A Comprehensive Guide on Stainless Steel Coils
In today’s world, stainless steel coils are serving as a vital and inseparable part of multiple industries. Even though it is not a mainstream raw material, no one can deny the fact that they are crucial.
If you are looking for some detailed information about these coils, you have landed in the right space. In this article, we have everything about stainless steel coils.
Here’s what you will get to read:
What is stainless steel coil
How stainless steel coil is made
Different types of stainless steel coil
Different specifications of stainless steel coil
FAQs on stainless steel coil
What is a Stainless Steel Coil
Stainless steel coil is a raw material used in the construction and manufacturing sector for a lot of different purposes. To understand what it is in a better way, we should first look at its characteristics, which are as follows:
Strong
Anti-corrosion
Lightweight
Low maintenance
Flexible
Due to all of these qualities, it is very easy to use stainless steel coil in the manufacturing process as it can be molded into a variety of designs as per the requirement. It is widely used in the manufacturing of industrial equipment as well.
How stainless steel coil is made
Stainless steel coils are made from stainless steel slabs. These are hot rolling slabs that are put in a reheat furnace. The temperature used for reheating remains between 1100° C to 1300° C. The exact temperature depends on the grade of stainless steel grade (explained later in this article).
After running the steel slabs in heating and rolling mills for a long period, it is coiled. And at last, the final product - stainless steel coils is passed through pickling lines which provides a softer and brighter finish to its surface.
Different types of stainless steel coils
The process of making stainless steel coils has different temperature levels involved. On the basis of the difference in production method, stainless steel coils are divided into 4 categories or types. They are as follows:
Cold rolled
Hot rolled
Galvanized
We will quickly explain all of these types in brief now:
Hot rolled stainless steel coil
These steel coils are made from semi-finished products. They are annealed, rolled, and then reduced to a specific thickness. Thereafter, they are rolled into coils.
Hot-rolled coils are used in steel doors, manufacturing pipes, and steel tanks. It can be processed into cold rolled steel. Hot dip galvanized coils also come with a pure zinc coating. It can be used in roller shutter doors, normal steel doors, windows, building roofs, and electrical equipment.
Cold rolled steel coil
These steel coils are made by pickling hot-rolled plates. The workers first remove rust by using a weak acid solution. Afterward, the process includes cleaning, brushing, drying, oiling, and cold rolling. Then the coil has to pass through a size reduction machine which provides a smooth and bright finish and bigger strength.
The cold-rolled steel coils are massively used in the automotive industry.
As a buyer one should understand that stainless steel differs from carbon steel in terms of nickel and chromium content.
Galvanized coil
This type of stainless steel coil is made in two ways:
By electrolytic deposition of cold or hot rolled sheet in zinc
By hot-dipping the cold or hot rolled sheets in zinc
The galvanized stainless steel coil is anti-corrosion. Due to this reason, it is widely used in roofing or in the automotive industry.
Carbon coil
Other than carbon, a carbon stainless steel coil consists of silicon, sulfur, phosphorus, and manganese in small quantities. You can find it in multiple grades and thicknesses. This coil is considered best for second-grade applications.
Different Specifications And Grades Of Stainless Steel Coils
201 Stainless Steel Coil
201 coils are known for having good welding characteristics. They have very low-temperature properties. Also, they are low ductile and formable in comparison to the 301 stainless steel coils.
This grade of stainless steel coil is the most affordable (low-cost) alternative to the traditional Cr-Ni austenitic stainless steels.
202 Stainless Steel Coil
Most of the characteristics of 202 stainless steel coils are quite similar to 201 coils. However, the core difference lies in low carbon and high nickel content which lessens the overall ductility and strength of 202 grade.
202 stainless steel coils are cold-rolled or hot-rolled coils. Their thickness ranges from 0.02mm - 6.0 mm. The 202 coils are supplied in curved or straight lengths depending on the specific requirement of a certain project. They can also be supplied with edge protection.
304 Stainless Steel Coil
304 stainless steel coil is used extensively for its corrosion resistance to a variety of chemical corrodents. Here are its two major properties:
Low carbon
Low molybdenum bearing
It is an austenitic stainless steel coil that consists of a minimum of 8% nickel and 18% chromium.
The 301 coils also have decent mechanical properties, however, their corrosion resistance makes them valuable. These grades of coils are widely used for the manufacturing of surgical instruments as well as food processing equipment. Apart from being anti-corrosion, it has amazing welding ability and great formability in comparison to other grades of stainless steel.
301 Stainless Steel Coil
301 stainless steel coil was called multiple names over the last decade including SUS301, EN .4310, and ASTM 301. It is a type of hardenable austenitic stainless steel. This grade of stainless steel is known for its good formability. It is also known for being moderately corrosion-resistant and having high strength.
Because it is one of the most adaptable and versatile grades it has become an ideal choice for various purposes. Hence 301 coils are used across a wide range of industries in comparison to other grades of steel coils.
316L Stainless Steel Coil
316L stainless steel coil is known for its great corrosion resistance. It is a low carbon grade with amazing weldability. Apart from this, 316L has unmatched heat treatment properties as well. We can say its heat treatment is similar to the type 310s stainless steel coil.
This grade of stainless steel has multiple applications such as food handling equipment, chemical processing, and marine applications. 316L is also used in the fabrication of containers that are used for high-temperature liquid gases such as liquified natural gas (CNG), chemical feedstocks, and petrochemicals.
321 Stainless Steel Coil
This grade of stainless steel coil is widely used across the chemical and petrochemical industries. The reason behind this wide usage is its amazing corrosion resistance, which is highly required and useful in those two industries specifically.
321 coil is also known as a free-machining austenitic chromium-nickel austenitic alloy. The proportion remains as follows:
18% Chromium
12% Nickel
The application of 321 can be found in marine environments to a great length. It is used in all spaces where chloride stress corrosion cracking has to be avoided at all costs. Apart from this, 321 can be found in appliances like blenders and mixers as well.
FAQs: Stainless Steel Coil
How to start a stainless steel coils business?
If you have been reading till now, you may already know that stainless steel coils have an undeterred importance for almost all manufacturing businesses. This shows that a business of stainless steel coils has immense potential.
The best part is that starting this business has become easier than in the past few decades. Today, we have multiple new technologies in the realm of stainless steel coil slitting equipment. Above this, you can easily find a diverse range of steel alloys that have a set of characteristics to suit the different requirements of different businesses.
In order to kickstart your business, you can buy stainless steel coils from our trusted sellers. You will get premium quality coils at the best market price.
What is the strength of a stainless steel coil?
Stainless steel coil comes from austenitic stainless steel which grades from the 200 and 300 series. The austenitic stainless steel has an extremely high chromium content. And, this is where its strength lies; it is corrosion-resistant and non-magnetic. Hence, it can be easily used for manufacturing purposes in harsh, corrosive as well as moderate environments.
What should I consider before purchasing a stainless steel coil?
In order to purchase the best suitable stainless steel coil as per your requirements, you should first gather knowledge about all the varieties of stainless steel coil available in the market. This will help you in deciding which one will suit your purpose.
Stainless steel coils are used as a radiative barrier, shielder, liners, and fire resistant. etc. It is also used for lowering heat transmission and humidity. One single type of coil will not be the right fit for such diverse uses. Hence, read about the types of stainless steel coils carefully.
This was all the basic information related to stainless steel coils. In case you are planning to buy the best quality coils, you can always rely on our trusted sellers. At TradeIndia, you will find a multitude of genuine sellers offering stainless steel coil in different grades.
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