Why is stainless steel divided into cold-rolled and hot-rolled plates？

Do you know why stainless steel sheets are divided into cold-rolled sheets and hot-rolled sheets?

What is the difference between the processing methods of cold rolling and hot rolling? What are their respective advantages and disadvantages?

First of all, let me talk about hot-rolled plates, because cold-rolled plates are actually processed and rolled based on hot-rolled coils. Generally, it is a trilogy of hot-rolled, pickled, and cold-rolled plates. Hot rolled plates are made from slabs as raw materials, heated, and then processed into a batch of strip steel by a roughing and finishing mill. Not all of these strips will become hot-rolled plates. Instead, the hot steel strips taken out are cooled and cooled from the last rolling mill of the finishing mill, and then rolled into steel strip coils. According to the specific needs of users, they are precisely processed on different production lines until they become steel plates or steel strip products. Generally, steel plates with a thickness of less than six millimeters are characterized by a bright surface.

Hot rolled plates have the advantages of a more refined and compact steel structure, which can eliminate defects in the microstructure. In addition, hot rolled plates have better toughness and ductility, and better torsion resistance than cold rolled plates. However, their mechanical properties are weaker than those of cold rolled plates. At the same time, hot rolled plates also have poor stability and fatigue resistance due to uneven cooling defects.

Although both hot-rolled plates and cold-rolled plates we will talk about next have some advantages, they are based on material requirements. Some products with unreliable quality may not be able to exert corresponding advantages. This requires everyone to be careful when selecting products and choose trustworthy manufacturers.

As mentioned earlier, cold-rolled plates are processed on the basis of hot-rolled coils, which is equivalent to experiencing "hot" before "deep water". The hot-rolled process first heats up the steel plate, and then there is continuous cold deformation. However, such a hot and cold process can cause poor mechanical properties of the steel plate, high hardness, and can only be used as "soft and hard coils" to make products that do not require bending and stretching. To make cold-rolled plates, it is necessary to go through the important process of annealing to restore their mechanical properties. The final thickness of the product is often between three millimeters to sixteen millimeters, and the surface features are matte and industrial surfaces.

Cold rolled sheet has the advantages of fast forming speed and high yield. In addition, its plastic deformation ability is also strong. Due to the absence of oxide skin on the processed surface, the quality and dimensional accuracy are also higher. However, due to the smaller steel wall thickness during the forming of cold rolled sheet, its load capacity is relatively weak. At the same time, there are still some stresses in the cross-section after the forming of cold rolled sheet, which reduces its bending resistance. In addition, its toughness is low, and it is likely to experience unpredictable distortion under compression.

Overall, cold-rolled and hot-rolled plates each have their own advantages and disadvantages. In terms of price, hot-rolled plates are relatively cheaper, while cold-rolled plates are more expensive. However, when choosing stainless steel plates, you cannot just rely on price. You must combine your actual needs to make your selection. If you feel confused or unsure where to buy high-quality stainless steel products, then I recommend that you try to contact us and give us a chance to cooperate.