Stainless steel is a metal alloy that is known for being very durable, particularly resistant to corrosion, and aesthetically pleasing. For that reason, its use has become popular across industries. Stainless steel is often used in kitchen appliances, cars, architectural parts, chemical plants, and more. Polished stainless steel is one of the most popular types because when the steel has this finish, it becomes smooth creating a sanitary finish when specified. If you are considering using polished stainless steel in one of your projects, you may be curious about polished stainless steel and how it’s made. To answer that question, below is an overview of the stainless steel manufacturing and polishing processes.
Stainless steel is an alloy, which means it is made up of many different elements that are combined. The primary element of the alloy is iron, and the alloy must contain at least 10.5% chromium. Chromium is the element that gives stainless steel its corrosion-resistant nature. The higher the chromium percentage of the stainless steel is, the more resistant to corrosion it will be. Stainless steel typically includes other elements like nickel, carbon, nitrogen, manganese, silicon, and others in smaller or trace amounts. The manufacturing process involves a combination of these many elements.
The elements of the stainless steel are first melted down together in a furnace for 8-12 hours. Often, scrap metal and recycled stainless steel is used for this process. The temperature at which the metal is melted will vary based on the grade of steel being made.
After the mixture is melted, extra carbon content must be removed. While carbon is an essential part of stainless steel, too much can create issues. Carbon can be removed in one of two ways: either through processing in an argon oxygen decarburization (AOD) converter, or through vacuum oxygen decarburization (VOD). When using an AOD, an oxygen-carbon mixture is injected into the molten metal, which removes the extra carbon. With VOD, oxygen is injected into the metal in a chamber, and the released carbon gas is vacuumed out.
After carbon removal, the metal mixture is fine-tuned to ensure that it meets the standard requirements of its grade. This involves the removal of excess elements and the balancing of the chemicals in the metal.
Next, the mixture is cast or formed into its shape. Some typical forms include blooms, billets, slabs, rods, and tubes. From here, the steel will be crafted into its final form.
Hot rolling is done at the temperature above the recrystallization temperature of the stainless steel. In this process, the metal is rolled, and the approximate form given at casting is made into a more precise form.
Cold rolling occurs just below the recrystallization temperature of the metal. This process uses multiple rollers and gives the metal an even more precise shape and a nice finish.
During the annealing process, the metal is repeatedly heated and cooled. This helps to soften the steel and improve certain qualities like ductility.
By this point in the manufacturing process, scale has generally formed on the steel. Scale can be detrimental to the steel and must be removed. This is achieved either by heating and cooling the metal further in an environment without oxygen, or by covering the metal in an acid mixture.
After all these steps are completed, the steel can finally be cut. There are several methods that can be used to cut stainless steel. It can be cut mechanically with guillotine knives, circular knives, high-speed blades, or by using metal punches and dies. It can also be cut using flame cutting or plasma jet cutting, which use a torch or ionized gas and an electric arc, respectively.
The final stage of stainless steel manufacturing is the finishing. Stainless steel comes in a variety of finishes achieved by different finishing methods. Among these are sand blasting, wet etching with acid, buffing, and polishing.
Polished stainless steel is one of the most popular finishes. The benefits of polished stainless steel include a smooth and shiny appearance and a higher resistance to corrosion than rougher stainless steel. Because the surface of the metal is so smooth, it will not capture dirt and bacteria as a rougher material would. Within the category of polished stainless steel, there are several different mechanically polished finishes. Here is a guide to polished stainless steel and how it’s made in a few different finishes.
This polished finish, sometimes called a satin finish, is achieved by sanding the stainless steel with a 150-grit abrasive belt. This finish is smooth but not overly shiny and includes visible grains running in the same direction. A wide range of industries use this type of finish, and it is typically used in kitchen appliances, vehicles, architecture, and more.
