The material selection of mobile scaffolding needs to be comprehensively judged based on factors such as work scenarios, load requirements, environmental conditions, and frequency of use. At present, the mainstream materials include three categories: steel, aluminum alloy, and fiberglass (insulation material). The performance differences of different materials are significant, and their applicable scenarios also have their own focuses. The following are specific analysis and selection suggestions:
1、 Comparison of mainstream materials and applicable scenarios
1. Steel (including ordinary steel pipes and galvanized steel)
Performance characteristics:
Advantages: High strength (tensile strength ≥ 375MPa), large bearing capacity (single pole can bear 3-5 tons), strong durability (service life of 10-15 years under normal maintenance), relatively low price (about 1/3 of aluminum alloy).
Disadvantages: Large weight (about 3.8kg per meter of steel pipe), labor-intensive handling and assembly; Easy to rust (ordinary steel pipes need to be painted annually for rust prevention, while galvanized steel can delay rust but at a slightly higher cost); Strong conductivity, not suitable for live environments.
Applicable scenarios:
Heavy duty, outdoor long-term work scenarios such as building construction (such as exterior wall masonry, heavy material stacking), municipal engineering (such as bridge maintenance), etc.
For cost sensitive and high-frequency scenarios (such as long-term reuse by construction teams).
2. Aluminum alloy
Performance characteristics:
Advantages: Lightweight (about 1/3 of steel, 1.2kg per meter of aluminum tube), convenient for manual handling and narrow space operation; Corrosion resistance (protected by natural oxide layer, no need for frequent maintenance); Good aesthetics (suitable for indoor display scenes).
Disadvantages: Low bearing capacity (1-2 tons per single pole), high price (about 3 times that of steel); Under low temperature conditions (≤ -20 ℃), it is prone to brittleness and its strength decreases by about 20%.
Applicable scenarios:
Indoor decoration (such as hotel renovation), exhibition construction, installation of lightweight equipment, and other light load scenarios that require frequent movement.
Wet environments (such as food processing plants, aquaculture workshops) or scenes where rust contamination needs to be avoided (such as pharmaceutical workshops).
3. Fiberglass (insulation material)
Performance characteristics:
Advantages: Extremely strong insulation (insulation resistance ≥ 1000M Ω), non-conductive and non-conductive; Chemical corrosion resistance (able to come into contact with acidic and alkaline media); The weight is between steel and aluminum alloy.
Disadvantages: Low strength (poor impact resistance, easy to break upon collision); Expensive price (about twice that of aluminum alloy); Long term exposure to ultraviolet radiation is prone to aging (requiring UV resistant coating).
Applicable scenarios:
Scenarios that require insulation or corrosion prevention include the power industry (such as live line maintenance, substation operations) and the chemical industry (such as operations in explosion-proof areas).
Short term, low-frequency special environmental operations (such as laboratory equipment installation).
2、 5 core factors to consider when choosing
Load demand:
If heavy materials (such as steel bars, tiles) need to be stacked or multiple people are working simultaneously, priority should be given to steel;
Only single person carrying lightweight tools (such as paint buckets, lighting fixtures), optional aluminum alloy;
The load is extremely small and requires insulation, so choose fiberglass.
Environmental conditions:
Outdoor, humid or coastal areas (high salt spray): choose galvanized steel or aluminum alloy (rust proof);
Acid alkali corrosion environment (such as chemical plants): choose aluminum alloy or fiberglass;
Live environment (such as substations): mandatory selection of fiberglass (insulation).
Mobile and operational convenience:
Narrow spaces (such as elevator shafts, cabins) or requiring manual handling: choose aluminum alloy (lightweight);
Long term use of fixed sites (such as construction sites): choose steel (with better durability).
Cost budget:
Limited budget and high-frequency use: choose ordinary steel;
Adequate budget and need to be lightweight: choose aluminum alloy;
Special scenarios (such as insulation): When necessary, fiberglass (irreplaceable) should be used.
Service life and maintenance:
Steel: requires annual rust removal and painting (low maintenance cost but labor-intensive);
Aluminum alloy: almost maintenance free (only requires cleaning);
Fiberglass: Avoid exposure to sunlight and collisions (high maintenance requirements, short lifespan).
