Steel Sheets: Types, Characteristics and Application

Steel Metal Materials : Steel Sheets

1. Introduction of steel sheets

With the rapid development of science and technology, many new materials have emerged with superior features, better meeting the evolving needs. However, traditional materials such as steel still play a crucial role.

In daily life, we often come into contact with many products, machine components made from steel due to its durable, affordable, and easy-to-process properties. However, not all details are made from the same type of steel. Choosing the appropriate type of steel for processing depends on the function, purpose, and technical requirements to ensure product quality.

Nhat Nam Mechanical Co., Ltd. is a reputable company in the steel sheets, metal sheet fabrication industry in the Vietnamese market. With a team of engineers with many years of experience in metal sheet processing, we can help customers answer questions and produce products in the most optimal and efficient way.

2. What is steel sheets?

Steel sheet is one of the most common and important steel products today. It is a type of steel in sheet form, with a structure and characteristics similar to ordinary steel but in thin sheet form.

It is a type of steel that is rolled thin into flat sheets, with thickness ranging from a few millimeters to several tens of millimeters.
It is produced through the hot rolling or cold rolling process from the initial steel billet.
It has high hardness, good elasticity, and excellent bending and tensile strength due to its main components being iron and carbon.
It is widely used in construction, shipbuilding, mechanical engineering, and various other industries due to its ease of processing, cutting, and bending.
There are many types serving different purposes such as structural steel, galvanized steel for corrosion resistance...

Widely used in construction, shipbuilding, mechanical manufacturing, engineering. Steel sheet comes in many types and serves various purposes such as structural steel, galvanized steel for corrosion resistance...

The leading steel mills in Vietnam always focus on selecting the highest quality raw materials for the melting process, then using casting techniques to produce billets. The steel billets undergo strict refining processes such as hot rolling, cold rolling to remove defects and homogenize the structure.

Ultimately, thanks to the perfect combination of human expertise and technology, high-quality steel sheets are produced, meeting the most stringent requirements of customers.

3. Classification of steel sheets

Currently, on the market, steel sheets are divided into 2 types: hot-rolled steel and cold-rolled steel. The reason for this distinction is due to the different production processes. They share the same name, but the characteristics and applications of each type are different.

According to usage needs, steel sheets come in a variety of types, including:

Galvanized steel.
Non-slip steel.
General structural steel.
Wear-resistant steel.
High-strength low-alloy steel.
Shipbuilding steel.
Welded structural steel.

However, the types of steel commonly used in the industrial and mechanical engineering sectors are often cold-rolled and hot-rolled steel.

3.1. Cold-rolled steel sheets

Production process: This type of steel is rolled at low temperatures, typically close to room temperature. The production process for this type of steel involves cooling the steel billet, then rolling it thin, and finally cutting the steel into sheets to obtain the final product.

The advantage of this process is that it does not alter the material structure of the steel, only its shape. However, this is also why cold-rolled steel sheets tend to be relatively more expensive.

Advantages of cold-rolled steel sheets: Through practical use, cold-rolled steel sheets have demonstrated mechanical properties with standard hardness, good load-bearing capacity, and impact resistance. At the same time, the aesthetic aspect of the product is highly valued as the surface of the product always maintains a smooth finish and high gloss, which is visually appealing.

The use of cold-rolled steel sheets also becomes safer as they are neatly cut with clean edges and ground to ensure no burrs or waves. However, they still have certain drawbacks.

Disadvantages of cold-rolled steel sheets: In addition to the advantages mentioned above, these types of steel sheets are prone to oxidation and degradation if not properly handled and preserved.

Applications of cold-rolled steel sheets: Some minor drawbacks cannot overshadow the outstanding advantages of this type of steel. Cold-rolled steel sheets are more commonly used than hot-rolled steel because they offer better quality. They can be produced in ultra-thin forms suitable for various purposes. Therefore, they are widely applied not only in industries and mechanical engineering but also in the production of household items such as wardrobes, tables, and chairs…

3.2. Hot-rolled steel sheets

In contrast to cold-rolled steel sheets, hot-rolled steel is produced through a process of rolling at high temperatures. Typically, they are rolled at over 1000 degrees Celsius and formed into the final product.

