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Canada Metal North America (CMNA) offers its products across different industries. Some of the major industries are:

AEROSPACE

In the aerospace industry, lead is an excellent and cost-effective choice used for load balancing aircrafts. Particularly for dynamic components, lead is an ideal metal due to its high density, which makes it better suited to the industry than other metals. Some of the core lead components used in the aerospace industry are extruded and cast counterweights that are made available in customizable shapes to fit any design need. Generally, these items are used as counterweights and/or damper weights for the aerofoils. Lead damper weights are effective in damping vibrations in the nose wheel during take-offs and landings. Due to the non-ferrous nature of lead, these items will not corrode and they have the added advantage of being the most compact material for this purpose given their high density.

ELECTROPLATING:

The electroplating industry has complex and varied requirements. To help protect from corrosion and contamination, the lead lining of tanks can be an excellent preventive measure due to its chemical resistance in these environments. The anodes used in the electroplating process must be of a high-quality and selected with precision based on the specific application. Lead and lead alloy anodes are cost effective, particularly in the initial phases of a project that requires electroplating. The needs of the application will dictate which format will be most appropriate from available options such as basket, grid, cored stick, stick, and plate anodes. Canada Metal North America also supplies zinc balls for use in zinc electroplating applications.

ELEVATOR

Whether installing a commercial elevator in a new building project or retrofitting an existing one, the advantages of lead counterweights versus other materials are clear. The high density of the metal makes for easier design accommodation when stack height, head room and space are considerations. When retrofitting an elevator to accommodate an increase in weight or load bearing needs, the high density of lead allows for the replacement of existing counterweights to increase the weight and provide the counterbalance necessary without a costly structural retrofit. Lead weights used for this purpose are poured, extruded, and cast in a variety of custom sizes and shapes.

HOSPITALS/VETERINARY/MEDICAL:

For the highest level of protection against x-ray and gamma radiation, the hospital, veterinary and medical fields look to sheet lead, lead bricks, blocks, and cadmium sheet. The malleability of cadmium sheet and sheet lead lend themselves to a wide variety of medical construction projects and uses where gamma ray protection is a consideration, such as in doors, walls, and frames. Where the specifications of a project require a material with greater thickness than sheet lead or cadmium sheet, lead bricks and blocks can offer a more suitable and flexible alternative. For dedicated shielded storage, industry professionals look to radioactive isotope containers or lead-lined storage cabinets in a wide range of formats.

COMMERCIAL MARINE

The greatest natural threat to the structural integrity of a marine vessel’s hull is corrosion, but a well-selected anode is a powerful ally against this threat. To help combat the corrosive effects on the vessel’s hull, zinc and aluminum marine anodes are commonly used. Zinc anodes have a long history of use in the industry, but are most suitable for saltwater, while aluminum is suitable for salt, fresh, and brackish water. The type of vessel and which component needs protection (such as hull, rudder and heat exchangers) will also play a role in the selection of the type of anode, as well as its format.

OIL & GAS

Anodes are essential to the oil and gas industry for controlling the corrosion faced by submerged structures. High-grade zinc anodes are most effective in saltwater, a critical need for the petrochemical industry, while high-quality aluminum anodes are preferred for fresh and brackish waters, but are also effective in saltwater. Many production vessels such as heater treaters, storage tanks, pressure vessels, heat exchangers, skimmers, and oil-separation vessels, rely on treater anodes in zinc or aluminum, which are cylindrical, easy to replace, and suitable for challenging conditions (e.g. produced brines with elevated temperatures). The wide-ranging needs of this industry require experienced and precise selection of these parts.

PLUMBING

Given the applications of solder in the plumbing industry and its potential contact with drinking water, regulations call for lead-free solders. Some typical types of solder used in plumbing are tin, silver, and various alloys, all of which are specially selected to be resistant to oxidation and have the necessary low melting point. However, lead solder is still widely used, and coveted for its low melting point, in other appropriate applications. In plumbing situations where there is no contact with drinking water, such as in the transportation of wastewater, extruded lead pipes, tubes, and plumbing joints are considered a useful and safe material.

