What is Hot Rolled Steel?

If you are in the construction industry, you will undoubtedly have used steel at some point. Afterall, it is one of the materials that makes up society’s infrastructure. It is not exclusive to the construction industry however. Steel is a fascinating product. It is extremely versatile and used by a large variety of industries. It comes in many finishes, grades and specifications. Today, we are delving into the world of steel making to explore the process of hot rolling steel. We hope to resolve the question ‘what is hot rolled coil steel used for?’.

In the following article, we are going to examine some technical terms from the steel industry and define them. Firstly, before we can tackle the question ‘what is hot rolled coil steel used for’, we need to explore the concepts of hot rolling and cold rolling. These two production techniques are widely used and allow the manufacturer to yield different results. Hot rolled steel, quite simply, is steel that has been rolled at extremely high temperatures. Cold rolled steel is created using a similar process. With cold rolling, the steel undergoes additional processing.

What Is Hot Rolled Steel?

It is important to highlight that the two different processes should not be confused with the grades and specifications of steel. Steel can be bought and sold in different grades, and has vastly different performance ratings. Steel across the board, however, can be hot rolled or cold rolled.

Hot Rolled Steel Vs Cold Rolled Steel

So, what is hot rolled steel? The term hot rolling describes a molten steel that gets pressed at an extremely high temperature. The manufacturers will begin the process with a large piece of metal called a billet. After the billet is heated, a pre-processing step takes place in which the billet is flattened into a large roll.

After that, the steel is kept at a high temperature. It is fed through rollers which help the manufacturer achieve the desired dimensions. If the objective is to create sheet metal, rolled steel is spun into coils and left until it is cool. Bars and plates, on the other hand, are sectioned and packaged.

The process for creating cold rolled steel is slightly different. Following on from the aforementioned process, the steel is then rolled at room temperature. The result is a steel product that has a superior surface quality and more unique dimensions. There are a number of finishes that can be achieved with cold rolling. Steel that is pulled (which produces bars or tubes) is drawn rather than rolled. There are a number of other finishes including turning, polishing and grinding. Each of these processes transforms hot rolled steel into products that are more refined.

What Is Hot Rolled Steel? – The Main Advantages

When we consider hot rolled steel and cold rolled, the former has some noteworthy advantages. Because cold rolled steel has inherently stronger properties, it has a tendency to be more expensive. Not only this, but there is an extra post production process to follow to create cold rolled steel. To complete this, extra resources are required. If your project is adhering to a tighter budget, using hot rolled steel may be desirable.

Additionally, hot rolled steel is slightly more malleable. Because of how high the temperatures are during the production process, this form of steel has greater flexibility. This greater flexibility in the product’s composition gives the user greater application flexibility.

Finally, hot rolled steel experiences very little internal stress. The gradual cooling period the steel experiences allows for the structure to normalise. This, in turn, minimises any internal stresses.

So, What Is Hot Rolled Coil Steel Used For?

As we have established, hot rolled steel, sheet and coil, is a basic carbon steel product. During the cooling process, hot rolled steel has a tendency to shrink. Resultantly, any manufacturer using the hot rolled process has less control over the finalised shape. In addition to this, unlike cold rolled steel, a steel product that has been hot rolled has an inferior surface quality. With all this in mind, those in construction use hot rolled steel when dimensional tolerances and surface finish are not as important. Examples of this include agricultural equipment, construction materials and equipment used by the rail industry.

Kit Buildings Direct: Expert Designers of Steel Structures

We at Kit Buildings Direct hope we provided the necessary information for any one questioning ‘what is hot rolled coil steel used for’. As experts in steel framed buildings, we have worked with a large variety of clients to actualise projects that involve steel structures. Through our dedicated page you can obtain a free quote. Alternatively, give us a call on 01283 735 522 to discuss your project.