Cold Rolled Steel

General information on cold rolled steel

Metal rolling is the most common method when shaping steel. Commonly rolling processes are classified by temperature, that is either ambient or room temperature. While hr steel products tend to be heavier, sturdier with a rough surface, cold rolled products are thinner and smooth to the touch. Rolling generally helps reduce material thickness, however can also reinforce other material characteristics such as rigidity. Hence manufacturing methods are typically chosen according to the end product required. If tighter tolerances, greater material strength and a polished finish are requested then a cold formed product is more suitable.

How is cold rolled steel manufactured?

Before subjected to cold forming, primary material is usually hot rolled first. Subsequent cold rolling techniques using a cold rolling or reversing mill are only applied in line with the end product required. The application of heat makes steel more easily manipulated. Hence an absence of heat during cold rolling is cause for a gradual reduction in thickness throughout multiple rolling cycles. As the number of passes along the rollers increase so does hardness of the resulting product. Cold rolled sheets can be manufactured in fully hard, half hard as well as quarter hard or skin rolled.

Material characteristics can be further manipulated by altering chemical compositions within the primary material. This way formability, corrosion- and heat- resistance or drawing can be adjusted to suit specific requirements. This versatility makes cold rolled products popular in a variety of different industries and particularly in indoor applications.

Apart from sheets, strips, bars and rods are also commonly manufactured using cold rolling processes.

Which sectors utilise cold rolled steel in their manufacture?

Due to their polished finish and hence design appeal, cold rolled products find use in many indoor applications. Typical uses include furniture (cabinetry, tables, chairs), household appliances (shelving and fixtures), but also automotive and other construction related applications.

Another advantage of cold rolled steel sheets is the fact that they can be manufactured according to exact measurements. They are therefore well-suited to projects where specific dimensions and precision are of great importance for example when manufacturing school lockers.