COLD ROLLED STEEL

As the name implies, “hot rolled steel” refers to a steel rolling process carried out with heat. Here, the rolling process undergoes high temperatures of over 1,000°F, which is above the re-crystallization temperature for most steels. This makes the steel easier to form, and also results in products that are easier to work with. Compared to its counterparts however, hot rolled steel has less strength than cold rolled steel.

Hot rolled steel is allowed to cool at room temperature. This gives the finished product looser tolerances than the initial material used unlike cold rolled steel products. This also makes the finished product free from internal stresses that may arise during quenching or work-hardening processes.

Hot rolled steel is more malleable and can be cast into a variety of different shapes, making it a good choice for producing sheet metals and structural components, such as l-beams and rail tracks.