Steel coils refer to a finished steel product that’s manufactured out of slabs. Slabs are considered semi-finished steel materials made from ingots. Producing steel coils out of slabs can be done in different ways — hot rolling, cold rolling, or electrolytic tinplate (EPT). Once all of the major production processes have been completed, the resulting rolled material can now be used in various industries for assembly or further fabrication. Knowing this, steel coil uses can vary depending on the industry, but some of its most popular and widely-known applications include pipe-manufacturing, structural steel members, electronic components, consumer goods, automotive parts, and many more.
As mentioned before, steel coil manufacturing involves taking a slab and then placing them into a continuously rolling machine that reduces its thickness. The result is durable, high-grade, ductile, and high-strength steel sheets that are wound into coils. Read on to learn more about its uses.
The most common use for steel coils can be found in pipe manufacturing. Pipes such as ERW (Electronic Resistance Welding) and seamless pipes begin with an uncoiled sheet of metal that passes through a continuously rolling machine. The aim of this method is to fuse the two joints of the rolling process through ERW without using any welding filler compound. As ERW pipes do not depend on heat furnaces or high-temperature, it’s classified under cold-forming pipe manufacturing which reduces internal stresses of the pipe, whether during storage or in use.
An alternative pipe-making technique is used for spiral pipes, however, it still begins with a sheet of metal that is wound at an angle. This will allow the weld to run around the outer surface of the pipe in order to form a helix-like structure with the joints all welded together.
In applications wherein high tolerances are not necessarily required, steel coils are preferred. This is due to the high weld-ability, ductility, and machinability of the steel sheets when they’re unwound. Using any type of metal fabrication machine, press breaks, or stamping machine, steel coils can be transformed into exceptional structural steel members, such as I-beams, H-beams, angle bars, wide flange beams, and more.
Structural steel members are found in almost every type of building. For example, they provide framework support for a structure’s walls or enclosures. Steel beams are sturdy enough to support different building materials and they can also be joined using different types of couplings or steel connections. These beams can also be found in a building’s ceiling structure — steel trusses and rafters provide ample support to resist wind loads and keep the ceiling structure intact.
Steel has a high melting point, making sheet metals suitable for use in electronic goods. Some examples would be CPU housings, mobile phone cases, heat sinks, iron cores, circuit boards, and the like. As these components require electrical energy to function, they may end up producing high heat levels that can affect the other parts.
Fortunately, the high melting point of steel coils allows all of these parts to work together without the anger of high temperatures that may destroy the parts. Steel coils also make a good choice because they are easy to fashion and require very little maintenance. Any electronic device that you have at home, made out of steel is a cost-effective purchase due to the material’s properties.
Automotive parts manufactured from steel coils can be found almost anywhere in a vehicle — from the chassis framework, car doors, exhaust, dashboard system, wheels, rims, engine, suspension, and the like. The high strength-to-weight ratio, durability, heat resistance, and non-combustibility of steel coils make them ideal due to the heat produced in a vehicle’s combustion engine. Like electronic consumer goods, vehicle parts will remain intact when steel coils are used.
Aside from these already-existing automobile parts. Products made out of steel coils have also been the go-to material for car manufacturers. Steel coils can be recycled endlessly and indefinitely without losing their most crucial properties. Any scrap steel coil can be refined and milled again to become new vehicle parts. Moreover, car components and vehicle manufacturers are constantly experimenting with steel to come up with innovative solutions to improve vehicle safety and user experience.
Finally, on a broader application, steel coils are widely used in different metal stamping processes like shearing, notching, flanging, or cutting. Once again, steel coils are extremely malleable, whether for hot-forming or cold-forming stamping. They can easily be shaped in any kind of form and can be used for achieving high tolerances.
Metal-stamped steel coils have benefitted all industries — from automotive, industrial, petrochemical, logistics, construction, food & beverage, and many more. In fact, almost all steel products that you’ll find around you are made out of stamped steel coils, making them a versatile material.
As discussed in this article, steel coil uses can be classified into the following: pipe-making, steel beams/members, automotive components, metal-stamped parts, and electronic devices. Although steel coil manufacturing seems simple — i.e. by beginning with a semi-finished steel slab — it has been essential in delivering different types of finished steel parts and goods to be used in different ways.
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Does your business need to purchase steel coil? In this article we take a look at the different types and classifications of steel coils in India to enable you to pick the right products for your manufacturing processes. We also look at the definition of steel coils, the properties and specifications, and other factors to be considered when you buy steel online or offline.
Steel is an important commodity for manufacturing, engineering and construction industry. Steel became popular due to its high tensile strength, flexibility, and low cost. Steel is most widely used in the form of steel coil made from steel slabs. There are various grades or classifications of steel coils and used across industries for a myriad of functions. Steel coils are made by hot rolling, cold rolling, or by using the Electrolytic Tinplate (ETP) method.
