Watch hundreds of steel cans being produced at a Soudronic canning factory.

Advantages of Steel Packaging

Steel is one of the most commonly used packaging materials by manufacturers, because it is widely available, cost-effective and easy to work with. Steel packages can be customized to just about any shape and size depending on the needs of the business, and the continuously improving quality of steel lets manufacturers use less material without losing rigidity.

Steel as a packaging material is tamper-resistant, durable and has an extremely long shelf life, hence the reason why canned food seems to last forever. At the end of its life cycle, steel is 100 percent recyclable and does not lose any of its properties or qualities in the process. Plus, at least 25 percent of every steel can must be made of recycled steel, and its magnetic properties make it even easier to recover for recycling.

Steel is 100 percent recyclable and the most-recycled material in the world. (Source: Causeway Coast and Glens)

According to the Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging (APEAL), steel packages are the most recycled packages out of all packaging materials, and its recycling rates keep climbing. In Europe, over 77 percent of steel packages are recycled and in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, rates exceed 90 percent.

New Innovations

Today, there are numerous new technologies taking steel packaging to a whole new level. Higher-quality alloys of steel and innovative new methods for processing steel are making everyday products safer, more convenient and efficient. Here’s some examples to show the advances being made in steel packaging.

Bacteria-free stainless steel surfaces

Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology recently invented a new way to fight harmful bacteria such as E. coli on steel surfaces. Instead of the traditional antibiotics that are temporary and can aid bacteria in developing resistance, this new process uses an electrochemical etching chemical process to create thousands of tiny nano spikes on stainless steel surfaces. By switching up the levels of voltage and current flow in the electrochemical process, the researchers ended up with a rougher, “spiked” surface.

The spikes are about 25 nanometers long, and will kill both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria on contact, without damaging human cells. The human eye cannot tell the difference between nanotextured steel and regular steel, and the technology increases corrosion resistance as well.

Nanotextured steel can kill bacterial upon contact without harming human cells. (Source: The Engineer)

Though the technology is new and is awaiting additional tests, it could be a permanent solution to treating bacteria and potentially change the medical and food industries completely. Nanotextured stainless steel can be used not only for packaging, but the manufacturing equipment that come in to contact with food. Researchers are also working to apply the technology to spine implants and other implants that come in direct contact with the body.

The world’s lightest 3-piece aerosol can

German company Henkel and packaging manufacturer Ardagh Group developed a new, sustainable aerosol spray can for Henkel’s beauty products using high-quality steel. The can is a mere 0.13mm thick, using up 15 percent less materials than its counterparts, but is also more rigid. The world’s lightest aerosol can also reduce C02 output by 3500 metric tons and water consumption by 900,000 cubic meters per year.

High-quality steel makes this aerosol eco-friendly. (Source: Pack World)

The development is in line with Henkel’s efforts to contribute to a circular economy. Thus the company aimed to design a packaging material that is not only effective and sustainable to produce, but is also 100 percent recyclable.

As the most recycled packaging material in the world, steel will continue to package food, beauty products, paints, chemicals and more manufactured goods. Especially with advances in the quality of steel alloys and innovative ways to process steel, manufacturers can be assured their products will be safe and sound in effective, cost-efficient, sustainable and safe packages.

POSCO GIGA STEEL –  For Automakers

POSCO GIGA STEEL is like the iPhone X or the latest Xbox or PlayStation for automakers. It’s the newest, hottest must-have item for any type of car. Automakers are constantly working to lightweight their vehicles without compromising strength to meet increasingly stringent safety and environmental regulations. In order to offer its auto partners the ultimate solution, POSCO developed POSCO GIGA STEEL, an advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) that comes in 6 different types for a variety of applications in vehicles.

POSCO GIGA STEEL can be applied to different parts of a vehicle chassis. (Source: Renault Samsung)

Applying AHSS, including POSCO GIGA STEEL, resulted in a 26 percent reduction in the total weight of a vehicle. Not only that, POSCO GIGA STEEL emits about 10 kg less carbon emissions than aluminum from a life cycle analysis (LCA) viewpoint. Plus, POSCO GIGA STEEL is about 2.1 to 3.5 times less expensive than alternative options like aluminum. It’s no surprise that leading automakers like Renault Samsung, Ssangyong Motors and GM Korea use POSCO GIGA STEEL, proving it to be the all-time favorite gift for automakers.

