Stainless steel coils are one of the most-in-demand raw materials in the construction and manufacturing sector. It also finds wide usage in the production of industrial equipment owing to its distinct mechanical and physical properties. Strong, resist corrosion, light in weight, and require low maintenance, they are also flexible and can be easily made into a range of designs.
Stainless steel coils are manufactured using hot rolling stainless steel slabs in a reheat furnace at a certain high temperature between 1,100° C to 1,300° C depending on the grade of the steel used for the manufacturing process. After continuously running it through heating and rolling mills, the product is coiled. Finally, the stainless steel coils are passed through the annealing and pickling lines for softer and brighter surface finish.
What are the types of stainless steel coils?
As discussed above, steel coils are made by winding or coiling a steel strip or sheet under very high temperatures. Depending on the production method, we can classify steel coils into four main types:
- Hot rolled
- Cold rolled
- Carbon coil
- Galvanised
Let us understand the types and uses of stainless steel coils:
- Hot rolled steel coil: Made from semi-finished products, these steel coils are rolled, annealed, and reduced to a certain thickness and rolled into coils. This type of steel coil is used in manufacturing pipes, steel doors and tanks and can be further processed into cold rolled steel. Hot-dip galvanised steel coils are also available with a pure zinc coating that offers economy, strength and formability. Hot-dip galvanised steel is used in building roofs, doors, windows, roller shutter doors and electric equipment.
- Cold rolled steel coil: Made by ‘pickling’ hot rolled plate in a weak acid solution to remove rust, it involves cleaning, brushing, drying, oiling, uncoiling, and cold rolling. It is then wound into coils after passing it through a size reduction machine. A higher finished product cold rolled steel coils has a smoother surface, higher dimensional accuracy and bigger strength. Cold rolled steel coil finds maximum use in the automotive industry. It may be mentioned that stainless steel differs from carbon steel in its chromium and nickel content.
- Carbon coil: Apart from carbon, carbon coil has small quantities of silicon, manganese, sulfur and phosphorus. It is good for second grade applications and comes in a variety of grades and thicknesses.
- Galvanised coil: The process of making galvanised coil is by hot-dipping or electrolytic deposition of hot or cold rolled sheet in zinc. It helps resist corrosion and is used in the automotive industry or in roofing.
Industries that use stainless steel coils:
- Medical equipment
- Aerospace
- Automotive
- Construction
- Consumer products
- Electronics
- Medical
- Truck and trailer panels/doors
- Oil and gas industry
What are the different specifications and grades of stainless steel coils?
Stainless steel is divided into several categories and each category is further divided into grades and series. The steel grade defines what type of steel and its composition and properties. While the grades reflect the specific alloy’s durability, quality, and temperature resistance, the numbers listed after the grade refer to its chemical composition, especially the chromium and nickel percentages. It plays an important role for fabricators, specialists, and customers to determine their requirement.
The most used grades of steel are the 200 series, 300 series, 400 series and duplex series. Moreover, 304, 304L, 316 and 316L stainless steel coils are the most popular and economical grades of stainless steels.
It may be mentioned that the Grade 304 stainless steel coil is the most standard used chromium alloy of this which is also known as an “18/8” stainless as the make-up of the steel is 18% chromium and 8% nickel. The chromium component adds resistance to the effects of corrosion and oxidation. This steel is used throughout industry, specifically in heat exchangers, chemical containers, pipelines and throughout the brewing industry. The stainless steel coil price in India is around ₹190 – ₹260 per kg (during Feb ’22 – Jan ’23).
Also Know: Latest Steel price in India Today
To sum up: How to start a business for stainless steel coils?
Stainless steel coils play a vital role to any manufacturing business. There have been several technological advances in stainless steel coil slitting equipment in recent years. Additionally, the market offers a wide range of steel alloys that enables the right set of characteristics to fit every business.
If you’re interested in learning more about procurement of stainless steel coils, you can reach out to our team at Tata nexarc who will help you resolve the challenges involved in procurement and help you to obtain raw materials at competitive prices.