The fine brushed finish is similar in appearance to a brushed finish, but slightly smoother with a finer grain. It is made in the same way as a brushed finish, but after being sanded, it is softened with a lower grit belt. This type of polished stainless steel is ideal for those who want a very smooth surface that is less prone to corrosion than a brushed finish, but not quite as reflective as a mirror finish.
A polished mirror finish is created by rubbing the metal with gradually finer abrasives. Before the polishing process begins, any defects on the surface of the metal, including scratches, must be removed. This process is called pre-grinding. Finally, the surface of the metal is buffed for 5-10 minutes to make the metal bright, smooth, and mirror-like. Though both brushed and mirror finishes are polished, the mirror finish is even more resistant to corrosion than the brushed finish, since it is completely smooth and has no grooves. The mirror finish is typically used decoratively or for materials that must be reflective, like mirrors.
A polished stainless steel finish will give you a durable and visually appealing metal to use in your project. If your stainless steel has dulled over the years, CMPI offers stainless steel polishing services for plates and a variety of other items. Bring your stainless steel to us and we will restore it to its former glory.
A mirror-polished stainless steel sheet is a metal material that has been polished to create a highly reflective surface, which has a mirror-like finish. The raw material is cold-rolled 2B-finish bright annealed stainless steel sheets. It can be available on one side or both sides of the stainless steel sheet.
Mirror stainless steel sheet is divided into three types according to the different surface gloss, general mirror(8K), fine mirror(10K), or super mirror(12K). The most commonly used is ordinary 8K with an affordable processing cost.
One benefit of a cold-rolled stainless steel sheet is that it does not rust. This happens because the chromium in the steel reacts with oxygen to form a very thin, invisible layer of chrome oxide on the surface of the metal. This layer protects the underlying steel from further corrosion by forming a barrier between the steel and any other substances that might cause rust. The percentage of nickel in stainless steel also affects its ability to resist rusting; steels with higher percentages of nickel are more resistant to corrosion than those with lower percentages.
Source: https://eurosiderscalo.comThere are many stainless steel materials and commonly used grades including 304, 304L, 316, 316L, 201, and 430, etc., They contain different chemical composition ratios, resulting in their different physical properties. The following is the chemical composition table for your reference.
GradeNickel %Chromium %Carbon %Molybdenum %3048.0~10.518.0~20.00.08 Max—304L8.0~10.518.0~20.00.03 Max—31610.0~14.016.0~18.00.08 Max2.0~3.0316L10.0~14.016.0~18.00.03 Max2.0~3.0430—16.0~18.01.20 Max—2010.8-1.0013.0-16.0 1.00 Max —Stainless Steel Chemical CompositionThe yield strength of a cold-rolled stainless steel sheet is the amount of stress at which a material begins to deform plastically. The yield strength for 304 stainless steel is approximately 75,000 psi. 316 stainless steel has a higher yield strength of 80,000 psi. Stainless steel sheets are available in several different thicknesses, so it is important to select the appropriate sheet thickness for your application. thinner sheets have a lower yield strength than thicker sheets. For example, a 0.032-inch thick stainless steel sheet has a yield strength of approximately 35,000 psi, while a 0.125-inch thick sheet has a yield strength of approximately 95,000 psi. When selecting a stainless steel sheet, be sure to choose one that has the appropriate mechanical properties for your application.
It is the maximum stress that a material can resist before fracturing. The higher strength will allow it to be more formable as well as maintain its shape when force is applied. This property makes stainless steel sheets very useful for applications where a strong but workable material is required, such as aircraft bodies and car panels.
Tensile Strength TestIt is the resistance of a material to being scratched or abraded. Stainless steel sheets have a hardness of approximately Rockwell C 40-45, making them relatively resistant to scratches and dents.
The size of a stainless steel sheet can vary depending on the grade and thickness of the metal.
Width: 1000 / 1219 / 1500mm or Custom-made
39″ / 48″ / 59″
Length: 2438 / 3048 / 4000mm or Custom-made
96″ / 120″ / 157″
0.3mm~3mm (11ga~26ga)
Single-layer or double layers of laser/PVC film can protect the mirror finish well from scratches during transportation.