PosMAC- For Photovoltaic Structure Manufacturers

Solar energy is the fastest growing source of renewable energy in the world, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). In India, solar electricity generation capacity quadrupled from 2014 to 2017 as it is the cheapest form of alternative fuel in the country. The government also plans to back the industry with USD 100 billion in investments. India is one of many countries looking to solar energy to meet their country’s environmental goals and stimulate the economy.

As a result, photovoltaic (PV) structure manufacturers around the world are working to keep up with the growing demand and gain a competitive edge with high-quality products. PosMAC is ideal for PV structures because it is highly corrosion resistant and cost-effective. Not only is the material itself lower in costs compared to other materials, PosMAC ensures a long lifecycle, decreasing maintenance costs to give manufacturers an added competitive edge. For such manufacturers, POSCO PosMAC steel is the perfect gift.

Magnesium- For Electronics Manufacturers

Magnesium is a common material in electronic devices such as laptops and smartphones. Magnesium is the perfect gift for electronics manufacturers such as LG and Samsung, as their competitiveness lies in delivering the most versatile, lightweight and convenient devices to their customers.

The Samsung Notebook 9 is one of the lightest laptops available. (Source: CNET)

Magnesium is also increasingly finding its way into the automotive industry, especially for electric vehicles (EVs), as magnesium plates and other parts allow automakers to further reduce the weight of the car. Magnesium will likely be the perfect gift for that manufacturer who is thinking ahead and always experimenting new ways to improve future models of their cars.

Hyper NO- EV Manufacturers

The market for EVs is one of the fastest growing, expected to expand from USD 27.84 billion in 2016 to USD 38.98 billion by 2021, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7 percent. Much of the success of EVs lies in its motors that will determine the EV’s efficiency, performance and feasibility for wide-spread use. As such, POSCO came up with the perfect gift for EV manufacturers – the Hyper NO.

Hyper NO is a type of electrical steel used to make electric motors. POSCO’s new technology increases the magnetic flux density and reduces core loss of electric motors, making it the perfect gift for electric motor manufacturers looking for ultimate efficiency.

Stainless Steel Products- For Everyone

There are some gifts that satisfy just about everyone, like a gift card for the movies or the nearest cafe. It’s not super special, but it’s a safe and sure choice for anyone as it is practical and functional.

Stainless steel is the ultimate gift for manufacturers as it’s one of the most widely-used materials in the world for a variety of products including surgical tools, watches, kitchenware, buildings, pipes, artistic sculptures and plenty more. It’s literally the foundation of cities and communities all over the world, and without it, the world would not have the most basic systems in place today. Moreover, stainless steel’s non-corrosive and 100 percent recyclable characteristics make it one of the best gifts for every kind of manufacturer.

No matter the type, there is a perfect gift for every manufacturer with steel. POSCO will make sure to provide even more customized and innovative solutions for its partners and continue to “keep on giving” in the new year.

According to research by McKinsey, approximately 51 percent of all job-related activities in the U.S. can be replaced by robots. Another recent research conducted by PwC shows that 40 percent of jobs in the U.S., 31 percent in the UK, 35 percent in Germany and 21 percent of the jobs in Tokyo are vulnerable to replacement by robotics or other artificial intelligence (AI).

An imagined image of an all-robot workforce (Source: Digital News Asia)

The figures are daunting, but in practice, companies have yet to realize a fully-automated system that matches human labor. The truth is, humans need robots to take over mundane and physically demanding tasks, while people take on creative and innovative roles in the workplace. What is more likely is a shift in workplace dynamics, not a decrease in the overall number of jobs available. Today, most companies have automated their systems to varying degrees, and robots are continually being upgraded.

The Human-Robot Collaboration

Last year, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published ISO/TS 15066, the safety standards for collaborative robots, or cobots that work in the same workplace as humans simultaneously. Before, it was common to find robots restrained in cages, or shut off while human workers loaded equipment onto the robots. Now, with enhanced sensors and diverse power settings, the safety risks of working with cobots are low. To add, many industries are embracing cobots over traditional industrial robots that work alone, because cobots are less expensive and require much less energy to operate.     

