Stainless steel sheet is a high-quality material with exceptional resistance to corrosion, mechanical damage and high temperatures. This type of rolled metal is widely used in a variety of industries: mechanical engineering, construction, food and chemical industries. The use of stainless steel sheets ensures durability and reliability of structures, as well as the aesthetic appeal of finished products. The article will discuss the key characteristics of stainless steel sheets, their types and areas of application, as well as the advantages of using this material in various conditions.
Types of products and their features
When choosing stainless steel sheets, it is important to understand what types exist and what they are intended for. The main categories include:
- Austenitic stainless steel sheets AISI 304 and 316, are distinguished by excellent corrosion resistance and a wide range of applications, from kitchen appliances to the chemical industry.
- Ferritic sheets: grade AISI 430, which is known for its rust resistance and cost-effectiveness, making products suitable for the automotive industry and household appliances.
- Martensitic stainless steel sheets, such as AISI 410 and 420, offer maximum strength and hardness, making them a good choice for tool and blade applications.
- Duplex stainless steel products. These 2205 grade sheets offer a combination of strength and rust resistance, making them popular in the oil, gas and marine industries.
- Precipitation-hardening stainless steel sheets. These include products made from 17-4PH steel, which provide increased strength and wear resistance, making them ideal for aerospace and defense applications.
Stainless steel sheets vary in thickness, which determines their use in different industries. Thin stainless steel sheets with a thickness of 0.4 mm to 3 mm are used to produce household appliances, medical equipment and decorative elements. Products from 3 mm to 12 mm are used in the construction, mechanical engineering and automotive industries. Thick steel sheets, the thickness of which exceeds 12 mm, are often used in heavy engineering, shipbuilding and the oil and gas industry.
Sheets can be processed in a special way, so they differ in the type of surface. It can be smooth, polished, textured or coated. In the latter case, the sheet is covered with protective polymer or paint compositions.
How stainless steel sheets are made
The production process begins with melting steel in an electric arc furnace. In this case, alloying elements are added to the base metal. This can be chromium (12-20%), nickel (8-10%) and molybdenum (2-3%), which provide corrosion resistance and strength of the material. The melting temperature can reach 1600 ° C. The resulting molten steel is poured into molds to form slabs.
The slabs, cooled to a temperature of about 1200 ° C, are fed to hot rolling. Here they go through several stages of deformation, where their thickness decreases. Hot rolling improves the mechanical properties of the metal by recrystallizing the grains. The final product at this stage is thick sheets with high strength.
To achieve the required thickness and improve the surface, the sheets undergo cold rolling. At this stage, the material is deformed at room temperature. Cold rolling allows for thinner thicknesses (up to 0.4 mm) and improves the mechanical properties of the sheet by hardening. Special rollers and cooling systems are used to ensure a high-quality surface.
After cold rolling, the sheets are annealed at a temperature of about 1050 ° C. This is necessary to relieve internal stress and increase ductility. Annealing also restores corrosion resistance by improving the distribution of alloying elements in the metal.
The next stage is pickling, which is carried out using acid solutions (e.g. nitric and sulfuric acids). This removes scale and improves the surface of the sheet. Passivation forms a protective layer on the surface of the steel, improving its resistance to rust. The final stages include polishing and grinding to achieve the required degree of smoothness and gloss of the surface. The sheets are cut to the required dimensions using high-precision machines (laser, plasma and water-jet cutters). The finished sheets undergo rigorous quality control to meet customer requirements. To prevent damage during transportation and storage, stainless steel sheets are carefully packaged.