hot rolled steel Archives - Page 2 of 2 - National Material Company

24 06, 2021

The Slitting Line and Steel Slitting Process Explained

andre2021-06-24T18:47:26+00:00June 24th, 2021|News Blog, NMC Media|

Steel is an alloy of iron that is mixed with carbon which improves its strength and durability. Combine these properties with its low cost and you have a perfectly-suited alloy for a multitude of uses in various end applications, including (but not limited to) automotive, infrastructure, and appliance/HVAC.

Enter the role of steel processors. Steel processing companies like National Material Company provide manufacturers with the right steel material for their industry. This article will focus on the topic of steel slitting and how the slitting process works.

Steel slitting is a steel manufacturing process wherein a coil of steel is slit into the lengths and widths specified by the end application. This process requires machinery lines equipped with a decoiler, slitter, and a recoiler — to achieve the end product: slit steel coils, or “mults.”

An operator will feed the steel coil onto the uncoiler mandrel. The uncoiler unwinds the master coil, feeding it into the slitter head where the steel will be slit into narrow mults (strips) by rotary knives. The operator then inspects the individual mults to ensure the gauge width and edge condition meet required specifications. The mults will then travel through a looping pit to insure stress-free and camber-free recoiling of the slit material. Individual mults are then banded and packaged to specific customer requirements.

This process requires careful precision. Leading steel processing company NMC operates several steel service centers in the United States and Mexico using robust precision slitting machines equipped with advanced technology in software, tooling practices, and hardware. This helps National Material Company streamline their production and reduces their time to delivery. NMC thoroughly checks their equipment for alignment and regularly calibrates their machine line to help reduce scrap and overall cost.

National Material Company spent decades perfecting the art of steel processing to provide only the best to their clients, earning their position as a top steel processor. NMC guarantees top tier quality for all of your steel supply needs, and they also offer a wide variety of steel processing capabilities.

About National Material L.P. – National Material L.P. (NMLP) has been in the steel service industry since 1964. Operating 16 steel service centers and processing facilities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico makes them one of the largest independent steel service centers in North America. For more information about National Material L.P, visit www.nmlp.com

To find out more information about NMC’s products and services, please visit us at www.nationalmaterial.com or call (U.S.) 847-806-7200 to speak with a sales representative.

15 07, 2020

Steel Breakdown: Types, Classifications, and Numbering Systems

andre2020-07-15T20:37:01+00:00July 15th, 2020|News Blog|

In this blog, we will take an in-depth look at some of the most common categories of steel, what makes them different, and what to consider when deciding which type of steel is right for you.

Four Types of Steel

According to the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI), steel can be categorized into four basic groups based on the chemical compositions:
1. Carbon steel
2. Alloy steel
3. Stainless steel
4. Tool steel

All steel is composed of iron and carbon. It is the amount of carbon, and the additional alloys, that determine the properties of each grade. There are many different grades of steel that encompass varied properties. These properties can be physical, chemical, and environmental. Let’s take a closer look!

Carbon steels contain trace amounts of alloying elements and account for 90% of total steel production. Carbon steels can be further categorized into three groups depending on their carbon content:

● Low carbon steels/mild steels contain up to 0.3% carbon
● Medium carbon steels contain 0.3-0.6% carbon
● High carbon steels contain more than 0.6% carbon

Alloy steels contain alloying elements (e.g. manganese, silicon, nickel, titanium, copper, chromium, and aluminum) in varying proportions in order to manipulate the steel’s properties, such as its hardenability, corrosion resistance, strength, formability, weldability, or ductility. Applications for alloy steels include pipelines, auto parts, transformers, power generators, and electric motors.

Stainless steels generally contain between 10-20% chromium as the main alloying element and are valued for high corrosion resistance. With over 11% chromium, stainless steel is about 200 times more resistant to corrosion than mild steel. These steels can be divided into three groups based on their crystalline structure:

Austenitic: Austenitic steels are non-magnetic and non-heat-treatable, and generally contain 18% chromium, 8% nickel, and less than 0.8% carbon. Austenitic steels form the largest portion of the global stainless steel market and are often used in food processing equipment, kitchen utensils, and piping.
Ferritic: Ferritic steels contain trace amounts of nickel, 12-17% chromium, less than 0.1% carbon, along with other alloying elements, such as molybdenum, aluminum, or titanium. These magnetic steels cannot be hardened by heat treatment but can be strengthened by cold working.

Martensitic: Martensitic steels contain 11-17% chromium, less than 0.4% nickel, and up to 1.2% carbon. These magnetic and heat-treatable steels are used in knives and cutting tools, as well as dental and surgical equipment.

Tool steels contain tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt, and vanadium in varying quantities to increase heat resistance and durability, making them ideal for cutting and drilling equipment.
Steel products can also be divided by their shapes and related applications:

Long/tubular products: These include bars and rods, rails, wires, angles, pipes, and shapes and sections. These products are commonly used in the automotive and construction sectors.

Flat products: These include plates, sheets, coils, and strips. These materials are mainly used in automotive parts, appliances, packaging, shipbuilding, and construction.
Other products include valves, fittings, and flanges and are mainly used as piping materials.