Stainless steel mirror sheets are widely used in a variety of applications. Some common uses include:
-Architectural applications: Stainless steel mirror sheets are often used as a decorative element in both interior and exterior designs. They can be used to create mirrored walls, tile trims, ceilings, or floors, or to add shine and reflectivity to other surfaces.
-Cosmetic applications: Stainless steel mirror sheets can also be used in makeup and beauty products. They are an excellent choice for compact mirrors, as they can provide a clear reflection even when curved or wound into the shape of brushes.
-Industrial applications: Stainless steel mirror sheets may also be used in various industrial products and machinery to increase shine, improve the visibility of controls, add strength and stability to components such as levers and gears, or reflect light in specific directions.
When choosing a stainless steel mirror sheet for your application, it is important to consider the thickness. Thinner sheets are more flexible but may not be as strong, while thicker sheets are less flexible but can withstand more wear and tear.
They can be used in a variety of settings to add a touch of glamour or sophistication, and their durability makes them a popular choice for many applications. Stainless steel mirror sheets are also easy to clean and maintain, making them a practical option for high-traffic areas. If you’re looking for an eye-catching way to enhance your space, consider using stainless steel mirror sheets.
Stainless steel 8K mirror polishing is to choose stainless steel 2B plate as the base material and add the abrasives on the grinding tools and red powder is one of the commonly-used abrasive materials.
There are two methods of stainless steel mirror finishing, machine polishing, and manual polishing. Manual polishing costs higher than machine polishing, but the surface can achieve a better brightness. You can choose the surface gloss level corresponding to the specific application scenario required, general 8K, fine 8K or super 8K.
The production process is as follows: cleaning, coarse grinding, further grinding, cleaning, drying, film lamination.
The coarse grinding heads have two types, coarse and fine and the coarse grinding part in the machine contains 6 to 8 sets of grinding heads, of which 3~4 sets of coarse grinding header and 3~4 sets of further grinding header. The further grinding part generally has 14 sets of grinding heads.
The coarse grinding heads are mainly used to throw off the oxide layer on the surface of the stainless steel sheet, and the fine grinding heads are used to improve the surface brightness and eliminate the grinding head scratches.
The process of manual and machine polishing is mostly the same. The advantage of manual polishing is that the polishing technician can find tiny scratches or any surface problem easily. If you have a high demand for surface brightness, we recommend you choose manual polished mirror stainless steel sheets.
A very important factor in determining the mirror effect of stainless steel sheets is whether the stainless steel sheet is of high quality.
If the origin of the plate is not one of the large steel mills, such as TISCO, POSCO, JISCO, etc., no matter how good the polishing technology is, it is still not easy to achieve the high required brightness.
If you are looking for Mirror Stainless Steel Sheets that have a perfect mirror finish, then VIGORSS is the right manufacturer for you. We can accept a small quantity order and MOQ is only 10pcs of each thickness because we have a big inventory of various surface treatments. Mirror sheets can be further processed by color coating, etching, embossing, cross-hairline, or sandblasting.
VIGORSS is a supplier of mirror stainless steel sheets with 10 years of export experience. We manufacture cold-rolled stainless steel sheets in the following Grades: Type 304/304L, 316(L)/316Ti, 430, and 201. Our mirror-polished stainless steel sheets are manufactured from high-quality raw materials which make them ideal for applications where strength is important such as aircraft or building construction. In addition, the mirror stainless steel sheets that we manufacture go through a rigorous polishing process that leaves a perfect mirror finish. This makes them ideal for use in industries such as automotive, aviation, and medical where a high level of shine and perfection is required.
Welcome to visit our website for more information or product pricing, www.vigorss.com. Free samples of different finishes can be arranged as per your request. You can also contact us via sending an email at [email protected] or phone us at +86-1371-548-4114 for any questions that you may have.