Stainless steel sheet is mainly manufactured as steel sheet. But these stainless sheets can be molded easily and you can design any utensils, furniture and other components with this product. Now the stainless steel manufacturing has become a booming industry because of the huge market demands and every one like these materials for their durability, light weight and stylish looks. All the utensils made of stainless steel are used in kitchens, which are highly preferred due to less maintenance and long durability. Stainless steel utensils are best for cooking purposes as it offers great resistance towards large heat.
What are the Features of Stainless Steel?
There are many stainless steel manufacturers around the world offering stainless steel products. Other than domestic purposes, stainless steel is also used for commercial purposes.
- Stainless steel materials are good for food processing products as they are bacteria free in nature. Steel utensils can be cleaned easily without much effort. Other than utensils, stainless steel is used in manufacturing pipes, faucets, sheets covering the chimneys, construction materials and many more.
- The main reason behind great usage of stainless steel is high resistance offered for corrosion. Stainless steel is prepared from some basic materials like chromium, iron, nitrogen, carbon, silicon, manganese etc.
- Nitrogen used in preparation of stainless steel materials is to provide great tensile strength to it. Stainless steel is the most durable product in the world and you can redesign it easily. You can easily order some stainless steel sheet to the stainless steel manufacturer and give them your design and requirement and they will make your product accordingly.
How is Stainless Steel Manufactured?
Stainless steel manufacturing mainly involves three steps. They are melting, forming and final heat treatment. In continuation, the annealed steel is further heated more and dissected further for use. At last stainless steel is polished with 6 surface finish processes.
- In order to prepare steel, first all the raw materials like silicon, chromium, manganese, nitrogen etc are gathered together for melting. They are subjected to large heat for 8 to 12 hours through an electric furnace. After melting of steel, it is sent into forms which are semi-finished.
- These semi-finished forms will give the molten steel a shape as they include different shaped blooms like rectangle, rod shape, tube round shape, billet shape, slab shape etc.
- After casting the molten steel in to these blooms, these are hot rolled at high temperatures through which steel comes out acquiring bloom shapes like rod, bar, strip and sheets.
Strength and Tensile Nature of Steel:
Now, after completion of heating this stainless steel material, it will turn out to strong. After initial heating, these stainless steel materials are subjected to further heat which is termed as annealing process.
- Annealing will help the stainless steel to acquire soft nature. Annealing process is nothing but heating the steel and cooling it again under controlling conditions.
- This annealing process will completely remove the stress inside the stainless steel, turning it out harder.
- This annealing is preferred by stainless steel manufacturers in order to increase the tensile strength and durability of steel. Moreover, toughness is improved effectively.
- After completion of annealing, it is sent for descaling and then for cutting into relevant size and shape.
- After cutting these are subjected for special polish in order to transform the surfaces with soft nature. This is called total finish.
Almost all the stainless steel manufacturers will follow the same process in manufacturing the stainless steel. Depending upon the manufacturing company, it can be cut into relevant shapes and sizes and sometimes these are customized according to the preferences of customers.
