An In-depth technical guide of MS Flat Wire
An
in-depth technical guide of SS Flat Wire
SS
flat wire or stainless steel flat wire is made up of stainless steel which is
known for its versatility, strength, and smooth surface. It is majorly used
across a wide range of manufacturing and engineering applications because of
its heat and corrosion resistance benefits.
Talking
about the history of stainless steel, it was first developed in Sheffield,
England by Harry Brearley in the year 1913. Brearley thought of developing a
new steel alloy that can be used for manufacturing gun barrels. When this new
alloy was discovered, it was found that it was very difficult to etch into it
and it did not rust. The initial stainless steel had 13 percent chromium
content. Because of the unique qualities, stainless steel was quickly
commercialized and began to use in the manufacturing of cutlery.
The
global use of SS flat wire is increasing by around 5 percent each year and the
current demand is about 20 million tons per year. Although the grades of SS
flat wire are more expensive to buy, but the low maintenance, strength,
aesthetic appeal, and resistance to corrosion makes it an investment for long
time.
SS
flat wire is made by starting with a round wire, which is further drawn to
optimal sizing. Then it is rolled to a flat cross-section by passing it through
a series a processes and using annealing when required. SS flat wire provides
close dimensional tolerances with a wide range of edges on narrow widths.
Stainless
steel flat wires are found in multiple types, but are mainly classified into
four main types. These types are mostly identified by the crystalline structure,
and are known as martensitic, ferritic, austenitic, and duplex. Matta Drawing Works
is one of the leading flat wire manufacturer providing SS flat wire in mainly 4
grades, namely 316, 303, 304, and ferritic 430 grades. As the matter of fact
that these four grades of SS flat wire possess different characteristics,
ensuring to choose the appropriate type is highly important for your project.
Below mentioned is a quick technical guide of the various grades of stainless
steel that are used to make SS flat wire.
Austenitic
Austenitic
stainless steel used to make SS flat wire compiles the 300 series containing
nickel as the stabilizing element. Because of the face-centered
cubic crystal structure, this steel grade is able to maintain the
microstructure at all temperatures all through the melting point. Austenitic
stainless steel cannot be hardened through heat treatment, but can be hardened
by work hardening process and they are they possess non-magnetic properties.
Ferritic
Like
carbon steel, ferritic stainless steel also has a ferrite
body-centered cubic crystal structure. The ferrite stainless steel used to
manufacture SS flat wire has a microstructure that is suitable for all
temperatures because of their chromium content. This makes it unable to harden
via heat treatment or by work hardening. Due to the addition of molybdenum and
chromium, ferrite stainless steel has enhanced corrosion resistance
characteristic and is also magnetic in nature.
Martensitic
Martensitic
stainless steel used to make SS flat wire is manufactured by a three-way heat
treatment process that changes the microstructure from austenitic to
martensitic. Martensitic stainless steel is not as corrosion resistant as
ferritic steel and is magnetic in nature. Due to the high carbon content,
martensitic stainless steel is able to be hardened via thermal hardening
treatments for improving the mechanical properties significantly.
Duplex
SS
flat wire made out of duplex stainless steel have a microstructure that is part
ferritic and part austenitic. This composition is usually a 50/50 mix and
sometimes a 60/40 mix for manufacturing some commercial alloys. They have a
higher molybdenum and chromium content and
comparatively lower nickel content than austenitic grades. Duplex stainless
steel is twice as stronger than austenitic grades and have a much higher
corrosion resistance.
Uses of SS flat wire
SS flat wire is mostly used in the manufacturing of applications that requires
high strength and resistance to corrosion. Among them, the most common
applications include nuts and bolts, switchgear components, screws, bearings,
bushings, flexible metal hose, aircraft fixings, surgical components, pharmaceutical & chemical processing
equipment, shipping drums, springs, automotive equipments, architectural
applications, cooking equipments, and many more.
Conclusion
SS
flat wire is among the most used flat wires for applications among various
industries. The maximum global requirement of flat wires is fulfilled with the
supply of SS flat wire by flat wire manufacturer. Engineers and purchasers who
are looking to acquire continuous length
metallic products prefer SS flat wire for their projects.
Publish Date : 09-12-2021