NMC Media Archives - Page 13 of 16 - National Material Company

12 09, 2018

The Benefits of Our On-Site Metallurgical Lab

Kelly Smith2018-09-12T20:46:48+00:00September 12th, 2018|News Blog|

The manufacturing of metal parts is a complex, highly-scientific process that must often be approached on a molecular level. By understanding how a metal molecularly transforms from mineral to a manufactured part allows for more consistent products. Having an on-site metallurgy lab, like National Material Company does, optimizes metal’s capabilities and increases product reliability.

What is metallurgical analysis?

Metallurgical analysis is the study of a metal alloy’s chemical, mechanical, and physical properties. Steel metallurgical analysis has been prominent since the industrial revolution where it became important to gain a deeper understanding of a metal’s ability to be altered with cold and hot workings. Deeper understanding of a metal’s properties meant manufacturers could make a wider variety of goods and make these goods more consistent and reliable. This is still true today.

Benefits of having a metallurgical lab on-site?

A metal’s microstructure can change over time and through its processing Having an on-site metallurgical lab helps ensure that the metal products meet the customer’s specifications.

When providing metals for industries such as automotive, agriculture, etc. it is critical that the metals used in their manufacturing meet the designated specifications given their designated end use.

What metallurgical testing does NMC offer?

As a supplier of galvanized steel, hot rolled steel, and cold rolled steel, National Material Company knows how many processes metals must go through before they are ready to be shipped to our variety of clients. We have an on-site metallurgical lab that puts our metals through a variety of tests including physical properties, hardness, coating weight and bake hard. NMC has a variety of additional testing capabilities using their qualified network of testing labs.

We strive to exceed our customer expectations in all phases of the manufacturing process including metallurgical analysis and testing.

If you believe your company can benefit from our services, please visit us at https://www.nationalmaterial.com/or call (U.S.) 847-806-7200 to discuss how we can be of service.

About National Material L.P. – Since its founding in 1964, National Material Limited Partnership has grown to over 30 business units and is now one of the largest suppliers of steel in America. The National Material group of industrial businesses consists of the Steel Group, Stainless and Alloys Group, Raw Material Trading Group, Aluminum Group, and Related Operations.

8 08, 2018

How Metal Manufacturing Supports the Agricultural Industry

Kelly Smith2018-08-08T19:12:21+00:00August 8th, 2018|News Blog, NMC Media|

When you think of farming what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Rows of crops? Animals in a barn? Bails of hay perhaps? All these things are likely be found on farms but what is often forgotten about is the equipment that makes all these elements possible. From feeding pails to tractors to silos, the metal manufacturing industry is intrinsically linked to the agricultural industry. Modern farming is extremely efficient, mostly thanks to the industrialized nature of the facilities filled with factory-like machines. We will explore how the steel industry supports the agriculture and farming industry, the advantages it provides, and how National Material Company is prepared to supply the necessary materials to agricultural OEMS.

How is steel used in the agriculture and farming industry?

The agriculture industry is becoming increasingly competitive because of the efficiency of the operations. With higher quality metals, agricultural machine manufacturers create more reliable, efficient machines that translate into better farming. Steel is found in a variety of farming equipment including:

Storage facilities like barns and silos
Harvesting equipment like tractors, cotton pickers, hay balers, etc.
Greenhouses
Livestock management equipment like fencing, feeding pails, milk machines, etc.
General operation equipment like forklifts, watering systems, drains, etc.

What’s the advantage of using steel in agriculture and farming?

Agriculture and farming is dirty business; filled with heat, dirt, chemicals, and various harsh elements from the great outdoors. This means that farming equipment is susceptible to being easily corroded, creating a demand for tougher, resilient equipment. This is where steel comes in. Hot-dip galvanized steel provides corrosion protection that can often last for decades, even when exposed to the harsh environment of farming.

Stainless steel is also utilized for its surface properties. With a standard, shiny finish, it makes it particularly easy to clean. Also, in applications like dairy farming, the smooth finish is important because of the need to maintain microbiological quality in the raw milk.

What can NMC provide for agricultural and farming equipment companies?

As an increasingly competitive industry, having the best source for metal fabrication is critical for any agricultural OEM. National Material Company is capable of providing a wide variety of metals including galvanized steel and advanced high-strength steel, as well as steel processing like blanking and pickling, to these manufacturers.

