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What are the processing advantages of stainless steel strips
source：m.haishanyaoye.com | Release time：2025年10月10日1、 Wide process compatibility: compatible with almost all mainstream metal processing methods
The material characteristics of stainless steel strip (combining strength and toughness) make it compatible with the entire processing process from "cold processing" to "hot processing", from "forming" to "surface treatment", without the need to adjust the material separately for a single process. Its adaptability far exceeds that of ordinary metal strips such as carbon steel and aluminum
1. Cold processing technology: adapted to the requirements of "high precision and low deformation"
Cold processing (plastic deformation processing at room temperature) is the most core processing scenario for stainless steel strips, and its advantages are reflected in "easy forming, no high-temperature oxidation, and high precision":
Stamping processing: Stainless steel strips (especially 304 soft and 316L) have good ductility and can be made into complex shapes (such as battery shells, connector spring pieces, kitchenware accessories) through continuous stamping, deep drawing, stretching and other processes. After stamping, they are not prone to cracking or wrinkling (ordinary carbon steel is prone to fracture due to insufficient toughness during stamping, and aluminum is prone to deformation due to low strength); Some high-strength stainless steel strips (such as 201 hard state) can also achieve "cold deformation strengthening" through stamping, further improving product hardness.
Bending and Roll Bending: The toughness of stainless steel strip enables it to withstand large angle bending (such as bending into 90 °, 180 °) or continuous roll bending (making circular pipes, U-shaped grooves), and the "rebound amount" after bending is small (the angle can be correctly controlled by adjusting the bending pressure), without frequent correction; For example, stainless steel edge strips in the field of decoration can be rolled into curved edges of any curvature to meet the styling needs of different scenes.
Cutting and slitting: Stainless steel strips have good strength uniformity and are less prone to "burrs and cracking" during cutting (ordinary carbon steel edges are prone to rust after cutting, and aluminum materials are prone to burrs due to low hardness); The precision slitting machine can cut wide stainless steel strips (such as 1250mm) into narrow strips (such as 5mm, 10mm) with a tolerance controlled within ± 0.05mm, meeting the narrow strip requirements of electronic components and hardware accessories.
2. Hot processing technology: adapted to the requirements of "large size, high toughness"
For scenarios that require high temperature or subsequent welding, the thermal processing advantages of stainless steel strips are reflected in their "high temperature resistance and good welding performance":
Welding processing: Stainless steel strips (especially 304 and 316) have excellent welding performance and can achieve "crack free welding" through argon arc welding, laser welding, resistance welding, etc. After welding, the joint strength is high (the tensile strength at the welding point can reach more than 80% of the base material), and there is no significant performance degradation; For example, stainless steel welded joints in industrial pipelines are not prone to leakage even under long-term pressure (ordinary carbon steel requires additional anti-corrosion treatment after welding, while aluminum welding is prone to porosity).
Heat treatment processing: Stainless steel strips can adjust their hardness and toughness through heat treatment processes such as annealing, quenching, and tempering. For example, cold worked stainless steel strips (such as stamped spring plates) can eliminate internal stress and avoid later deformation through "low-temperature annealing"; Tool grade stainless steel strips (such as 430 for blades) can be quenched and tempered to increase surface hardness (HRC ≥ 50) while maintaining internal toughness, sharpness, and fracture resistance.
3. Surface treatment process: adapted to the dual requirements of "beauty and anti-corrosion"
The surface flatness and chemical stability of stainless steel strip make it compatible with various surface treatment processes, and the treated effect is uniform and long-lasting:
Polishing processing: The surface roughness of stainless steel strip (especially cold-rolled 2B surface) is low (Ra ≤ 0.8 μ m), which can be made into a "mirror effect" (8K mirror, reflectivity ≥ 90%) through mechanical polishing (grinding wheel, cloth wheel) or electrochemical polishing, and it is not easy to have "scratches and color differences" after polishing (ordinary carbon steel is prone to rust after polishing and requires additional paint protection); For example, stainless steel straps for watch straps and elevator panels have both aesthetic and anti fingerprint properties after polishing.
Coating and Coating: The surface of stainless steel strips can be further enhanced for corrosion resistance or functionality through spraying (such as plastic spraying, fluorocarbon coating) and coating (such as chrome plating, zinc plating) - for example, stainless steel strips for outdoor billboards can resist UV aging after spraying fluorocarbon coating; Stainless steel strips for electronic devices can achieve customized functions such as insulation and conductivity after coating, and the coating adhesion is strong (the oxide film on the surface of stainless steel can enhance the coating adhesion).
Etching and laser processing: The material uniformity of stainless steel strip enables it to achieve "micro processing" through chemical etching (to make precision mesh holes and patterns) or laser cutting (to make complex shaped parts), and the edges are smooth and free of burrs after processing; For example, stainless steel strip filters for medical devices can be made into precision mesh holes with a diameter of 0.1mm through etching, which is much more accurate than ordinary metal strips.