Hot-rolled steel sheets typically have a dark bluish-black color, unlike the bright and glossy surface of cold-rolled steel. Additionally, the edges of hot-rolled steel sheets are not as neatly cut, and they lack aesthetic appeal.

The steel billets used to produce hot-rolled steel sheets are also used to create H, V, I, and U-shaped steel.

Unlike cold-rolled steel, hot-rolled steel is commonly used in the automotive industry, transportation vehicles, roofing sheets, and more…

4. The production standards for steel sheets

The production standards for steel sheets are typically determined by organizations and national standards. Here are some common standards for steel sheet production:

The ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards such as ASTM A36, ASTM A572, ASTM A516, etc., are commonly used in the production of steel sheets in the United States.
JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) standards such as JIS G3101, JIS G3131, JIS G3106, etc., regulate the quality and technical properties of steel sheets in Japan.
EN (European Standards) such as EN 10025, EN 10028, EN 10111, etc., are applied in the European Union to ensure the quality and technical properties of steel sheets.
GB (Guóbiāo, Chinese national standards) such as GB/T 700, GB/T 1591, GB/T 3274, etc., are standards applied in the steel industry in China.
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standards such as ISO 630, ISO 9001, ISO 3574, etc., are used to ensure production quality and management in the global steel sheet industry.

5. Standard steel plate dimensions and weight table

The dimensions of steel sheet are often manufactured in various sizes to meet the increasing demand of customers.

5.1. The table of common specifications, weights, and dimensions of steel sheets

No	Dimensions: TRD (mm)	Standard	Weights (Kg/sheet)
1	212502500	SS400 – China	49.06
2	315006000	SS400 – China	211.95
3	415006000	SS400 – Russia	282.6
4	415006000	SS400 – Arab	353.3
5	515006000 K	SS400 – Russia	353.25
6	615006000	SS400 – China	423.9
7	615006000	SS400 – Russia	423.9
8	615006000 K	SS400 – Russia	423.9
9	615006000	CT3 – KMK	423.9
10	615006000	CT3 – DMZ	423.9
11	815006000	SS400 – Russia	565.5
12	815006000 K	SS400 – Russia	565.5
13	815006000	CT3 – DMZ	565.5
14	815006000	SS400 – China	565.5
15	815006000	CT3 – KMK	565.5

5.2. The table of dimensions, weight of steel plates with thicknesses of 10 mm, 12 mm, 14 mm

No	Dimensions: TRD (mm)	Standard	Weights (Kg/sheet)
1	1015006000	SS400 – China	706.5
2	1015006000	SS400 – Russia	706.5
3	1015006000 K	SS400 – Russia	706.5
4	1015006000	CT3 – KMK	706.5
5	1015006000	CT3 – DMZ	706.5
6	1215006000	SS400 – China	847.8
7	1215006000	CT3 – DMZ	847.8
8	1420006000	SS400 – China	1318.8
9	14200012000	CT3 – Japan	989.1
10	1415006000	CT3 – China	989.1

5.3. The table of dimensions, weight of steel plates with thicknesses of 16 mm, 18 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm

No	Dimensions: TRD (mm)	Standard	Weights (Kg/sheet)
1	1615006000	SS400 – Russia	1130.4
2	16200012000	SS400 – China	3014.4
3	1620306000	SS400 – China	3059.6
4	162000012000	SS400 – China	3059.61
5	18200012000	SS400 – Japan	3014.4
6	20200012000	SS400 – Japan	3391.2
7	20250012000	SS400 – China	3768
8	20250012000 K	SS400 – China	4710
9	2220006000	SS400 – China	2072.4
10	25250012000	SS400 – China	5887.5
11	30200012000	SS400 – China	5652

5.4. The table of specifications and weight of anti-slip steel plates

No	Dimensions: TRD (mm)	Standard	Weights (Kg/sheet)
1	312506000	SS400 – China	199.125
2	315006000	SS400 – China	238.95
3	415006000	SS400 – China	309.6
4	515006000	SS400 – China	308.25
5	615006000	SS400 – China	450.9

6. Applications of steel plate

From the various classifications of steel sheets, they are cut into different sizes and shapes suitable for the requirements of each specific industry and job.

