Reducing the metal losses in trimming stainless-steel slabs

The defect composition at the surface of continuous-cast stainless-steel slabs is investigated, as well as the microstructure of the defects and the nonmetallic inclusions in cast metal and cold-rolled sheets of austenitic stainless steel trimmed by various means. The defects at the surface of cold-rolled stainless-steel sheets form a multiphase system resembling slag-forming mixture in its composition and are the residue of surface defects on the slabs. Two approaches to trimming austenitic stainless-steel sheets are considered. The surface quality of stainless-steel sheets obtained by the cold rolling of slabs that have been trimmed by the experimental and traditional methods is found to be approximately the same. The proposed technology reduces the metal losses in the grinding wastes by 1.8%, while ensuring acceptable quality of the slab surfaces. © 2014, Allerton Press, Inc.