Classifications

Types of steel can […]

14 05, 2020

EDI – Value-Added Benefits in the Steel Industry

Patton Quinn2020-05-14T15:52:23+00:00May 14th, 2020|News Blog|

If your company takes part in supply chain processes, then you know how easy it is to lose control of the entire document flow and how important it is to have real-time access to reliable information regarding the delivery process. In traditional methods of business to business (b2b) communication, misunderstandings can often occur. Often, these misunderstandings are regarding collection and loading time, load capacity, product specificity, how the goods were packed and sent, and status of delivery. Manual entry data can result in incorrect documents, invoice totals can be erroneously entered, inaccurate invoice information can delay payment date, and delay receiving money to buy raw materials. Paper documents can become lost or filed in the wrong file and thus be difficult to find. Electronic data interchange, or, EDI, optimizes data exchange and management, and improves b2b communication and processes. EDI includes payment, invoices, delivery confirmation, delivery, packing, and ordering.

Like many other early information technologies, EDI was inspired by developments in military logistics. The complexity of military operations that required vast quantities of data and information about transported goods inspired the first innovations in large-scale communication, which later shaped the first TDCC (Transportation Data Coordinating Committee) standards in the United States. Among the first integrated systems using EDI were Freight Control Systems. An example of this is the London Airport Cargo EDP Scheme (LACES) at Heathrow Airport, London, in which a modem-like system would forward information to agents who would directly enter information into the customs processing system, reducing the time for clearance.

EDI provides a technical basis for automated commercial “conversations” between two entities, either internal or external. The term EDI encompasses the entire electronic data interchange process, including the transmission, message flow, document format, and software used to interpret the documents. EDI is the computer-to-computer exchange of business documents in a standard electronic format between business partners.

Each term in the definition is significant:

● Computer-to-computer – EDI replaces postal mail, fax, and email. While email is also an electronic approach, the documents exchanged via email must still be handled by people rather than computers. Having people involved slows down the processing of the documents and also introduces errors. Instead, EDI documents can flow straight through to the appropriate application on the receiver’s computer (e.g., the Order Management System) and processing can begin immediately.
● Business documents – These are any of the documents that are typically exchanged between businesses. The most common documents exchanged via EDI are purchase orders, invoices, and advance ship notices. But there are many, many others such as bills of lading, customs documents, inventory documents, shipping status documents, and payment documents.
● Standard format – Because EDI documents must be processed by computers rather than humans, a standard format must be used so that the computer will be able to read and understand the documents. A standard format describes what each piece of information […]

30 07, 2019

NMC’s Steel Processing Capabilities

andre2019-09-12T20:08:50+00:00July 30th, 2019|News Blog, NMC Media|

As the leader in steel processing capabilities, supply chain management, and inventory control, NMC is the perfect choice for any customer in search of the best experience possible. A dedicated work force, state-of-the-art slitters, cut-to-length lines and warehouse storage capabilities make NMC the premiere steel manufacturing company in North America. Locations throughout The United States and Mexico offer a logistic advantage resulting in a more efficient service to conserve our customer’s most valuable resource: cost.

2 01, 2018

National Material | Your Steel Service Center Since 1964

marshall2020-04-01T21:26:58+00:00January 2nd, 2018|News Blog, NMC Media|

In 1964, Cyrus Tang started a steel service center in the Chicago-area for electrical grade steels. His initial success continued as he went on to build the company, and expanded into all types of flat rolled steel. Along the journey, National Material Company built many of the first processing facilities in America; including the very first independent push-pull pickle line and heavy-gauge galvanizing line. With half a century of steel experience, National Material is a leader in processing and supply-chain management for flat rolled steel.

National Material Company is now a part of National Material Limited Partnership which is a diverse operator of metal-related businesses and one of the largest independent operators of steel service centers in the United States. The NMLP group of companies operate 16 steel service centers and processing facilities in North America and ship over 2,000,000 tons of steel annually. Twelve of these steel processing facilities and service centers are located and operated in the U.S. and Mexico markets to meet the wide variety of needs of our customers.

NMC specializes in supplying, servicing and processing steel with unmatched efficiency and capacity while offering expertise in supply-chain management. As the leader in supply-chain management, just-in-time programs, and inventory control, NMC is the perfect choice for any customer in search of the best value and experience possible.

Our products, services and capabilities, include the following:

Hot Rolled and Cold Rolled Steel
Grain Oriented and Non-Oriented Electrical Steel
Pre-Painted Steel
Galvanized, Aluminized and Other Coated Materials
Precision Slitting
Steel Pickling
Galvanizing
Annealing Capability
Cut-to-Length Processing
Precision Blanking Processing
Complete Metallurgical Lab and Testing Facilities

With plants strategically located with freight in mind and an experienced team of individuals who truly understand the ins and outs of steel processing, National Material is able to deliver on-time quality services and products while helping to drive down cost for their customers. On a constant quest for the improvement that can only be achieved through comprehensive supply-chain management, National Material Company comes out on top. Proud to be ISO 9002 certified, and uncompromising in its safety standards for their family of employees, National Material Company has been setting standards in the steel service and processing industry for 50 years and will continue to lead the way.

Visit National Material: https://www.nationalmaterial.com or call (U.S.) 847-806-7200