A welder gets help from a cobot

Not only are they a sustainable solution for companies, they increase workers’ productivity. According to Business World, Julie Shah and her team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology conducted a study looking at human-robot collaborations at a BMW plant. She found higher levels of productivity, efficiency and performance when humans and robots collaborate in comparison to all-human or all-robot systems. Collaboration also reduced human idle time by 85 percent. Many argue that this increase in productivity will lead to more business and eventually create more jobs that revolve around working with cobots.

The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) found that robot-driven productivity accounted for 10 percent of total GDP growth in OECD countries from 1993 to 2016, and that number will continue to grow in the coming years. The IFR predicts worldwide usage of industrial robots to reach 2.6 million by 2019. That’s one million more robots than in 2015.

Cobots are already making their way into factories and warehouses, and human workers are learning to work with their new counterparts.

Auto Industry

The automotive industry is one of the most common places to find cobots as major automakers were early movers in incorporating robotics into the workforce. That’s why it’s the perfect place to observe the changing dynamics of the workplace with cobots. At Ford’s new production facility, cobots work shoulder to shoulder with the production team in what they call a blended solution. Mostly, cobots have taken over repetitive tasks, physically demanding or dangerous tasks and freed up workers to focus on new innovations and creative projects. The facility runs 21 hours a day, 6 days a week thanks to around 550 cobots and robots.

Take a look at the new working dynamics at Ford below:

Food Industry

The food industry is another sector ripe for human-cobot collaboration, especially in the packaging sector. However, pizza restaurant Zume is changing the delivery pizza experience with automated technology. Cobots have taken over tasks such as spreading the sauce and lifting the pies into the oven. They will be implementing more robot technology to free up kitchen staff to work in their offices for business expansion. Another addition to come is a delivery truck equipped with 50 ovens that will start cooking the pizzas based on exactly calculated arrival times.

Watch the video below to find out more about what Zume is working on:

E-Commerce Industry   

Amazon is another early mover that introduced 15,000 cobots named Kiva to their warehouses in 2014. Two years prior in 2012, they bought Kiva Systems, a robotics company, for USD 775 million. Since then, the number of cobot employees has tripled.

Here’s how it works. Human employees scan items and place them into the shelf-like pods. Instantly, the scanned item is available to purchase online. Kiva’s software keeps track of where each item is so that it can easily be found at the picking station, where a human employee retrieves the product for shipping. Amazon managed to rapidly increase efficiency and speed up delivery times with Kiva. They continue to incorporate AI into their services, including their drone delivery system.

Take a look at Kiva in action in the video below:

Healthcare Industry

In the healthcare industry, cobots are being incorporated to assist doctors in surgery and lighten the burden of caregivers by taking over mundane tasks. Pairing cobots and their software technology with doctors has several benefits including minimized invasiveness, exactness and reduced mistakes in surgical procedures. To date, AI and cobots have allowed doctors to access new parts of the human body for surgery, and achieve breakthrough feats the way they examine, monitor and operate on patients.

Take a look at the most innovative cobots to date in the healthcare industry:

Steel Industry

POSCO is a leader in applying AI to the steel production systems. In 2015, they developed an exoskeleton cobot designed to enable workers strength beyond their own. The cobot is made of carbon fiber, aluminum and steel, and was first tested with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, at their facility in Okpo-dong. The cobot enabled shipyard workers to easily lift heavy pieces of metal weighing around 70 pounds, and researchers are working to allow workers to lift up to 200 pounds effortlessly.

Watch the video to find out more:

Aside from cobots, POSCO also incorporates AI and IoT into their smart factory, the first smart steel factory in the world, and continues to research and develop smart solutions to optimize the production processes.

Continued automation and the incorporation of cobots in the workplace is inevitable, and governments and institutions will have to provide resources for people to fill jobs tailored to working with cobots or those that cannot be replaced in any way by robots and AI. What’s ahead is figuring out how to think of cobots as coworkers that will only enhance one’s work. Also, companies have to figure out how to fully realize the potential for increased economic productivity through this type of cobot co-work that will lead to the development of more innovations, technology and ultimately, new business ventures.

Don’t miss any of the exciting stories from The Steel Wire – subscribe via email today.

Under the theme of ‘Breaking Barriers,’ this month The Steel Wire invited Chanyong Park, an editor from Esquire Korea, to look at some of the world’s most well-known watchmakers and why they utilize certain types of stainless steel. Below is his take on different types of stainless steel that have been used to make some of the most iconic wristwatches.  

