Hang on, I just realised something major...

  • Thread starter Deleted member 110222
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Deleted member 110222

D
In this big galaxy of ours... There's nowhere you can buy steel.

Why is there no steel trade Frontier? The most important alloy in existence, and apparently nobody buys it.

I demand my steel Frontier!
 

Alex Brentnall

Alex Brentnall
Amargosa said:
It's obsolete, Titanium is way better.
Click to expand...

Could be right, when asteroid and planet mining becomes a thing IRL we can expect the stock markets for almost all precious metals to drop off a cliff. Where titanium is currently too expensive suddenly it's the go-to material. As more and more things use Titanium the steel manufacturing plants will start to shut-down or convert to the more popular material(s).

The other thing to remember is that when we are talking objects in space every gram/kilo/pound or whatever of mass counts because more mass means more energy to accelerate and decelerate. Even if steel remains cheaper the in-life cost of using a heavier material will probably mean it's cheaper overall to use a lighter alloy instead even if the up-front cost is more. This is why current aircraft have flocked to carbon fibre, the current metals are more than capable for their job from a mechanical point of view, we didn't need a super strong alternative. Metals are also mostly cheaper to manufacture, easier to work and build with* and easier to repair. But the weight savings of composites over the life make all the difference...

*Fair disclosure certain very complex shapes can be more easily made with laminates but most cases the point stands.
 
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Deleted member 110222

D
Alex Brentnall said:
Could be right, when asteroid and planet mining becomes a thing IRL we can expect the stock markets for almost all precious metals to drop off a cliff. Where titanium is currently too expensive suddenly it's the go-to material. As more and more things use Titanium the steel manufacturing plants will start to shut-down or convert to the more popular material(s).

The other thing to remember is that when we are talking objects in space every gram/kilo/pound or whatever of mass counts because more mass means more energy to accelerate and decelerate. Even if steel remains cheaper the in-life cost of using a heavier material will probably mean it's cheaper overall to use a lighter alloy instead even if the up-front cost is more. This is why current aircraft have flocked to carbon fibre, the current metals are more than capable for their job from a mechanical point of view, we didn't need a super strong alternative. Metals are also mostly cheaper to manufacture, easier to work and build with* and easier to repair. But the weight savings of composites over the life make all the difference...

*Fair disclosure certain very complex shapes can be more easily made with laminates but most cases the point stands.
Click to expand...

Fair enough.

I still demand cheese.
 

Lucius-Darcia

Lucius-Darcia
Un1k0rn said:
In this big galaxy of ours... There's nowhere you can buy steel.

Why is there no steel trade Frontier? The most important alloy in existence, and apparently nobody buys it.

I demand my steel Frontier!
Click to expand...

Maybe because ferrum is one of the most common elements in the universe? You can pick it up nearly everywhere and it isn't worth anything in the year 3303^^
Most things are build from way better metallics than steel. When was the last time, a car hull or a bicycle was made of steel? :D
 

Hatchepsut

Hatchepsut
That is ANCIENT technology.
Durallium Alloys for Ship Hulls.
BrickCrete for buildings.
Ceramics and plastics and various alloys for everything else.
Steel ... like Iron .... is HEAVY .... and nowhere as adaptable as the above ... its Obsolete.
 
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Drumatiko

Drumatiko
Un1k0rn said:
In this big galaxy of ours... There's nowhere you can buy steel.

Why is there no steel trade Frontier? The most important alloy in existence, and apparently nobody buys it.

I demand my steel Frontier!
Click to expand...

We have iron, carbon and a lot of other materials/elements. I'm sure some metallurgic mastermind can brew steel out of it ;)

Edit: whoops, i guess you mean commodities. :p
 
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Morbad

Morbad
Steel isn't going to be made obsolete, plenty of areas where you'd want to use it instead of anything else, even more advanced composites or alloys of other metals. It would be like saying copper would become obsolete 5000 years ago...yeah, for making edged weapons, but not a million other things.

However, I can certainly see iron being cheap, abundant, and low demand enough not be worth shipping through space as a commodity.
 

PhazonAran

PhazonAran
Alex Brentnall said:
The other thing to remember is that when we are talking objects in space every gram/kilo/pound or whatever of mass counts because more mass means more energy to accelerate and decelerate. Even if steel remains cheaper the in-life cost of using a heavier material will probably mean it's cheaper overall to use a lighter alloy instead even if the up-front cost is more. This is why current aircraft have flocked to carbon fibre, the current metals are more than capable for their job from a mechanical point of view, we didn't need a super strong alternative.
Click to expand...

I don't think the energy consumption is a problem in Elite's universe. I mean, we scoop up hydrogen fuel from stars, and even when refuelling at a station it is dirt cheap. They are quite far from our weight reduction and energy saving problems.

Though I am quite sure that the main problem with lighweight composites is their inability to withstand fire from thermal or heavy kinetic weaponry... :D A problem that we are not too worried about IRL.
 
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