Superman – Man of Steel (but was he hot-rolled or cold-rolled?!)
31st March 2020Commercial buildingsIndustrialSports BuildingssteelWarehouses
Was superman hot-rolled or cold-rolled?! Both types of steel are pretty much indestructible (like superman), but what is the difference between them? We get asked that a lot so we thought we’d explain…
Fundamentally this is down to differences in the production process. Hot rolled steel is manufactured at high temperatures, temperatures above 1700° F (as hot as lava). This is above the steel’s ‘recrystallization temperature’ which allows it to be shaped and formed easily. However, as the steel cools it tends to shrink a little which, in contrast to cold rolled, means there is less accuracy in size and shape of the finished product which also tends to have a scaly surface finish. So for situations in which the appearance of the material is a concern, the scales will be removed through pickling, grinding, or sand-blasting.
Cold rolled is essentially hot rolled steel that is then processed further. So the manufacturer takes the cooled-down hot rolled steel and rolls it another time. This allows for more exact dimensions and a much better surface quality. We’ve added a link here with a more detailed explanation if you’d like to know more…click here