Our experienced team can provide an array of materials with good design, maximum corrosion resistance, and do so with accelerated customer service. Whether you’re looking to build small parts for a milking machine, or large sheets of metal for a grain silo, NMC can serve you. With our ISO- 9002 certification, you have reassurance that your farming equipment is produced with the highest quality standards.

About National Material L.P. – Since its founding in 1964, National Material Limited Partnership has grown to over 30 business units and is now one of the largest suppliers of steel in America. The National Material group of industrial businesses consists of the Steel Group, Stainless and Alloys Group, Raw Material Trading Group, Aluminum Group, and Related Operations.

If you believe your company can benefit […]

11 07, 2018

Introduction to Press-Hardened Steels

Kelly Smith2018-07-11T17:06:31+00:00July 11th, 2018|News Blog, NMC Media|

What are Press-Hardened Steels (PHS)?

Press-Hardened Steels are Boron added (.001%-.005%) Carbon /Manganese steels that have been in use since the mid 1980’s for automotive body in white construction.

These steels are also known as HF or Hot Formed Steel.

Press Hardened Steel or Hot Formed Steels undergo a unique manufacturing process where the steel is heated to a minimum temperature of 850*C then formed to a final shape in water cooled dies that control the rates of cooling / quench to insure desired properties are met. The high temperature combined with rapid cooling transforms the microstructure to nearly 100% Martensite and very high finished tensile strengths up to 2000 Mpa. This process is commonly referred to as “Hot Stamping”. The finished product qualifies as advanced high-strength steel, and is three times as stable as the material was prior to undergoing the process. It’s strength-to-weight ratio is also vastly increased.

The implementation of press hardening applications and the utilization of hardened steels are promising alternatives for optimizing part geometries with complex shapes with no spring back issues. The Hot Forming process allows for the formation of shapes that cannot be cold stamped with Ultra High Strength steels.

The unique properties of this material combine both complexity and strength – and components made with press-hardened steel can accomplish in one piece what would usually require heavier, thicker parts that are welded together.

The Press-Hardening / Hot Forming process was first put in to practice in the mid 1980’s and is primarily used in the creation of crash-sensitive safety components in automobiles. The parts created with this process meet several of the evolving requirements of the automobile industry, such as weight and cost reduction, as well as reduced environmental impact in its creation.

Since being introduced, Hot Forming has steadily increased in popularity. Recent model year vehicles have seen the percentage of these steels rise to 25% of body in white weight.

PHS / HF Steels can be supplied with coatings that prevent the formation of oxide during the process. The most common of these coatings is Aluminum Silicon (AS) coating, other coatings may include Hot Dipped (GI), Galvannealed (GA) or Zinc Nickle (GP).

These parts are typically used where part stiffness and low deformation are important, typical parts may include.

A-Pillar
B-Pillar
Front / Rear Side Member
Crossmembers
Door Ring

Properties of Press-Hardened Steels

The strength of press-hardened steels can reach as high as 2000 MPa (215ksi), with a 1000MPa (145 ksi) yield stress total.

The Press Hardening Process

The two different processes for press-hardening are as follows.

Direct, in which the steel is first superheated in a furnace, formed while it is still hot, and then quenched while within the die. The process goes like this:

The steel with a ferritic-pearlitic matrix is austenized in a furnace. The blanks are heated up to a high temperature, nearly reaching 1000*C.
The material is then removed from the furnace and immediately transported to the stamping machinery within 10 seconds of removal
The die is closed, and the part is formed
The die is then rapidly quenched. […]

28 06, 2018

Steel Service Snapshot: Advantages of Steel Blanking

Kelly Smith2025-03-12T16:35:53+00:00June 28th, 2018|News Blog, NMC Media|

The process of steel blanking has become prominent in the steel manufacturing industry because of its ability to make highly specialized parts that minimize waste and cost. With steel blanking, the goal is to use what is stamped/punched out rather than what is left after going through the die. Simply, the punched-out piece IS the part. Let’s look at how this process works, how it differs from other processes, and its overall benefits.

What is steel blanking?