Stainless Steel in Wristwatches

In general, wristwatches are made of stainless steel. Although other types of materials, such as gold, titanium, ceramics, and carbon, are often used, stainless steel provides excellent rigidity at a reasonable price. This is the reason brands like Rolex, Apple, and many other brands put great emphasis on utilizing stainless steel to make wristwatches.

What should be considered when choosing the material for your wristwatch? There are two main factors. The first is the sensitivity some people may have to the materials in stainless steel as they can cause allergic reactions or rashes.

Second is its ability to withstand a variety of conditions from hand washing to strong impact. In particular, it is important to have properties like corrosion- and shock-resistance. Wristwatches should also be able to withstand temperature changes and not become discolored over time. When taking these factors into account, stainless steel is an ideal choice.

Various Types of Stainless Steel

The grades of stainless steel are classified based on their composition of steel and non-steel materials. Because steel naturally rusts over time, other materials are added to prevent rusting. Steel can be classified into several distinct categories: 200, 300, and 900-series based on its composition.

300-Series Stainless Steel Types

• Type 301: contains iron, chromium, and nickel
• Type 302: consists a higher amount of carbon to make it stronger
• Type 304: most commonly used type of stainless steel
• Type 304L: contains less amount of carbon, used for welding
• Type 304LN: contains nitrogen to increase tension
• Type 316: second most widely used stainless steel, contains a small amount of molybdenum to resist corrosion
• Type 316L: contains less amount of carbon compared to 316

Type 316 and 316L are great materials for making wristwatches because they can both withstand extreme temperatures and are more corrosion resistant. They are also allergy-safe and are used to make medical devices.

Rolex and the Reason for 904L

Rolex, one of the most well-known luxury watch brands, puts great emphasis on using specific types of stainless steel. Instead of using the more common 316, it uses Type 904L. Although 904L is more difficult to make and consists of extra materials such as chromium, molybdenum, nickel, and copper, it has numerous benefits. It is more resistant to acids, has a harder surface, and appears brighter, making it suitable for modern wristwatches that are not only functional but decorative.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air-King (Courtesy of Official Rolex website)

Rolex utilizes 904L with the greatest of quality control. Since 904L is harder than other types of stainless steel, Rolex had to design its own new tools to work with 904L stainless steel. Once Rolex receives the material from its steel suppliers, Rolex casts and scans it. Rolex sends back steel that does not meet its standards, and re-melts and hardens the approved steel in order to eliminate any inclusions.

In using 904L, Rolex wristwatches stand out as they appear more polished, look warmer, and age extremely well. Rolex has been using 904L in watch cases since 1985 and from 2006, it began to utilize 904L in the band. If you ever wondered why your Rolex watch shines differently than your father’s, what you noticed was the difference between 316L and 904L.

However, for those with a nickel allergy, rashes can occur because 904L carries more chromium, molybdenum, nickel, and copper. Those who want to wear a Rolex watch but have a nickel allergy can either purchase an older version of the watch or simply replace the band.

The debate between 904L and 316L continues with watch lovers. Although some may argue that it is not necessary to use 940L due to nickel sensitivities, 316L and 904L are both highly recognized materials, even being used in medical devices.

Audemars Piguet and the Reason for 316L

Although Rolex uses 904L, there are many other brands that continue to use 316L and make even more expensive wristwatches. Audemars Piguet is one of them. Its Royal Oak, made from 316L, is considered to be the brand’s most iconic wristwatch. Royal Oak is unique among luxury wristwatches as it was one of the first to move to stainless steel in 1972. This broke with the industry standard of using gold in luxury watches.

Royal Oak Chronograph Automatic (Source: Official Audemars Piguet website)

Before the Royal Oak, stainless steel was typically seen in watches made for divers or pilots that focused on durability. Audemars Piguet was the brand that broke the rules by offering a luxury watch made from steel, following its slogan, “To break the rules, you must first master them”.

Royal Oak was a challenge for watchmakers with regard to surface treatment technology, design, and branding. There are two ways to treat the roughed-out surfaces of ceramic, one is brushing on the barrels and the other is polishing on all edges. Audemars Piguet alternately brushes and polishes each angle of the octagonal clock of Royal Oak. The key is to brush it in one direction. In 1972, the price of Royal Oak was 10 times more than the Rolex Submariner. However, Royal Oak succeeded manufacturing luxury brand watches with stainless steel.

