Benefits of Plate Cut from Coil
Plate cut from coil has many benefits, not just lower costs.
Introduction to Steel Plate
Steel plate is commonly used in applications that require strong, durable material, such as in the construction of heavy equipment, roads, buildings, municipal utilities, ships, pressure vessels, and other structures. We also offer HSLA steel plate infused with small amounts of alloying elements, such as copper, nickel, chromium, and phosphorus, in addition to carbon and manganese in order to improve the strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance of the HSLA steel plate. It has traditionally been 3/16” and thicker, but steel plate standards do not have minimum thickness requirements, so it’s increasingly common to find plates offered in thinner sizes.
Steel plate is offered in a couple of different ways:
Discrete Plate
Hot rolled discrete plate is produced on a reversing mill to its final length and width. The slab is passed back and forth through the mill to attain the desired thickness. This approach can achieve widths up to 120”, but its shape may be compromised in lighter thicknesses.
Plate Cut from Coil
Hot rolled coils are made from cast slab produced on tandem mills where it is rolled continuously without reversing the direction. The coils are then either slit for stamping lines or can be cut to specific lengths (plates or sheets). This approach can typically achieve widths up to 96”. Coils typically offer improved surfaces and better shape.
Benefits of Steel Plate Cut from Coil
If your application doesn’t require the larger widths available with discrete plate, you might want to stop buying stock discrete plate sizes. At Steel Warehouse, we can cut steel plate from our existing coil plate stock in customized lengths and widths up to 1” thick. The benefits of this plate from coil approach as compared to discrete steel plating methods are numerous:
- Eliminate Waste — Custom lengths allow you to maximize yield and reduce scrap
- Improve Aesthetics — Plate from coil has a smoother finish with less mill scale
- Lower Costs — Plate from coil typically offers a price advantage
- Reduce Inventory — Our warehouse capability helps eliminate inventory issues
Industries & Applications
Steel plate and plate cut from coil can be used in a variety of industries and applications, as it is a very versatile and commonly used form of steel.
Some common industries and applications include:
Aerospace
Aircraft-quality plate steel can be used for the machine tools and other equipment used to fabricate aircraft parts.
Agriculture
Typically used for agricultural equipment like harvesters, plows, and tillers.
Construction
Commonly used for structures like bridges.
Defense
Steel plate produced to military specifications can be used in armored tanks, personnel vehicles, ships, and more.
Heavy Equipment/Machinery
Commonly used in construction and earthmoving equipment, heavy trucks, rail, cranes, and more.
Pressure Vessel
Pressure vessel plate is a specific type of steel plate used for pressure vessel storage containers such as oil and gas.
Solar and Wind Towers
Steel plate is commonly used in solar and wind towers.
Automotive
Steel plate can be used in automotive construction.
Dimensions & Properties
Whether steel qualifies as plate or sheet depends on the specification used for certification. There is a large overlap in popular thicknesses between plate and sheet, but steel plates are offered in a much broader range of sizes.
Common plate specifications:
- ASTM A36: a very popular structural steel specification.
- ASTM A572 and A656: these specifications define HSLA (high-strength low-alloy) grades.
- There are also specifications written for specific applications such as weathering grades (A588, A606) for atmospheric corrosion resistance, floor plate steel (A786), and steel produced for bridge applications (A709).
- Plate specifications are not limited to ASTM; other governing bodies and OEMs write specifications for steel plate.
At Steel Warehouse, our steel plate and plate cut from coil specifications include, but are not limited to ASTM, AMS, and Euronorms from 3/16” up to 12” thickness.
All projects are unique, which is why our engineers at Steel Warehouse welcome specialty requests to make a custom steel plate to fit your specific applications.
Steel Plate When and Where You Need It
At Steel Warehouse, you get more than just quality steel. With multiple facilities across the country capable of cutting up to 1” plate from coil, we can also work with you to manage your inventory, ensuring you get product when and where you need it to keep your production running.
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