2、 High processing stability: reduces the risk of "failure" during the processing
Stainless steel strip is less prone to problems such as cracking, deformation, and performance degradation during processing, and its processing yield is much higher than other metal strips. The core of this lies in the "balance of strength and toughness" and "chemical stability" of its material
Strong anti cracking ability: Stainless steel strips (especially 304 and 316 models containing nickel and molybdenum) have a high elongation rate (304 elongation rate ≥ 40%), uniform plastic deformation during processing, and are not easily cracked due to local stress concentration; For example, when deep drawing stainless steel insulated cup liners, even if the stretching depth reaches more than three times the diameter, there will be no "bottom cracking" (ordinary carbon steel is prone to fracture at the stretching point during deep drawing, and aluminum is prone to "necking").
Stable deformation resistance: The elastic modulus of stainless steel strip is high (about 200GPa, much higher than the 70GPa of aluminum), and the "elastic rebound" after processing is small. Especially after bending and stamping, the product size can remain stable for a long time without frequent correction; For example, stainless steel spring plates for electronic connectors can maintain the correct contact pressure after stamping, and are less likely to fail due to rebound after long-term use.
Good chemical stability: During the processing (such as shearing and welding), the "passivation film" (chromium trioxide) on the surface of the stainless steel strip can be quickly repaired, and it is not easy to rust due to processing damage; For example, when processing stainless steel strips in a humid environment, there is no need to apply additional anti rust oil like carbon steel, reducing the cleaning steps after processing and lowering the "scrap rate caused by rust".
3、 Excellent precision controllability: meets the requirements of "high-precision" machining
The machining accuracy (dimensional tolerance, surface accuracy) of stainless steel strip can be achieved through process optimization to achieve "micrometer level control", suitable for fields such as electronics and medical that require high precision. The core advantages are reflected in "uniform thickness, stable size, and smooth surface":
High thickness accuracy: The thickness tolerance of cold-rolled stainless steel strip can be controlled within ± 0.01mm (such as a 0.1mm thick stainless steel strip, the actual thickness fluctuation is only 0.005mm), which is much higher than that of hot-rolled carbon steel strip (tolerance ± 0.1mm); This uniformity ensures that the thickness of the processed product is consistent, such as the stainless steel strip on the battery casing, which directly affects the sealing and capacity stability of the battery.
Small dimensional tolerance: Through precision slitting, stamping, laser cutting and other processes, the dimensional tolerance of stainless steel strip processed products can be controlled within ± 0.05mm (such as the length tolerance of connector spring pieces is only ± 0.03mm), and the consistency is good during batch processing (the dimensional difference of products in the same batch is less than 0.02mm), without the need for individual correction; For example, the size accuracy of stainless steel accessories for medical devices directly affects their compatibility with other components.
High surface smoothness: The surface roughness of cold-rolled stainless steel strip is low (2B surface Ra ≤ 0.4 μ m, BA mirror surface Ra ≤ 0.1 μ m), and can be maintained flat without additional polishing after processing; For example, the stainless steel casing of precision instruments ensures seamless adhesion with glass and plastic components, avoiding functional failure caused by gaps.
4、 Good cost economy: reduce the "full process processing cost"
The processing advantages of stainless steel strip are not only reflected in "performance and accuracy", but also in reducing overall processing costs by "reducing processes, improving efficiency, and extending mold life", with a much better cost-effectiveness than other metal strips:
Reduce processing steps: Stainless steel strips do not require additional anti-corrosion treatment (such as galvanizing or painting) after processing like carbon steel, nor do they need oxidation treatment like aluminum. They can be directly put into use after processing, reducing 2-3 steps; For example, stainless steel strips for furniture decoration can be bent directly after slitting, without the need for subsequent rust prevention treatment, saving time and material costs.
Improving processing efficiency: The strength and toughness of stainless steel strips are balanced and can be adapted to "high-speed continuous processing" - such as high-speed stamping, the feeding speed of stainless steel strips can reach 300 times/minute (ordinary carbon steel needs to reduce the speed to below 200 times/minute due to easy fracture); When continuously rolling and bending stainless steel pipes, the forming speed of stainless steel strips is 20% higher than that of aluminum materials, and it is less likely to get stuck, improving batch production efficiency.
Extended mold life: The surface of stainless steel strip is smooth and free of oxide scale (cold-rolled strip), which reduces the wear on the mold during processing; For example, when processing stainless steel strips with stamping molds, the service life can reach more than 100000 times (due to the wear of oxide scales during the processing of carbon steel strips, the mold life is only about 50000 times), reducing the frequency of mold replacement and lowering equipment maintenance costs.
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