Buying Better: The Definitive Cold Rolled Steel Gauge Chart

26 Aug.,2024

 

Buying Better: The Definitive Cold Rolled Steel Gauge Chart

 

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The first and most important rule of reading and understanding a steel gauge chart is using the right one. Meaning coated steel gauges like galvanized are vastly different from uncoated steel like hot rolled and cold rolled gauges. 

Standard gauge numbers and sizes were developed based on the weight of the sheet for a given material and coating. The equivalent thicknesses differ for each gauge number. You must use the specific gauge chart for each material to learn the right thickness. 

So, in this case, you&#;ll need the Cold Rolled Gauge Chart. 

Now that you have the right chart, it&#;s time to understand how it&#;s measured. Gauges are different from other measurement units such as inches or centimeters. That&#;s due to there being no universal thickness measurement for metal during the 19th century.

The British iron wire industry adopted metal gauges over other traditional units like inches as the primary unit of measurement, and thus it&#;s become the standard for the steel industry, being used across sheet metals.

When looking at a gauge chart, the key to understanding it, including our cold rolled chart, is to look at the number. Gauges range from 3-31, each has a specific thickness assigned to it for the material based upon its weight.

The general rule across all gauge charts is the larger the number, the thinner the steel. The inverse is also true, as the gauge number gets lower, the thicker the steel gets. But, those numbers do not give you specific dimensional values. Follow the chart for the exact numbers you need. 

If you&#;re looking for an even simpler solution to understanding the correct gauge, weight, width, and measurement conversions of any steel product, use our steel calculator Unravel.

Whether calculating gauges for cold rolled, hot rolled, and coated materials, looking for sheet metal or coil measurements, or just looking for unit conversion to inches and pounds, Unravel does the work for you.

 

Bar Stock vs. Forging

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Metal is used for many applications ranging from manufacturing vehicle parts and industrial equipment to building bridges and structures. These components begin as raw metal material that is molded or extruded into standard shapes and sizes, like sheets or bars, that are further formed or shaped into finished parts.

Here we will look at what bar stock metal is, the manufacturing processes that use it, and sample applications.

Xingtai Steel contains other products and information you need, so please check it out.

Bar Stock

Bar stock refers to a solid length of a raw metal material, such as carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, aluminum, bronze, copper, or other metal. Individual pieces of bar stock are commonly made by extrusion or by melting the metal and pouring it into molds. The resulting pieces have a uniform profile (e.g., round, square, rectangular, or hexagonal), and come in a variety of lengths.

What is Bar Stock?

Bar stock may be used as-is for some applications; however, additional metalworking processes are often used to create finished parts, components, or assemblies. These include CNC machining processes like sawing, milling, drilling, or grinding, as well as extrusion, roll forming, and forging.

Benefits of Bar Stock Material

Bar stock material is used in many manufacturing processes because it can be procured in uniform shapes, lengths, and metal content. This translates to efficient and repeatable production since the stock material is consistent.

Additional benefits include:

  • Structural support: It can be machined, shaped, or formed into many high-strength products including reinforcing bars, tubes, and channels.
  • High ductility and impact resistance: Many metals retain these properties even after machining or other processing.
  • Easy assembly: Bar stock can be formed into uniform components that can be easily assembled in a consistent manner.
  • Recyclability: Many metals can be recycled without losing strength, which contributes to sustainable manufacturing practices.
  • Versatility: Many types of metal are available in bar stock form for use in a range of applications.
  • Cost-efficiency: Manufacturers can purchase bar stock material in bulk and use automated or semi-automated CNC equipment, extrusion, expert forging processes, or roll forming for fast and consistent part production. This saves labor and cuts waste.

Applications for Bar Stock

Bar stock material is used in many industrial applications and operations. Steel bar stock can be machined into equipment parts, tools, structural members, and vehicle components. Aluminum can be extruded and formed with rollers to create long pieces with a consistent profile. Bar stock material can also be forged, as we&#;ll see below.

Forging

Forging is a metal forming process that can be used with a variety of metals, often beginning in bar stock form.

What is Forging?

In forging, a piece of metal, often bar stock, is cut to size and then heated to a high temperature. The metal becomes very hot and pliable but remains solid. Depending on the application, it is then hammered, pressed between dies, or pushed into a mold to change its shape. Cold forging is another method in which metal is hammered or shaped without being heated.

Benefits of Forging

Forging has many benefits, including:

  • Efficient material use: Forging is not a removal process so there is minimal material waste. Most components are close to their final shape, so there is less machining or other finishing.
  • Durability: The forging process tends to improve material fatigue, impact, and shear strength.
  • Cost-effectiveness: Using forging results in less waste and reduces the need for finishing processes.
  • Material versatility: Many materials can be forged including carbon steel, alloy or microalloy steel, stainless steel, titanium, and others.
  • Enhanced tensile strength: Forging results in a piece with high tensile strength because the material stays solid as its shape changes, forcing the grain of the metal to follow the shape of the component.

Applications for Forging

Forging is a versatile process for creating parts and components in complex shapes and many sizes. Because it imparts added tensile and fatigue strength to metals, it is well-suited to heavy-duty applications in many industries. Common applications include:

  • Aerospace and automotive engine and frame parts
  • Industrial and commercial machinery and tooling
  • Hand tools
  • Earthmoving, agriculture, and infrastructure equipment
  • Oil, gas, and mining equipment
  • Forestry and lumber tools and machinery
  • Military and defense applications

Your Choice for Custom-Forged Steel

Cornell Forge specializes in custom-forged parts made from high-quality carbon steel, alloy and microalloy steel, and stainless steel. Our capabilities also include assembly, heat treatment, painting and plating, hardness testing, and other value-added services to meet your requirements.

Please contact us or request a quote to discuss your next project with our team of forging experts.

Are you interested in learning more about cold rolled round bar? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!