Lead is an incredible material to work with, easily malleable while also being durable and highly resistant to corrosion. While lead will tarnish with exposure to air, using a powder coating or painting the surface can prevent this from becoming a concern. Additionally, with the application of a finish to the surface, lead dust is eliminated from the environment, making it a safe material to use in construction and other types of applications.
It is possible to create different forms of lead materials. Lead ingots are small lead blocks of various purities, usually weighing about five pounds each and connected on chains of five small blocks. There are also lead bars and lead sheet produced, each with its own application.
Lead Sheet Material Production
The production of sheet lead involves using large equipment to roll the lead to the desired thickness. These machines can produce various widths and lengths of the sheet, with the maximum size determined by the dimensions of the rolling mill.
The rolling process has to be completed with precision to produce uniform thickness across the sheet lead. The top manufacturers are able to create lead sheets to very tight tolerances, making it ideal for custom orders as well as for large and small order volume requirements.
Use of The Lead Sheets
The use of sheet lead includes in the shielding for medical and dental x-ray rooms and to protect from radiation exposure in nuclear facilities. This type of lead sheet is applied to the surfaces of the room or space, containing radiation and eliminating leakage outside of the room.
For other types of construction, sheet lead can be bonded to the surface of plywood or gypsum board. Lead sheets are used for roofing applications, in soundproofing and for lining the bows of boats to act as a ballast material.
