at over 4000 psi & will not dislodge. A final matter Victor brought up was the susceptibility of our products to scratching and other wear and tear. It is important to note that just like a diamond plate, if you consistently run a metal object over the top of our plate it will eventually wear. However, the surface is extremely hard and will hold up longer than a diamond plate.