Evaluating Secondary Steel

How to evaluate if Secondary Material is right for your job.

Steel is made precise specifications set by standards agencies such as ASTM. These standards are very exacting and occasionally steel will miss the mark.  We classify this steel as Excess Prime/Secondary Material (EP/SM), it is also often referred to as non-prime steel or less than prime steel. Using EP/SM steel can translate to significant savings, but does not come without a cost.

Should you consider EP/SM Steel?

Before you spend a whole lot of time searching for the perfect EP/SM deal, it is important to figure out whether or not it could be a good fit for your project. Answering the following 2 questions will help you decide if you should move on to searching for the right

Could the failure of the part put a person at risk?

While EP/SM steel is generally just as strong as its prime counterpart, there is no guarantee. If the failure of the steel could put a person at risk, it is not the place for EP/SM steel. Aside from moral, there could be legal implications in such a situation.

Is your customer okay with EP/SM Steel?

It is important to be upfront with your customer before you consider using EP/SM steel. For projects where minor imperfections don’t matter most customers will appreciate passed down savings. However, if it matters to your customer, cutting corners is bad for business.

So you’ve decided that EP/SM steel might work for your project.

Your next step is to check out the EP/SM steel available. At Steel Supply L.P. our selection is always rotating and there are many reasons a piece of steel could be considered non-prime so your best bet is to come check out our inventory in person, view our current inventory or contact our sales team.

Once you are looking at a specific piece of Excess Prime or Secondary Material, answering the following questions will help you decide if it is right for your project.

Why is a specific piece considered subprime?

There is a wide range of imperfections that cause steel to be non-prime. Surface imperfections include rust, damaged coating, pitting or frayed edges. Structural imperfections include odd thickness or warping that are outside of specification tolerances. Steel that has been cut to a non-standard length is sometimes considered non-prime.

Does my customer require documentation and MTRs?

Sometimes EP/SM steel does not have Material Test Reports (MTRs), or the reports are incomplete. Some pieces have chem only reports which verify the metallurgy but do not have physical property tests.

Does the imperfection matter to the final project?

Each imperfection has unique ramifications on the final product.  Most imperfections are visual and will only affect the look of the final product. For projects destined to be sandblasted and painted, surface imperfections become inconsequential. Some imperfections such as odd thickness can in some cases be beneficial. Other imperfections in particular warp or bend, may affect the construction or the final structural stability.

Will I incur additional costs down the road if I use EP/SM?

Additional costs are most often accumulated in extra time. Sourcing EP/SM steel can be a long process and once you find it, removing a dent, grinding off rust or working with other imperfections can slow down a project and increase labor costs.

Sometimes it may be necessary to drive to the yard and looking at the specific piece steel to determine if it is suitable. Non-prime steel can save you money, but careful consideration is necessary to ensure quality outcomes. Steel Supply L.P. has a constantly changing selection of EP/SM steel. We encourage you to come look at our inventory to see if any of it will suit your needs. If not we can help you find the prime steel that you need.