Cold formed metal framing is a very high demand product. Therefore it has been manufactured for a long time and by many different companies. Cold forming is a very useful way to transform steel.
What Are Cold Formed Steel Sections And What Is Their Application
In principle, steel can be formed at high temperatures (hot rolling), but also cold formed metal framing at room temperatures (cold rolling). The temperature plays a decisive role with regard to the end result.
Either hot or cold formed steel sections production processes produce profiles made of stainless steel or steel. The properties of the respective technologies and accordingly the products show strong differences.
Hot formed profiles and their properties
The hot rolling of profiles is the most productive manufacturing method for bar stock. Once the rolling mill has been set up, hot-formed profiles can be produced with extremely high productivity. In general, ingots or billets for conventional "start-stop" production processes and wire rod for "endless" production processes are brought to a temperature of at least 1100 degrees Celsius.
Different than cold formed metal framing, they are then plastically deformed by several roll stands. The dimensions and weights of the primary material to be used are defined by the geometry and bar length of the desired finished stainless steel profiles.
Hot rolling is the technology of choice for the mass production of long steel products. However, different than the cold formed steel structures, concessions have to be made when it comes to the profile accuracy and surface quality of the hot-formed profiles.
Cold formed profiles and their properties
When cold forming profiles, wire rod is used as a semi-finished product. Depending on the cold formed steel design, the desired profile cross-section of the end product also determines the diameter of the wire here. Like endless hot rolling, it is a continuous process, but it is carried out at room temperature. The wire is fed through rolling mills and formed into the desired shape in several passes. Here, the grain size of the steel is reduced, the material becomes harder and the surface smoother and shiny.
A multiple rolling process may be necessary for cold formed metal framing and particularly complex profile cross-sections. This means that the profiles have to be solution annealed before the next pass.
This manufacturing technology can be used to produce profiles with very narrow tolerances. It is an ideal production method for manufacturing small to medium-sized special profiles made of stainless steel.
What is cold formed steel
Cold-formed steel is not heat-formed like most other steels; Instead, it is formed using rollers and presses to give it the right size and shape. As a result, cold-formed steel is lighter than other steels and tends to be slightly more elastic. Unlike hot-formed steel, which is difficult to warp, cold formed metal framing is relatively easy to change and bend. This steel is used to make cars, transmission towers, and certain buildings.
Most steels are formed at very high temperatures; The steel is melted, placed in a mold and cooled to obtain a specific shape. Cold forming of steel begins as sheet steel that is formed and stamped until the sheets are the right size and shape. The rollers thin the steel so it can be easily bent, and the presses add curves and lines to make the steel take the intended shape, e.g. B. an L-shape or a curved line. Although the cold formed metal framing process is not entirely cold, as the presses and rollers generate heat from friction and movement, there is not enough heat to melt or deform the steel without additional pressure.
Comparing to Warm Formed Steel
Compared to warm steel, cold formed steel is much lighter. This is because less steel is generally required to produce a similar shape when cold pressed. This lowers the cost of the steel, making it suitable for light duty applications. It also has slightly more resilience than hot steel, typically about 29,500 kilopounds per square inch (ksi) or 14.124 bar compared to 29,000 ksi (13.885 bar) of hot steel.
Its increased resilience and initial deformation by the rollers facilitate processing, allowing workers on the job site to easily shape cold formed metal framing or steel into a variety of shapes. This allows cold steel to be used in a variety of ways, as it can be made on the fly to suit most needs. Hot steel has a standard shape and is very difficult to warp; While this makes hot steel good for support, it's usually not that good for detailing.
What is this Steel Used for
Cold former steel is used in many items that need to be flexible and lightweight. For example, steel-framed cars need steel that can be easily adjusted to the shape of the body, and the steel must be light, otherwise the car cannot move quickly.
Warm steel is typically used for buildings, but smaller buildings can be made from cold-formed steel if the steel does not need to support massive weight.
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