Stainless steels form a family of materials with a series of special properties. Their surface is protected by a layer of chromium oxide that forms from the reaction of chromium with the oxygen in the atmosphere, which means that stainless steels do not need added protection against corrosion; in our previous articles you can get more information about steels.
Stainless steels adapt perfectly to applications in the field of construction. They deform and weld easily. More information about their physical properties is provided in previous blogs.
Rolling finishes
The rolling finishes, carried out by hot and cold rolling processes, are basically supplied in all flat stainless steel products. Rolling finishes meet requirements for application in the construction industry, but they are also the basis for the processes used to modify the surface according to the needs of construction and architecture.
To maximize the corrosion resistance of the supplied material, the rolling surface finishes are pickled to remove the scale formed during the hot rolling processes and their subsequent annealing.
There are four important rolling finishes in construction which are:
- 1D. Hot rolled, heat treated, pickled: hot rolled and annealed. Once the rolling scale is removed, this surface is classified as a 1D finish. This surface, typical of thicker sheets and plates, has low reflectivity and is mostly used where optical appearance is less relevant; it may be used in support systems in non-visible places and in structural applications.
- 2D. Cold rolled, heat treated, pickled: this surface is less rough than 1D, it is achieved with cold rolled, annealed and pickled material. The matte appearance of the surface is not very reflective, which makes it suitable for industrial and engineering applications although it is less used in architecture
- 2B. Cold rolled, heat treated, pickled and processed in Skin pass: Produced by the same process as the 2D surface, with a slight final rolling using very polished rollers that provides a smooth, reflective and grayish surface. It is the most commonly used surface finish today and serves as the basis for most bright and polished finishes.
- 2R. Cold rolled, annealed and bright: This very bright finish, which clearly reflects images, is obtained by a heat treatment under atmospheric conditions without oxygen, followed by cold rolling using very polished rollers. This finish is very smooth and is less likely to harbor air contaminants making its cleaning much easier.
At Ulbrinox we believe that achieving the desired finish is not complicated. It's simply a matter of understanding the desired result and following the established methodology and procedures. Proper handling of tools and consumables is essential to ensure that the finish matches or is created properly and efficiently, achieving a piece with the exact finish.
For more information on how the surface finishes mentioned above can be achieved efficiently and successfully, or to discuss any technical issues you may have trying to achieve the aforementioned finishes contact us, at Ulbrinox we have specialists at your service.
