Cold Rolled Vs Hot Rolled Sheet Steel

As an example a hot rolled steel product may have a yield strength of 235 mpa.

Cold rolled vs hot rolled sheet steel. Cold rolled has a smooth and shiny finish while hot rolled has a grey and scaly finish. When the hot rolled metal cools it will reconfigure making the finished product with a looser tolerance when compared to the cold rolled metal. The smaller products are also much more tolerant than the larger hot rolled versions. As such it is usually a bit more expensive.

Hot rolled steel has rounded edges a rough surface texture and no grease on its finish. In comparison a cold rolled steel product with the same chemical composition has a yield strength of 365 mpa. Alternatively cold rolled steel has sharp edges a very smooth surface texture and an oily or greasy feel to it. In this article we will compare hot rolled vs cold rolled steel sheets.

Whereas cold rolled steel is processed in cold reduction mills followed by annealing and tempering. Finished products created by the cold rolled steel process include bars strips rods and sheets which are usually smaller than the same products available through hot rolled methods. Cold rolled steel is essentially hot rolled steel that has been through further processing. Once hot rolled steel has cooled it is then re rolled at room temperature to achieve more exact dimensions and better surface qualities.

The main advantages of cold working are. Hot rolled steel is used in situations where precise shapes and tolerances are not required. Thus the yield strength of cold rolled steel is higher than that of hot rolled steel. Cold rolled steel is essentially hot rolled steel that has had further processing.

The steel is processed further in cold reduction mills where the material is cooled at room temperature followed by annealing and or tempers rolling. First hot rolled steel coil is manufactured and later it is run through a mill which forms the coil into the steel sheet pile sections. Cold formed is manufactured in two steps. This looser tolerance makes it easier to force the metal into a variety of different shapes.

Hot rolled steel involves rolling the steel above re crystallization temperatures. There are three main visual differences between the two processes. If the cold rolled product was annealed it will be easier to work than hot rolled material. Basic difference between hot rolled and cold rolled steel is the way they are processed.

When to use hot rolled steel. Although this combines two processes the method as i will point out later has an advantage of economy and scheduling in the cold formed process. Hot rolling is mainly used to produce simple cross sections or sheet metal. The surface finish tolerance straightness and consistency of cold rolled steel will always be superior to hot rolled steel.