In construction, large-sized steel plates are used in bridge girders, where they are interconnected through welding joints or bolts, creating a sturdy structure

In mechanical engineering and civil use, they become machine casings, various mechanical parts, components, furniture such as tables, cabinets, kitchen shelves, etc. More information about OEM Machine project by us.

For the automotive industry, steel sheets are indispensable as they are used for frames, chassis, car underbodies, and covering the vehicle body. In the electrical industry, they are commonly used to manufacture products such as the steel in the casing of water pumps, electric fans, etc.

Thus, it can be seen that steel sheets are widely utilized across various industries. Depending on the purpose and requirements, they are used in thin or thick forms, in large or small sizes. Due to the high demand for usage, steel sheet fabrication has become an extremely promising industry.

7. What is steel sheet fabrication?

Sheet metal fabrication is the process of cutting, punching, bending, folding, etc., to transform metal sheets into products with desired shapes and specifications. Modern methods of metal sheet fabrication are often supported by advanced CNC machines.

Metal sheet fabrication can also be defined as the process of using machinery to transform the shape of a metal sheet into another desired form. Some specialized tools for metal sheet fabrication include CNC plasma cutting machines, punching machines, laser cutting machines, CNC bending machines, etc. The choice of method depends on individual needs and purposes.

8. Methods of steel sheets fabrication

From a basic steel sheet, users can create a product according to their needs using CNC cutting methods for processing.

Plasma/Oxy gas cutting method: This method is typically used for metals ranging from thin to thick but does not require high precision. And the production cost using this method is relatively cheap.

Laser cutting method is the most advanced method today with intelligent technologies that provide extremely high precision. With laser cutting method, the quality of the product will be higher, but the cost will be higher compared to plasma cutting method. And laser cutting machines with higher power output will produce thicker products.

Bending method: It is a process of deforming, bending the edges of metal sheets according to the desired shape.

Punching method: This method is mainly used to create fixed shapes on the surface of metal sheets such as round holes, squares…

Nowadays, in Vietnam, there are many companies involved in the production and distribution of steel coils and steel sheets. However, not all of them guarantee steel quality to meet standards, making it difficult for users to choose, especially for large projects and constructions. Below are some reputable companies that manufacture and distribute steel coils and sheets in Vietnam:

China Steel & Nippon Steel Vietnam Joint Stock Company (CSVC)

One of the advanced steel manufacturing companies in the world is located in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, Vietnam.

With advanced technology and high-tech equipment imported from holding companies, CSVC is currently focusing on manufacturing and trading four main products: Rust and Oil Removed & Oiled Steel Coils (PO), Cold Rolled Steel Coils (CR), Galvanized Steel Coils (CG), and Electrolytic Steel Coils (ES).

POSCO Vietnam Co., Ltd.

POSCO Vietnam Co., Ltd. is the largest cold-rolled steel company in Southeast Asia. Currently, POSCO-VIETNAM Co., Ltd. has been providing stable and high-quality steel products not only in Vietnam but also to Asian countries such as China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The cold-rolled steel factory of POSCO has an average capacity of 1.2 million tons per year. POSCO is currently regarded as the leading enterprise in Vietnam in terms of production market share (84%) as well as export (99%) of cold-rolled steel.

Formosa Ha Tinh Hung Nghiep Iron and Steel Company Limited (FHS)

The hot-rolled products of Formosa Ha Tinh Corporation are billet steel sheets processed through stages such as heating furnace, descaling, rough rolling, finish rolling, surface cooling, and coiling to create hot-rolled coil steel. The Hot Rolling Mill has a planned production capacity of 5.2 million tons per year, with a thickness range from 1.2 to 25.4mm and a width range from 900mm to 1880mm. The company has also obtained ISO 9001 certification for its quality management system and exports its products to various countries such as Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia…

9. Conclusion

Steel sheet is one of the indispensable materials in many fields of life today, playing an important role that cannot be replaced. Depending on the process and purpose, we have specific types of steel sheet.

This article provides you with basic knowledge, the functions, and how to distinguish between hot rolled and cold rolled plates. Common applications and their roles in business production are also discussed.