The quality of steel coils depends on the grade of steel you choose. Depending on the grades of steel, coiled steel will have different mechanical properties and specific chemistry. There are about 3500 steel grades with various physical, chemical and mechanical features that have been developed around the world. Steel coils are therefore chosen based on the specific uses of a company.
For example, a car manufacturer uses Advanced High-strength Steels (AHSS) while the construction industry usually utilise Fe 415 and Fe 500 grades of steel.
Coil meaningA length of wire or rope arranged in a series of circles one above the other is called a coil. The process of this arrangement is called coiling.Metals are often drawn out into sheets and made into metal coils for use in industries. Like coil steel these coils are also used according to their chemical and mechanical properties. Aluminium coils are one of the most used among metal coils after steel coils.A length of wire or rope arranged in a series of circles one above the other is called a coil. The process of this arrangement is called coiling.Metals are often drawn out into sheets and made into metal coils for use in industries. Like coil steel these coils are also used according to their chemical and mechanical properties.are one of the most used among metal coils after steel coils.
Let us take a closer look at the meaning of steel coils and their classifications, and the use of steel coils in industries.
To answer the question of ‘what is steel coil?’, steel coil is defined as sheet or strip of steel that is wound or coiled after rolling. It is manufactured by placing a slab into a continuous rolling machine to reduce its thickness until it forms a sheet. This sheet is then wound into coils.
Steel coils have multiple benefits:
• Durability
• Excellent heat resistance
• Low maintenance
• Safe to use
• Affordable
Steel coils can be formed into any shape and are often used along with other materials to create specific shapes. Coiled steel is used for a variety of applications including building components, machinery and electrical equipment, kitchen appliances, etc.
Some of the widely known steel coil uses include:
Automotive parts including the shell of the vehicle, chassis, suspension, rims, exhaust system, etc., are made of steel. Durability, heat resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio and non-combustibility of steel coils make them the ideal choice for an automobile engine.
Computers, smartphones, circuit boards, etc., are made of steel coils. Since steel has a high melting point it is apt for use in making electronic goods. Steel also contributes to electrical devices being cost effective.
Steel rolling machines have allowed pipes to be continuously rolled into long pipelines without the need of welding pipes together to form a long pipeline. These are used as gas pipelines and in the construction of houses for heating, plumbing, etc.
Railroads use carbon steel coils due to their high flexibility. It has the ability to expand without changing shape, making it suitable for train wheels running on railway tracks.
Considering the wide range of steel coil use, procurement of steel as a raw material has always been vital for businesses. Today, steel coils can be purchased online that gives businesses the option to compare prices, delivery timelines, quality, and other details before purchase. Tata nexarc’s Procurement is one such place where you can buy steel online at competitive prices hassle-free.
Also Know: Latest Steel price in India Today
Steel coils are classified into two main categories according to the steel coil processing method used:
Hot rolled coils are manufactured in hot-rolling mills. Hot-rolling is the metal-treatment process that takes place at high temperatures approximately more than 2000 degrees Fahrenheit above the recrystallisation temperature of most steel types. Hot rolling begins when a large, long steel called billet is heated and sent to a large roll to be flattened into sheets. It is then passed through a series of rolls maintaining its high temperature until they reach the desired dimensions. These steel sheets are then spun and left to cool.
Since hot rolled steel is cooled after processing, it shrinks leading to less control over its final shape. This makes it less suitable for precision applications. Railway tracks and construction projects often use hot rolled steel.
Hot rolled steel is usually identified using the following characteristics:
Rolling refers to a metal forming process wherein a metal stock is passed between two rolls and are flattened to get a uniform thickness.
Cold rolled steel coil is an output of hot rolled steel. Hot rolled steel that is cooled completely is re-rolled at room temperature to produce cold rolled steel coil. This steel coil processing method helps achieve exact dimensions and better surface qualities.
Cold rolled steel coils undergo the rolling process which are metal sheets put between two rollers. There are other cold finishing processes including turning, grinding, and polishing. These processes are used to modify the hot rolled steel into more refined products.
Cold rolled steel is usually identified using the following characteristics:
There are also other kinds of steel coils including galvanised steel coil, carbon steel coil and stainless-steel coil. All these types of coils have varying mechanical and physical properties.
Steel coil specifications depend on the type of steel coil in question. For example, while the thickness range of commercial quality galvanised steel coil is 0.14-0.80 mm the thickness range of carbon coil steel is from 0.0508 – 0.889 mm. Steel coil sizes also vary according to the supplier.
Before choosing the steel coils for your business, learning how steel coils are categorised and the applications of different steel coils can help you pick the perfect steel coil product for your manufacturing processes.
Also Read on:
Aluminium Coil, Colour coated steel coil, Stainless steel coil.
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