Sinn and the Reason for 212

German watch manufacturer, Sinn, specializes in making shock absorbent watches that utilize a very unique type of stainless steel. It uses Type 212 from ThyssenKrupp, a type of stainless steel that is particularly resistant to seawater making it useful for diving.

Sinn Diving Watch EZM3 (Source: Official Sinn website)

According to its website, “Sinn was the first company to manufacture diving watches that complied with European diving equipment standards and the first to test and certify them for pressure resistance, water−resistance, and resistance to fogging.” The use of this specialized stainless steel has helped Sinn and other watch manufacturers take their watches to new levels.

Wristwatch technology began in England over 100 years ago and was further advanced in Switzerland. After two world wars, the concept of wearing a watch around the wrist spread, and then the Japanese-led quartz movement reshaped the market. The Swiss changed its strategy to turn watches into a luxury item, and now, American IT entrepreneurs are redefining it as wearable tech. Stainless steel’s  use in such precision-dependent instruments is a testament to its value and capabilities.

*The author is a POSCO contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.

The Steel Wire recently spoke with Bruvel about his Flow Series of sculptures. With ribbons of stainless steel, Bruvel has created stunning representations of life, its dualities, and its binding contradictions.

You’ve worked with a variety of media including oils, pencils, pastels, wood, and bronze. With the Flow Series you began using stainless steel. What inspired you to start working with steel?

Among all the different material I use for my artwork, stainless steel or inox steel has the qualities I needed to materialize the sculptures of the Flow Series. I wanted to create different variations of reflectivity for the surface of my artwork to fuse with its environment by simply reflecting it. The reflections can be made from grained surfaces up to a highly reflective mirror polish surfaces. If I want to represent the feeling of water or the sensation of the wind pressing on the skin like in the sculpture of the Wind, I can play with these variations to further the feeling of flow and my personal interpretations of patterns inspired by nature.

“Bringing stainless steel to this new platform was to bring the paradox of the sense of permanence that stainless-steel gives, its natural resistance to rusting over time and stability in harsh environment…”
– Gil Bruvel

Steel seems like it would be a difficult medium to work with. How has steel allowed you to express your creativity, compared to other media?

Stainless steel is indeed a rigorous material needing very structured methods to work with. But at the same time, it allows this illusory notion of opposite between the rigidity of steel and this sense of fluidity and movement I can infuse it with. It momentarily freezes the ephemeral, the constant motion of nature, permanence and impermanence.

Gil Bruvel works on My Mirror Remains (Photo courtesy of Gil Bruvel)

It is impressive to see you create such elaborate pieces using steel. Can you describe your work process? How do you go from idea to steel sculpture? How long does it take? What tools do you use to mold your sculptures?

I start with various sketches and a considerable amount of time figuring out what my intentions are about a specific piece. This represents multiple iterations with sketches whether it is inspired by, as examples, erosions carved by the wind or water, dunes formations, ripples in the sand, physical sensations, motions, emotions, the grass or leaves in trees pushed by the wind and the infinite myriads of patterns small or large nature is made of.

Then I start to model the concepts until I think it is ready to receive a silicon mold. With this mold, we pull a wax for the lost wax process at the foundry and to finally do the casting. After removing the sprues and chasing the surface of the steel, I start to play with the reflectivity of the surface up to the most polished parts of the final sculpture.

It takes many months to create a sculpture from the original concept to the final cast.

Gil Bruvel’s Dichotomy sculpture that “meditates on and celebrates the dual nature of existence.” (Photo courtesy of Gil Bruvel)

Which steel sculpture would you consider to be your best, or favorite? And why?

My favorite sculpture of the Flow Series is of course the next one I am about to do with the renewed excitement to apply the new skills and knowledge I gathered from the previous works with the integration of new ideas and concepts as well as continuing to explore and studying new patterns.

“Among all the different material I use for my artwork, stainless steel or inox steel has the qualities I needed to materialize the sculptures… -Gil Bruvel

I like the sculpture of Dichotomy for the simplicity of its message about the human condition. The vertical lines in opposition with the horizontal lines contained within this same bust, whatever contradictions or oppositions we experience are simply part of who we are.

