Hot rolled versus rolled steel: what do you need to know?
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Steel is one of the most used metals in different industrial applications, it is available in various shapes, specifications, grades and finishes. However, when it comes to a key differentiation between steel products, it is hot-rolled versus cold-rolled steel .
The question is, why do we need to know about the difference between hot rolled steel and cold rolled steel ? It is obvious that different applications require different types of steel and if you have the necessary information it can help you to save your time and money on additional processing. For engineers and manufacturers, it will help you get superior results at a better price.
As the names suggest, their differentiation is due to the processes. The processes differentiate hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel . Hot rolling is a process that is done with heat and cold rolling is a process that is done at room temperature. Here, we will understand the two types of steel in detail.
The main reason for hot rolling is to make the steel easier to form and easier to work with. Here, the steel is pressed at a high temperature, sometimes above 1,700 degrees.
THE PROCESS
The hot rolling process is simple and starts with a large, rectangular billet. The material is sent to pre-processing, once heated and converted into a large roll. To obtain high-precision finished dimensions, the glowing steel is passed through a series of compression rollers.
When the process is complete, the hot-rolled steel is cooled and therefore steelmakers have limited control over its final shape. In applications where high precision is required, hot rolled steel is less used.
It is actually a hot rolled steel with additional processing and for that, manufacturers use cooled hot rolled steel and roll further to achieve accurate dimensions and superior surface qualities.
Cold rolled steel has a finished surface and has tighter tolerances. If you find smooth surfaces with a greasy feel, it's cold-rolled steel in your hands. It has well-defined edges and corners.
APPLICATIONS
As cold rolled steel has better finishes and surfaces, there is no doubt that it is preferred over where aesthetics are important. However, there is a downside; Cold rolled steel is more expensive than hot rolled steel due to additional processing.
In addition, the cold rolling process can also cause internal stresses. It's your project that will decide which type of steel is best suited for your application.