CONSTRUCTION

On the market today, lead flashing is considered a durable weatherproofing material for use in construction and roofing projects. Its inherently malleable and flexible nature makes it easy to use and suitable for a diverse number of roof types. As lead is a non-ferrous and non-reactive metal, it is naturally resistant to corrosion and will not rust. From an aesthetic point of view, its muted, silver -grey finish complements a variety of building materials such as glass, concrete, and brick. These same weather resistant benefits of lead, along with its density, also make it a compact and resilient option for counterweights on heavy construction equipment. Lead because of its density, is also used as the filler in pile driver hammers.

DEFENSE

The marine sector of the defense industry has long relied on lead ballasts to achieve stability of their vessels, and on zinc and aluminum marine anodes to protect the vessel’s hull against corrosion. The high density and corrosion resistance of lead makes it a choice metal for ballasts in defense vessels, and ships in general, providing the weight required to ensure the vessel’s stability. When faced with the challenge of storing radioactive materials or protecting against gamma radiation exposure, lead sheet or cadmium sheet are both widely used in the defense industry. When greater thickness is required, lead blocks may be a better alternative. These blocks are suitable for temporary structures as well as permanent installations.

UTILITIES

Utility sectors have long relied on quality lead products for tasks such as transporting wastewater, and protecting underground electrical cables and electrostatic precipitation systems. Given the diverse sectors within the utility industry, these lead tubes must be customizable for a multitude of unique needs. Bar solder must also be manufactured with precise variation in composition for differing projects. Lead and tin are common choice metals, due to their optimal balance of a low melting point and malleability, in either pure bars or in a spectrum of alloy compositions. Lead is also used to thread pole-line hardware preventing the potential cracking of insulators when they are installed.

NUCLEAR

Lead is known for being a principle material for gamma ray shielding, a need inherent to the nuclear industry. Lead is critical in protecting against radiation, which is present in both the nuclear and nuclear medicine industries. Depending on the strength of the energy exposure, thinner lead sheets or sheets of other metals such as cadmium or tin might be sufficient. Where the use of lead sheet is impractical, lead bricks and blocks provide a more versatile alternative. When more specialized services are needed, such as lead filling, lead lining, lead burning, and lead lamination to various surfaces, it is imperative to recruit a highly experienced and qualified team of professionals.

RESEARCH

Like the nuclear industry, research labs that work with radioactive materials frequently depend on lead products and services for containment of radioactive materials and proper shielding. Radioactive isotope containers are one possible solution, as they come ready to receive and contain such materials. Alternately, it may be necessary to apply lead lining to cabinets, compartments, tanks, or surfaces that lack sufficient protection. Other customizable forms of shielding include lead, cadmium, and tin sheets, or lead castles which are modifiable based on containment needs. For the maximum x-ray/gamma protection for medical research labs, lead blocks, cast lead, and extruded bricks offer the strongest shielding.

METAL SMELTING AND REFINING

The highly-corrosive environments frequently found in the smelting and refining industries benefit from the corrosion-resistant properties of lead. Lining tanks or chambers with lead can offer significant protective advantages, as is exemplified in the lead-lined chambers of Glover towers and electrostatic precipitators. The latter use lead “Star Wire” centered in lead tube to remove impurities from the acid-laden atmosphere within the precipitator. The use of extruded lead tubes also allows for the safe transport of waste water, acids, and corrosive chemicals, making them suitable for acid production, refining and storage facilities. The strictest standards of safety and expertise should be employed when working in such potentially dangerous environments. Facilities such as precipitators benefit from regular professional refurbishing, including the installation of lead tubes and star-wire.

ACID/PICKLING

To maintain proper working condition and usage of various metals, pickling is frequently needed in order to remove oxidization and impurities that can accumulate over time on metal surfaces. Those performing the pickling process with strong acids, such as sulphuric or hydrochloride acid, will require safe transportation for these substances via tubing and pipes. High-quality extruded lead pipes and tubing of customizable size, wall thickness, and length are available for the transport of these corrosive materials. Pipes that have gone through the extrusion process are known for emerging as dense and uniform lead products. One-piece lead heating coils that are also made from extruded lead pipes are immersible in pickling tanks, and are built to work in highly corrosive environments.

MINIMUM ORDER 250$ + TAXES + TRANSPORT

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