Quality

Quality is Siderúrgica Balboa´s main commitment to reach a competitive position and become leader in the sector, opting for certificates throughout its production process in Spain (AENOR), Portugal (CERTIF) and in the latest opening in the Italian market. A Quality System, according to ISO 9001, is the base for its AENOR certification for all of its types of ribbed rebars.

The Process Management system has dynamised quality management, providing it with a focus on continuous improvement through the systematic analysis of indicators and the application of improvement actions. And the employees are trained towards surpassing results in the product processes and properties, with the final aim of obtaining complete customer satisfaction.

Moreover, by incorporating the ARCER brand into the quality certification systems for the production of ribbed bars, Siderúrgica Balboa leads the sector in guaranteeing features for steel rebars in reinforced concrete.

The right to use the ARCER brand implies participation in key product research activities, allowing for the ability to guarantee qualities superior to other steels, while including, for each production batch, a civil responsibility insurance with ample coverage.

As certification follow-up activities, the products are submitted to two annual inspections, in which they are checked for the continuity of conformity with the regulatory requisites and standards and the long-term quality maintenance.

The Quality System is audited by the certifying organisms in order to verify that its efficacy is maintained and that continuous improvement activities are implemented on processes and products. Siderúrgica Balboa, with its four laboratories in the Steel Mill (1) and Rolling Mills (3), has the most technologically advanced inspection equipment to inspect products and production processes.

Ribbed Bars Properties:

• Adherence: The ribbed bars have the "Certificado de Homologación de Adherencia" [Official Adherence Certificate] which includes the geometric characteristic requirements guaranteeing strong adherence.
  

• Mechanical characteristics: The attached table details the minimum mechanical characteristics for each of the qualities:

Types of steel	Re (MPa)	Rm (Mpa)	Rm/Re	A5 (%)	Agt (%)
B400S	>400	>440	>1.05	>14	>5
B500S	>500	>550	>1.05	>12	>5
B400SD	400-480	480-648	1.20-1.35	>20	>9
B500SD	500-625	575-843	1.15-1.35	>16	>8




• Bidirectional Bending Strength:A test that checks the materials fragility from the lack of transversal cracks.



Moreover, B400SD and B500SD steels are required to have certain ductility characteristics, besides its Rm/Re ratio and stretching (A5 y Agt):

• Cyclical Loads Resistance:
  
  This consists in a test with alternating loads controlled by the percentage of plastic deformation that simulate a load supported by a bar in a structure located in earthquake prone areas.
  
  These alternating traction-compressing forces complete a hysteresis cycle, being able to surpass 3 complete cycles without partial or total rupture of the test piece.
  

 

• Fatigue resistance: The fatigue test consists of submitting the test piece to an axial force, both cyclical and controlled, between two load values that are always positive for at least 2x106 cycles at a maximum frequency of 200 Hz, with an amplitude of 75 N/mm2. The maximum force is 240 N/mm2 for the B400SD and 300 N/mm2 for B500SD.
  This test is performed to simulate the force a structure supports in an area with severe vibrations.

• Weldability: A ribbed bar is considered to satisfy the weldability requirements if it fulfils the limits of chemical composition indicated in the table attached: