What are the advantages of cold rolled steel?

Hot rolling, the process used to make hot rolled steel, involves rolling steel at high temperatures (typically over 1700˚F). These high temperatures are above steel’s recrystallization temperature, allowing the steel to be easily shaped, formed, and made in larger sizes. As it cools, hot rolled steel tends to shrink non-uniformly, giving less control on the size and shape of the finished product when compared to cold rolled steel.

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Characteristics of Hot Rolled Steel

Hot rolled steel tends to have a scaly finish which can be removed by pickling, grinding, or sand-blasting. This steel is essentially normalized, meaning free from internal stresses that can arise from quenching or work-hardening processes, because it is allowed to cool at room temperature. Other properties may include:

• Slightly rounded edges and corners for plate products (due to shrinkage and less precise finishing)
• Slight distortions
• More malleable and able to be turned into various shapes
• Increased ductility and toughness

Advantages of Hot Rolled Steel

Hot rolled steel tends to be cheaper than cold rolled steel because it is manufactured without any delays in the process and does not require reheating like cold rolled steel. It is also essentially normalized as it is allowed to cool at room temperature; this means it’s free from internal stresses that can arise from quenching or work-hardening processes.

Applications of Hot Rolled Steel

One of the many differences between hot and cold rolled steel is price. Hot rolled steel tends to be cheaper than cold rolled steel because it is manufactured without any delays in the process and does not require reheating like cold rolled steel. It can be used in applications where precise shapes and tolerances are not required, such as:

• Structural Components (Railroad Tracks, I-Beams, Sheet Metal)
• Agricultural Equipment
• Metal Buildings
• Stampings
• Automotive Frames

We’re one of Utah’s top steel suppliers at Wasatch Steel, and we’re here to provide you with all the custom steel you need to complete your next project. Steel sheets of all shapes and sizes are some of our most popular products, and we provide them at industry standard quality.

There are dozens of different styles and variations of steel sheets. One of the most common ways to classify them is by the temperature at which they were rolled – cold rolled or hot rolled. Let’s look at the pros and cons of cold rolled steel for your next project.

What is It?

Want more information on what is cold rolled steel used for? Feel free to contact us.

When steel is rolled out to form a coil during its production, this is done at varying degrees of temperature. In all cases where this temperature is considered at or below the room temperature, this is considered cold rolled steel.

Cold rolled steel will be smooth to the touch, strong and not particularly flexible. It’s generally found in flat, square or round shapes.

Pros

There are a couple distinct benefits to cold rolled steel:

• Strength: Cold rolled steel is up to 20 percent stronger than typical hot rolled steel. Using heat to roll the steel can weaken it, but keeping it above room temperature holds its structural integrity. This makes it perfect for your biggest and toughest projects.
• Surface finish: Cold rolled steel also looks better than hot rolled. It’s the preferred technique for furniture, cars and other aesthetic areas for this reason, and has a modern look.

Cons

There are also a couple downsides to cold rolled steel for some people:

• Price: Because of its advantages over hot rolled steel, cold rolled steel is more expensive. Also, because cold rolled steel is tougher to manipulate, it’s takes more time and can cost more to take it through similar processes.
• Width: Shaving down a hot rolling metal sheet is very due to the temperature, but it can’t be done with cold rolled steel. This means you have to be more careful about measuring width in advance – you won’t have any leeway once you get started.
• Time: As we mentioned above, the difficulty in manipulating cold rolled steel can make projects take longer to complete than the equivalent project using hot rolled steel.

Want to learn more about cold rolled steel, or any of our steel services? The experts at Wasatch Steel are standing by.

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