Blanking is a steel manufacturing process in which a flat, geometric shape (or “blank”) is created by feeding a coil of sheet metal into a press and die. In this process the blank is punched out from large metal sheet. Here is visual depiction of this process:

Press Blanking machinery can typically process material up to 72 inches (1828mm) wide and .250 inches (6.35mm) thick from coils up to 80,000 lbs. Typically multiple sheets are blanked in a single operation and the blanked parts will require secondary finishing to smooth out burrs along the bottom edge.

How does steel blanking differ from other process?

Other, similarly natured processes include punching and piercing. Both remove material from a metal sheet but the end results differ from steel blanking.

Punching is also a material removal process but rather than the final product being the punched out material, like in blanking, metal is removed so that the sheet metal itself is the final product. An easy way to differentiate is to think of a piece of paper that you punch a hole through. Blanking uses the circular piece as the final product while punching uses the piece of paper with the hole in it as the final product. Get a Custom Quote for Your Steel Blanking Needs

Another similar process is piercing, in which a punch operation cuts a hole by tearing operation from a final piece of sheet metal. This is process is considered a blanking operation.

Steel Blanking Advantages

Steel blanking produces economical metal pieces that are customized to fit specific customer needs. In the blanking process the material is continually fed into the machine which leads toless setup and parts management. Simply, steel blanking allows you to make more with less.

This reduces waste significantly because the tools are typically designed to nest parts as close together as possible. Also, shipping costs are reduced by only sending the net weight and leaving the rest behind.

Industries that use steel blanking

Commonly, a press blanking line is designed to meet the

high-quality demands of the automotive and fabricating industries. This includes suppliers of “surface exposed” panels and other auxiliary sectors. The industries that use blanking material will likely expand. This is due to the ability for blanks to adapt to the final shape of the part which appeals to a wide variety of industrial industries.

NMC’s Steel Blanking Capabilities

National Material is a steel service center […]

15 05, 2018

What Is Steel Pickling?

Kelly Smith2025-03-12T16:39:26+00:00May 15th, 2018|News Blog, NMC Media|

WHAT IS STEEL PICKLING?

Steel pickling refers to a treatment that is used to remove impurities, rust, and scale from the surface of a material. During hot working processes, an oxide layer (referred to as “scale”, due to the scaly nature of its appearance) develops on the surface of the metal. Before most cold rolling processes, previously hot rolled steel goes through a pickling line to remove the scale from the surface and make it easier to work. To restore the best corrosion resistant performance, the damaged metal layer must be removed, exposing a fully alloyed stainless steel surface.

In order to remove this oxide layer, the material is dipped into a vat of what is called “pickle liquor”. Pickle liquor can come in many forms; carbon steels with an alloy content of less than 6% are often pickled in hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. For steels that have a higher carbon content, a two-step pickling process is required, with additional acids used (phosphoric, hydrofluoric, and nitric acid).

Steel processing companies that offer hot and cold rolling services typically encounter two different types of scale – high-temperature and low-temperature scale. High temperature milling processes create three layers of iron oxide, which forms on the material after at temperatures above 1070F. Low temperature mill scale develops in procedures that use temperatures below 1070.

Need high-quality, scale-free steel for your next project?

TYPES OF ACID USED IN STEEL PICKLING:

Hydrochloric

Advantages:

Reduce heating costs since pickling solutions are used at room temperature
More extensive scale removal
Less penetration of hydrogen by diffusion
Less deposition of iron salts on the pickled surface

Disadvantages:

Fumes when heated above ambient temperatures
Acid recovery systems are expensive
More corrosive toward equipment
Magnesium Higher disposal costs than sulfuric acid

Sulfuric

Advantages:

Acid can be renewed more frequently
Raising temperature will allow lower acid concentrations to pickle effectively
Ease of recovering iron sulfate
The rate of pickling can be controlled by varying the temperature

Disadvantages:

Greater acid attack on base metal.
Greater hydrogen diffusion into the steel
Pickling residues are more adherent
Acid solutions must be heated

After the steel pickling process, sheet steel will typically oxidize after long exposure to atmospheric conditions that experience high humidity. To counteract this, a film of oil or other waterproof coatings are applied to create a shield of moisture in the air.

National Material’s Steel Pickling Capabilities:

About National Material L.P. – National Material Limited Partnership and its affiliates have a long history of quality and service dating back to 1964. Since its founding, National Material L.P. has grown to over 30 business units and is now one of the largest suppliers of steel in America. The […]