General Rules
- Segregate by grade from the moment material is generated.
- Keep nickel alloys away from stainless steel, carbon steel and copper alloys.
- Remove attachments, coatings, oil and moisture where the buyer requires it.
- Record grade, form and weight for every package.
Solids and Heavy Pieces
- Cut to the buyer’s furnace size, commonly under 600 × 600 mm for charge material, or as agreed
- Remove attachments, bolts, welded-on carbon steel and dissimilar metal
- Remove paint, coatings and oil where the buyer requires it
- Keep each grade in its own stillage or bag
Packing: Wooden or steel stillages, strapped pallets, or loose in containers with a weight list per stillage. More on solids and heavy pieces.
Plate, Sheet and Clippings
- Keep plate crops and light sheet clippings in separate lots
- Remove protective film, paint and coatings
- Separate clad plate from solid alloy plate
- Bale or bundle light clippings for handling
Packing: Plate on pallets, clippings in bulk bags or bales, each marked with grade and weight. More on plate, sheet and clippings.
Bar Ends and Crops
- Keep offcuts from each heat or grade together
- Remove cutting fluid
- Keep marked ends visible for verification
Packing: Bags or drums by grade, with a weight list. More on bar ends and crops.
Turnings and Chips
- Collect each grade in its own bin at the machine
- Crush long, stringy turnings to a uniform chip size
- Centrifuge or dry to remove cutting oil and moisture
- Remove tool fragments, rags and other debris
Packing: Sealed drums or lined bulk bags to keep moisture out, marked by grade. More on turnings and chips.
Castings and Revert
- Sort by alloy, never by appearance alone
- Separate coated from uncoated parts
- Separate service revert (ex-engine) from foundry revert
- Remove ceramic core and shell residue from castings
Packing: Drums or boxes by alloy and coating status, with piece counts where applicable. More on castings and revert.
Wire and Rod
- Keep spools and coils by grade
- Remove plastic spools and packaging
- Keep filler-wire labels where possible
Packing: Coils on pallets or in drums, labelled by grade. More on wire and rod.
Mixed or Unsorted
- Keep nickel alloys away from stainless and carbon steel
- Sort by magnet first to remove ferritic and duplex steels
- Separate obvious forms (pipe, sheet, turnings) before testing
Packing: As sorted, by grade. More on mixed or unsorted.