Hot Rolled Vs Cold Rolled Sheet Metal

For example railway track automotive frames structural frames low accuracy sheet metal parts etc.

Hot rolled vs cold rolled sheet metal.

This is why the tolerance for hot roll steel is looser than cold rolled steel. Cold rolled steel is essentially hot rolled steel that has had further processing. For example consumer electronics and telecom products metal furniture automobile industry etc. Once hot rolled steel has cooled it is then re rolled at room temperature to achieve more exact dimensions and better surface qualities.

Whereas cold rolled steel sheets are used for precision and quality fabrication work. Hot rolled steel is used in situations where precise shapes and tolerances are not required. During this process the metal shrinks as it cools which can cause some slight warpage. But cold rolled steel undergoes additional processing steps resulting in improved properties that can be exploited for different applications.

The rolls induce plastic deformation. Hot rolled products like hot rolled steel bars are used in the welding and construction trades to make railroad tracks and i beams for example. During the hot rolling process steel is heated to its melting point while being worked changing the composition of the steel to make it more malleable. Cold worked steels are typically harder and stronger than standard hot rolled steels.

Cold rolled steel is essentially hot rolled steel that has been through further processing. During cold rolling the steel is annealed or exposed to heat and allowed to cool which improves ductility. Both hot rolled steel and cold rolled steel start out in essentially the same way and both can have the same grades and specifications. As an example a hot rolled steel product may have a yield strength of 235 mpa.

Each type of steel has its advantages and disadvantages and costs for the two types of steel are also different. Hot rolled steel sheets are used in fabrication work where aesthetics and quality are not very important. In comparison a cold rolled steel product with the same chemical composition has a yield strength of 365 mpa. The difference between hot rolled and cold rolled steel is this recrystallization point.

Hot rolling and cold rolling are two methods of shaping steel.