The sculpture of Rain is also one of my favorite for its meditative aspect. The sculpture entitled River with its metaphor of the river flow carrying our memories and experiences.

The Wind, the euphoric awareness of being alive, feeling the wind against our skin. And many other sculptures.

Offering a variation on the theme of human frailty, My Mirror Remains explores what it means to be fully human. (Photo courtesy of Gil Bruvel)

What message are you ultimately trying to convey through the Flow Series? How does using steel help you communicate that?

All the above might contribute to this question, but mainly I see art as a platform, an opportunity to experiment with my own perspective, in the form of artwork to show and share the results of these experimentations. To keep building a universal language we can all relate to. I think the universality of steel lends itself to this idea. Our planet is shrinking with the way we communicate and art can be what binds us together.

How is your artistic vision embodied through your use of steel in the Flow Series? How is it connected (or different) from your other work?

The many different material and methods I use to create my artwork goes in parallel with my passionate pursuit of knowledge. The Flow Series has been a centerpiece to my creative process, and I see it as a continuum to my previous experiments with other materials. Bringing stainless steel to this new platform was to bring the paradox of the sense of permanence that stainless-steel gives, its natural resistance to rusting over time and stability in harsh environment comparatively to other material; and at the opposite, the artistic expression of fleeting moments and ephemeral nature of our experiences we have, the constant changes and impermanence of life.

The Steel Wire is excited to have had the opportunity to talk with Gil Bruvel. His artistry and expertise surpass expectations and his exquisite sculptures show us the beauty that can be found in steel.

Watch the video below to see some of Gil Bruvel’s favorite pieces and hear more about his work process and inspiration. You can find out more about the artist and his exhibitions by visiting his website or following him on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

BRUVEL from One Story Productions on Vimeo.

Of the musical instruments most likely to be seen, wood and brass might be the most known materials, but if we look closely we can find creative uses of other metals, including gold, silver, platinum – and even steel.

Because steel is heavier than other metals it is typically not found in many musical instruments. However, today we will explore how steel and metal have helped to revolutionize sound and music.

Wintergatan’s 2,000 steel ball bearings

Swedish band Wintergatan debuted their self-titled album in the Spring of 2013. After 18 months of touring, founding member Martin Molin decided that he wanted to go in a different direction with a visionary project to build a musical marble machine. His contraption feeds 2,000 steel marbles through multiple tubes at varying heights to create a variety of rich, layered sounds.

Martin Molin plays Wintergatan’s Marble Machine. (Photo by Samuel Westergren)

Wintergatan’s programmable marble machine powers a kick drum, snare drum, hi-hat, sizzle cymbal, electric bass, and a vibraphone. The marble machine consists of around 3,000 parts, 3,000 screws, 500 LEGO Bricks, and 2,000 steel marbles. Originally scheduled to be built in two months, it took Molin more than 14; however, success came as their first YouTube video garnered more than 10 million views after just three days (it now has over 1 billion).

A close-up view of a few of the 2,000 steel marbles used to create the sounds in the Marble Machine. (Photo by Samuel Westergren)

Steel marbles are fed through these funnels to create its unique sound. (Photo by Samuel Westergren)

Molin built the marble machine in the style of older music that used loops. Telling WIRED, “…everyone makes music on a grid nowadays, on computers. Even before digital they made fantastic, programmable music instruments. In bell towers and church towers that play a melody they always have a programming wheel exactly like the one that is on the marble machine.”

Wintergatan’s Marble Machine must be seen (and heard) to be believed. The complexity of the simultaneously moving parts is mind-boggling to watch. Even more surprising – that such sound could come from steel marbles moving rolling through funnels.

To learn about Wintergatan and their other interesting projects, visit them on their social network channels (YouTube, Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).

The Theremin Revolutionizes Electronic Sound

If we rewind almost 100 years, we can find the introduction of one of the first electronic instruments. The theremin is an electronic music device that was patented in 1928 by Russian inventor, Léon Theremin (1896-1993). It is unique among instruments because it is played without any contact by the musician. Instead, the thereminist must move their hands in proximity to the two metal antennas that control the pitch and volume of sound. When building his first instruments,  Léon Theremin used a steel chassis to hold his new instrument.

