Shipbuilders are selective about naval alloys; sculptors, about architectural bronze or engraving brass. It should be no surprise, then, that many brass musicians have their instruments customized or altered. According to the Acoustical Society of America, brass players believe that what their instruments are made of – and how these materials are used – impact both their sound and feel.
In perusing brass sales, manufacturers of shipbuilding components usually evaluate metals based on one key property among many: corrosion resistance. This property – the selling point of special alloys like naval brass – enables the metals used for ship components and apparatus to withstand the damaging effects of salt water and air, plus other chemical reactions at sea Otherwise, damage from corrosion can compromise the strength and efficiency of a ship’s structure and machinery. It can compromise the safety of the people onboard – even the environment itself.
House builders would need to make sure that they use good quality materials for their construction. After all, properties can be seriously damaged and people can be severely injured if the quality of the structure is not qualified as safe enough.
