Understanding the Differences Between Foundry Grade vs Mill Grade Busheling

Defining and sorting various grades of metal can efficiently process material. Busheling is a high-quality grade of scrap steel known for being clean and contaminant-free. Busheling can be further divided into foundry grade and mill grade. Sikora Metals offers commercial scrap recycling for various grades of scrap metal, including foundry-grade and mill-grade busheling.

What Is Busheling?

Busheling is a high-quality grade of scrap steel with no rust, paint, or non-metallic contaminants. It is often sourced from manufacturing plants, metal fabrication shops, and industrial practices. It can consist of new production scrap metal, such as stampings, trimmings, and cuttings, and is most often composed of steel and iron. Steel mills and foundries can melt and recast busheling to create new steel products. Busheling can be sorted into two common grades: foundry and mill.

Foundry Grade Busheling

Foundry grade busheling is uncoated and bare, meaning there is no paint, and it is not galvanized. There should not be other contaminants such as oil, dirt, or other non-metallic materials. The material is usually composed of consistent and similar types of steel scrap. The material may undergo additional processing, cleaning, and shearing to meet specific quality standards. It has to undergo a strict chemical analysis to qualify as foundry grade. The material is usually heavier in gauge, and the length should not surpass 5’ when manufacturing.

Foundries can use foundry-grade busheling for casting and melting purposes. This process allows scrap metal to be recycled into something new and valuable. Using foundry-grade busheling helps foundries verify that the material introduced into the melting process is of the highest quality and meets these specific requirements.

Mill Grade Busheling

Mill grade is similar to foundry grade busheling in many ways, but it is a lower quality. It can be coated or uncoated, but it cannot have paint on it to qualify for this grade of busheling. Similar to foundry-grade busheling, it cannot be contaminated with non-metallic materials, oil, and dirt. Mill-grade busheling may include a broader range of steel scrap compared to foundry grade, and it can encompass both heavier-gauge and light-gauge materials. Mill grade busheling also has a max length of 5’. Steel mills can use this type of busheling as an input for the production of new steel products. It offers a more cost-effective and versatile solution for a broader range of applications.

What Is Baling?

Baling is the process of securing bales of recyclable steel together by compressing metal into a dense bale. This makes it easier to stack and transport the metal, simplifying the recycling process. Before baling, we organize our scrap metal into different categories. This helps us stay organized and allows us to provide a better service for our customers. The categories include:

#1 Baling

The steel in this category is typically sheet steel. It must be bare, with no paint or rust, and must be under ½” in thickness. It cannot have non-metal contamination or cast iron.

#2 Baling

This category includes steel shreds with no non-metal contamination. The metal can have rust and paint on it to qualify for this category, but cast iron can not be included. The metal must be under ½” in thickness.

Prepared P&S (Plate & Structural)

Prepared P&S includes heavy steel materials, including plates, structural elements, and beams. We do not allow lead, crimped pipe, rebar, and steel cable into this category, but it can be 20-30% cast iron. The size of the material can be up to 3’ x 4’.

Why Should I Recycle My Metal?

Recycling metal helps reduce waste, foster environmental sustainability, and conserve resources by reducing the need to create virgin metal. At Sikora Metals, we pay for your scrap metal. We also offer containers and transportation services to make the process easier for you. We have experience developing and maintaining recycling programs for industrial customers who generate a lot of scrap from manufacturing processes. Sikora Metals aims to provide companies and citizens with an accessible and easy way to dispose of metal in an environmentally friendly way. Our complimentary metal evaluation can help you determine how much your metal may be worth.

Bring Your Scrap Metal To Sikora Metals

Recycling foundry grade and mill grade busheling is an environmentally responsible metal recycling process. After being sorted, both metals can be recycled and turned into new metal products. We also accept many other types of metals and sort them before continuing through the recycling process. Sikora Metals is a scrap metal dealer based in Detroit, Michigan. We offer commercial scrap recycling and pay you for your excess scrap. Appraise your metal using our complimentary metal evaluation service. Drop your metal off at our site, or request a container or delivery services. Contact us today to learn more about our services and to find out what your metal might be worth.