How To Choose Between Hot And Cold Rolled Steel

Hot and cold rolled steel have their own advantages and disadvantages. They both play a critical role in American manufacturing, as well as manufacturing around the world. Because there are two different types of rolled steel, you might become confused with regards to which is best for your needs. Here are some questions that you should ask yourself in order to make the best decision possible and determine which type of rolled steel is going to work well for your situation.

1. Do You Absolutely Need All the Dimensions to Be Perfect?

The first question that you need to ask yourself is if you need all of the dimensions to be absolutely perfect. If you are making an item that can be roughly the correct size and shape, but not down to the precise millimeter, and still work, then you will want to use hot rolled steel. Hot rolled steel is a faster, cheaper process that is used to make strong materials such as railroad ties.

If you need something to be precisely to a customer's specifications, such as the parts of a pre-formed steel building, then you will want to use cold rolled steel because it can be ground to perfection. Cold rolled steel is formed more slowly, allowing for more dimensional accuracy. It can also be sanded down to meet exact specifications if it is too big.

2. How Smooth Does the Surface Have to Be?

Another question that you should ask yourself is how smooth the surface has to be in order for the metal to meet its intended function. For example, hot rolled steel can have lumps or pockmarks in it. If you need a very smooth surface, you will want to use cold rolled steel. The cold rolled steel forms slower and therefore has fewer surface flaws. It can also be ground down after it is made in order to make sure that it has the right surface texture. Hot rolled steel does not allow for a totally smooth surface.

3. How Quickly Do They Need to Be Made?

If you need the rolled steel very quickly, then you are going to want to get hot steel, rather than cold steel. Cold steel is much more difficult to work with, making the manufacturing process take longer. If you need rolled steel within a short period of time on a budget, you will want to go with hot steel.

For more information, talk to a company that specializes in producing rolled steel like A & C Metals - Sawing.