Hot Rolled Steel
Our hot rolled steels are produced to meet the chemistry and dimensional requirements of our customers.
Consistency from coil to coil is maintained by applying ladle metallurgy and continuous casting to molten steel, and rolling on a hot strip mill that features advanced process controls. For specific applications a subsequent pickling operation helps produce excellent strip surfaces.
Product Applications
Automotive
Product Features
FORMABILITY
Hot rolled steel can be used to produce parts containing simple bends as well as drawn parts.
THICKNESS CONTROL
An automatic gauge control system assures excellent thickness control.
WELDABILITY
Hot rolled steel can be joined using accepted welding practices.
WIDE VARIETY OF GRADES AND SIZES AVAILABLE
A wide variety of hot rolled steel are available in thicknesses of 0.071 – 0.525 in. (1.80 – 13.34 mm) and widths of 30 – 80 in. (1016 – 2032 mm), depending on thickness.
Process
We produce top quality products by utilizing modern, well-maintained equipment. This begins with quality slabs, produced by continuous casting, creating a uniform chemistry for hot rolled steel. The hot strip mill is designed to produce consistent surface quality, uniform mechanical properties, and consistent thickness and crown. Walking beam furnaces minimize surface damage during slab reheating. Scale breakers remove heavy furnace scale and provide a uniform surface for rolling. Strip temperatures are controlled at critical points during rolling to produce the desired mechanical properties. The finishing mill produces excellent thickness and crown controls. Finally, pickling can be used to remove the oxide that forms during cooling.
Joining Systems
Most hot rolled steel can be readily fabricated using a variety of welding and joining processes. This is largely due to the low carbon and alloy content, strength levels, and low impurity characteristics. Depending on gauge, surface conditions (pickled or unpickled) and joint design, suitable processes include arc welding, resistance welding, brazing, and soldering. Resistance spot/seam/projection welding, soldering, and brazing normally are incompatible with unpickled hot rolled steel. However, many arc welding processes, that utilize consumable filler materials, can be used successfully on unpickled (referred to as “black”) hot rolled steel. Additional factors must be considered when welding medium and high strength hot rolled grades. Technical assistance is available to select appropriate welding techniques for these steels.
Formability and Mechanical Properties
COMMERCIAL STEEL (CS)
Commercial Steel (CS Type B) should be used for moderate forming or bending applications. Commercial Steel products are produced from aluminum-killed, continuously cast slabs and, unless otherwise specified, have a carbon content of less than 0.15%.
DRAWING STEEL (DS)
For more severe forming applications, Drawing Steel (DS Type B) can be ordered. Drawing Steel has a controlled carbon content of less than 0.08%. For more formability and to help minimize coil breaks, DS with boron can be ordered.
HIGH STRENGTH LOW ALLOY STEEL (HSLAS)
HSLAS is intended for applications where greater strength or weight savings are important.
The increased strength of HSLAS is achieved from niobium or vanadium additions. Two classes are available (Class 1 and Class 2).
STRUCTURAL STEEL (SS)
Structural Steel (SS) is available for structural purposes where specific mechanical properties are required. Strength is achieved primarily by carbon and manganese additions.
PRESS HARDENABLE STEEL (PHS)
Press hardenable steel, commonly referred to as 22MnB5 or 15B22, is available as hot rolled black or pickled and oiled. This material is used in hot stamping applications to achieve final ultimate tensile strength approaching 1500 MPa.