The distinctive sound that comes from the theremin is due to the movements of the player’s hands. These movements give the sound a vibrating depth similar to vocal chords and violins. The theremin was particularly popular in America following WWII, but as more and more electronic instruments came onto the market, it fell out of favor among serious musicians.

Over time, many musicians became taken to the theremin – including Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones – however, probably none were more popular than the 1966 Beach Boys hit, Good Vibrations that used a theremin-like instrument on the opening chords of its smash song.

Barbara Buchholz playing the model TVox by George Pavlov. Photo by Gregor Hohenberg (Courtesy of Barbara Buchholz).

Before the theremin got in the hands of the Beach Boys and Rolling Stones, the most popular player was Léon Theremin’s protégé, Clara Rockmore (1911-1998). Watch her video below to see the exquisite expertise and talent required to play one of the first electronic instruments.

The music industry is always working to reinvent itself and find new and creative sounds. In the early 20th century, the theremin arrived to give audiences something breathtakingly new. Fast forward to the 21st century and we find steel helping artists create monumentally complex machines to create new music.

* Cover photo of Wintergatan’s Marble Machine, courtesy of Samuel Westergren & Wintergatan.

Don’t miss any of the exciting stories from The Steel Wire – subscribe via email today.

Apart from music’s biggest night, the Staples Center hosts more than 250 events throughout the year including the games of the NBA’s Lakers & Clippers, the NHL’s Kings, the WNBA’s Sparks, and countless other events. It can host an LA Lakers game one night and in less than 24 hours, it will have transformed into an ice skating rink for the LA Kings (watch the video below to see how it is done). Rolling Stone magazine named it among the top 8 arenas in the US, and it remains one of the top grossing venues as well.

Watch the Staples Center transform itself through 6 events in 4 days.

Obviously a building of this magnitude requires steel in its construction. But a closer look at the Staples Center reveals some unique characteristics that make it stand out among some of the best venues in America.

The Supertruss Supporting the Roof

Most circular arenas and stadiums are built using a ring beam design; however, the Staples Center engineers decided to go with an exposed supertruss in which the structure’s framework is supported by one central truss that supports the building like a spine. At the time of its construction, no other circular sports facility in the nation had used such a design due to the high cost of the steel that had be used for the supertruss.

This supertruss, measuring 64m wide and almost 14m deep and spans the 132m roof with secondary trusses reaching out to connect to the walls. It was assembled in 5 separate sections more than 30 meters in the air, and after each section was complete, the mechanical and roofing systems were installed.

In this short timelapse video, the supertruss can be seen as its spans the diameter of the Staples Center

The Staples Center has hosted the awards show for 17 out of the last 18 years in part due to this roof and its ability to withstand excessive weight demands of up to 175 tons. Staples Center GM Lee Zeidman told Billboard.com that for the first show, he  hired a surveying company to make sure the roof didn’t warp and that the steel didn’t drop. He said, “Nobody had ever done that big of a Grammy show in a building before.”

Strengthening with Shear Walls

To support the Staples Center against the earthquakes that regularly hit the Los Angeles area, contractors needed to increase the structural integrity of the building. PCA, the contractor that made much of the cement foundation, explained that in order to strengthen the perimeter of the main bowl area, they included 4 curved shear walls up to 53m long and almost 49m tall that were used to counter the effects of the lateral load. Also, along the radial lines are 10 more cast-in-place shear walls up to 15m long and 76cm thick. The walls are all supported by large mat style grade beams with cast-in-place ring beams tying the walls together with the precast columns between them. The shear walls and structural reinforcements provide support to the Staples Center and the visitors in the building.

Connecting everything together with steel

In addition to supporting the roof and walls, steel runs throughout the rest of the Staples Center as well.  The concession stands and restaurants are all connected by seemingly endless steel pipes that deliver the beverage of choice to millions of fans, and the ice hockey rink could never be made without the help of pumps and stainless steel piping. Murray Company was contracted for the installation of the sump pump system (for the ice floor), water systems, fuel oil systems, and concession stand piping. They reported using “in excess of 68,000 man hours with a peak crew size of 40 tradesmen” to install the maze of pipes for the Staples Center.

Steel piping runs throughout the Staples Center helping to make sure everything gets where it needs to be. (Photo courtesy of Murray Company)

*Cover photo courtesy of mark6mauno

Don’t miss any of the exciting stories from The Steel Wire – subscribe via email today.