The Essential Guide to Hot Rolled Steel Grades and Application

The Essential Guide to Hot Rolled Steel Grades and Applications

Krishnamoorthy R


What is Hot rolled steel?

Hot rolled steel is a form of steel that is processed by rolling it at high temperatures, usually above 1,700°F (926°C), which is higher than the recrystallization temperature of steel. This procedure makes steel easier to mold and form.


Explore the key grades of hot rolled steel and their top applications in construction, engineering, and fabrication. Get expert insights in this essential guide.

How does hot rolled steel produced?

Hot rolled steel is made by a number of steps, starting with raw materials and ending with the finished product.For the finished product to have the required dimensions and qualities, precise control over temperature, rolling forces, and cooling rates is required. Every stage of the procedure is essential to ensuring the performance and quality of hot rolled steel. This is a comprehensive overview of the procedure: 

1. Raw Material Preparation: Blast furnaces are used to transform coal, iron ore, and other raw materials into molten iron.

2. Steelmaking: Electric arc furnaces (EAF) or basic oxygen furnaces (BOF) are used to convert molten iron into steel.

3. Continuous Casting: A continuous casting machine is filled with the refined molten steel. Continuous casting of the steel into semi-finished forms like billets, blooms, or slabs is produced by this machine.

4. Hot Rolling: The steel is heated above its recrystallization temperature and passed through rollers to form the desired shape and size, such as sheets, plates, and structural sections.

5. Cooling: After rolling, water spray or air are used to cool the steel. The steel's surface develops a scale as a result of this quick cooling, giving it a distinctive finish and preventing oxidation.

6. Inspection and Quality Control: Rolled steel is dimensionally inspected to fulfill specified thickness, breadth, and length tolerances.

7. Surface Inspection: The steel's surface is inspected for defects such as fractures, rips, or scaling.

8. Mechanical testing: such as tensile tests, are used to determine the steel's strength and ductility. Chemical analysis confirms that the steel meets the specified composition standards.


Various Applications for Hot Rolled Steel

1. Construction: Because of its strength and size availability, it is used in structural beams, columns, and other construction elements.

2. Railroad Tracks: It is appropriate for railway tracks due to its strength and durability.

3. Automobile and Agricultural Equipment: Used for frames and other parts where precise measurements are not as critical.

4. Metal Buildings: Commonly used in the framing of metal buildings and warehouses


The Essential Guide to Hot Rolled Steel Grades and Applications

Properties of Hot Rolled Steel:

Hot rolled steel exhibits a scaly finish that can be removed through pickling, grinding, or sandblasting. Because this steel is allowed to cool at room temperature, it is basically normalized, which means it is free of internal tensions caused by quenching or work-hardening operations. Additional properties may include:

1.Surface Finish: The surface is typically rough and covered in scales. This is related to oxidation, which occurs at high temperatures.

2. Dimensional Tolerances: Hot-rolled steel has looser tolerances than cold-rolled steel. This means that dimensions might vary more, resulting in less precision.

3. Strength: Although it has lower yield strength than cold rolled steel, it is nonetheless strong and durable for many purposes.

4. Malleability: High-temperature processing makes hot-rolled steel more malleable, which is advantageous for some applications.

What are the most prevalent hot-rolled steel grades?

There are several grades of hot rolled steel, and each has unique qualities that suit it for a particular use. These grades are frequently categorized according to their intended usage, mechanical characteristics, and chemical composition. The following are some typical hot rolled steel grades:

GRADES

CARBON CONTENT

COMMON STEEL

A-36

0.25% to 0.29%

Bars, channels, angles, plates, tubes, and shafts.

1010

0.08%-0.13%

structural, automotive, and furniture applications.

1018

0.14%-0.20%

structural, automotive, and furniture applications.

A-1011


structural steel sheets, automotive bodies, and drums

1026

0.22%–0.26%

structures, automotive components, and furniture.

A-500

up to 0.26% by weight)

Tubing & structural applications.

1045

0.42%–0.50%

Structural Steel sheet

1141

0.37%–0.45%

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Benefits of Hot Rolled Steel:

Hot rolled steel has a number of benefits for manufacturing, including:

Lower cost: Because hot rolled steel requires less processing than cold rolled steel, it is typically less expensive.

Improved workability: The material is easier to form and shape after being heated to a high temperature during the hot rolling process.

Minimal to non-internal stress: The steel is gradually cooled throughout the hot rolling process, which effectively normalizes the material's structure and eliminates internal strains.


The Essential Guide to Hot Rolled Steel Grades and Application


Determining the Appropriate Steel Type:

The particular needs of the application, such as strength, formability, weldability, and corrosion or wear resistance, determine the grade of hot rolled steel to use. Knowing these grades enables you to choose the best material for your project, guaranteeing maximum effectiveness and economy.

Here are a few of the most widely used standards in the world:Japan Standards, European Standards, American Standards, SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), and Other International Standards Organization for International Standardization, or ISO.


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