Innovation in Stainless Steel Sheet Technology Leading Industry Development​

Innovating Surface Treatment to Enhance Product Quality​

The continuous emergence of new surface treatment technologies has injected new vitality into the development of the stainless - steel sheet industry. Among them, the Bright Annealing (BA) process has drawn significant attention. This process treats steel coils in a high - temperature environment filled with protective gases like nitrogen. After treatment, the surface of stainless - steel BA sheets is immaculately white and mirror - bright, greatly enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the products.​

Moreover, this unique surface finish makes stainless - steel BA sheets highly popular in sectors with strict aesthetic requirements, such as home appliance panels and architectural decoration. Through the bright annealing process, the internal stress generated during the previous rolling of steel coils is effectively eliminated, enabling the material to be processed into thinner specifications. For example, the thickness of stainless - steel sheets used in some high - end electronic products can now be controlled at around 0.1 mm. This not only reduces material consumption but also significantly increases the added value of the products.​

Overcoming Rolling Challenges to Empower High - end Manufacturing​

The significant breakthrough in the research and development of high - strength precipitation - hardened stainless steel has brought new hope to the high - end manufacturing industry. Research teams have carried out technological research on PH13 - 8Mo hot - rolled medium - thick sheets (δ > 4mm) and 15 - 5PH cold - rolled thin sheets (δ < 4mm), successfully overcoming multiple technical bottlenecks.​

The application of high - homogenization microstructure control and strong - plasticity regulation technology enables stainless - steel sheets to possess both high strength and good plasticity. This effectively solves the problem of easy cracking during material processing and significantly improves the processing performance and service reliability of the materials. The high - precision rolling technology for high - strength hot - rolled and cold - rolled sheets can control the accuracy of sheet thickness and flatness within a minimal error range, meeting the stringent requirements of high - end manufacturing industries such as aerospace and automotive manufacturing for high - precision materials. The high - surface - quality high - temperature solution and low - temperature pickling technology can greatly reduce surface defects such as pitting and scratches on the sheets, significantly improving surface finish. The leveling and straightening control technology for high - strength cold - rolled thin sheets can precisely adjust the internal stress of the thin sheets, making the sheet shape flatter.​

Thanks to these technological breakthroughs, the full - process production of PH13 - 8Mo and 15 - 5PH high - strength stainless - steel sheets has been realized, and small - batch supply has been carried out smoothly. Tested by authoritative institutions, the comprehensive mechanical properties, surface finish, and dimensional tolerances of related products meet the AMS standards, laying a solid foundation for their extensive application in high - end fields such as aerospace.​

Promoting Environment - friendly Production to Build Green Production Lines​

The environmentally friendly automated polishing production line launched in Jiangsu has triggered a green revolution in the stainless - steel sheet processing industry. The traditional 8K mirror - finish stainless - steel polishing process relies heavily on nitric acid. Nitric acid not only severely corrodes equipment, shortening its service life, but also endangers workers' health and causes serious environmental pollution. Enterprises need to invest a large amount of capital in pollution control to meet environmental protection requirements.​

Through technological innovation, the new production line has successfully overcome the core technology of high - precision force control. The research and development team has adopted an active force - control spindle, drawing on the technology of grinding aerospace engine blades, to accurately adjust the contact force during the grinding process, achieving precise control over the grinding effect. As a result, the product yield has increased by approximately 20%. Replacing traditional strong - acid grinding fluids with water - based neutral grinding fluids not only significantly improves the environmental friendliness of the production line, being harmless to the human body, but also extends the service life of the production line equipment by at least one - fold compared to existing pickling production lines. In addition, key technologies such as a flexible polishing process package have been developed based on big - data - driven process algorithms and intelligent monitoring and control software. This enables the production line to process metal coils or sheets with a thickness range of 0.3mm to 3mm and a width range of 1.2m to 1.5m. It is also applicable to various materials such as stainless steel, alumina, and titanium alloys, greatly enhancing the applicability of the production line.​

Expanding Application Areas to Stimulate Market Vitality​

The application areas of stainless - steel sheets are constantly expanding. In the construction sector, in addition to being used for architectural decoration, stainless - steel sheets are increasingly used in building structural components due to their excellent corrosion resistance and high strength. For example, during the construction of Beijing Daxing International Airport, a large amount of stainless - steel sheets were used to construct the roof structure and curtain - wall support system. This not only ensures the safety and durability of the building but also showcases unique architectural aesthetics. In the food and medical industries, the hygienic, easy - to - clean, and corrosion - resistant properties of stainless - steel sheets make them the top choice for food processing equipment and medical device casings. In the electronics and electrical appliance industry, the application of stainless - steel sheets in electronic product casings and home appliance panels is increasing, meeting consumers' pursuit of product appearance texture and durability.​

Responding to Trade Challenges and Exploring New Development Paths​

Although the industry is developing favorably, it also faces many challenges. Recently, the Ministry of Economy and Finance of South Korea issued a notice. Since March 25, 2025, a four - month temporary anti - dumping duty has been imposed on hot - rolled stainless - steel sheets originating from China with a thickness of not less than 4.75mm and a width of not less than 600mm. This measure has had a certain impact on the export and market expansion of related products. In response, industry enterprises need to continuously increase investment in technological innovation, enhance the added value of products, actively explore diversified markets, and strengthen their ability to cope with international trade risks.​

Looking ahead, with the continuous advancement of technology and the expansion of application areas, the stainless - steel sheet industry will move forward steadily towards high - quality, environmentally friendly, and high - value - added development, injecting a steady stream of vitality into the development of global related industries.​