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Steel Metallurgy
Alloyed, Low-Alloyed and Microalloyed SteelsToday, the CSM metallurgists are at the frontier in the development of Low-Alloyed steels metallurgy for such applications as rails, hangers, cables, wires, bars and rods. In that respect, their expertise allows CSM to provide clients with answers on a wide spectrum of topics like the following: - how to use the chemical composition or hot rolling practice leverage for fine pearlite microstructures;
- which is the better correlation amongst bainitic microstructures, transformation characteristics and mechanical properties;
- how to establish the right practices in order to low the bainitic content and have steel characterised by high strength values (UTS> 1400 MPa), good ductility (total elongation > 10%), adequate toughness, slide and rolling wear resistance;
- how to improve the weldability of low alloyed steels or optmise their hardness;
- which are the better guidelines for the thermomechanical treatment (TMT) - inclusive of austenite conditioning through hot rolling and cooling strategies- with reference to the alloy chemistry (i.e.: Si, Cr,V, Nb, etc.) to adopt in order to shorten the whole cycle, dispensing of the need of such final heat treatments as “annealing”;
- how to meet novel steel design criteria and innovative process approaches to match strength & toughness with fatigue through the reduction/refinement/elimination of pearlite, introduction of non-traditional microstructures containing acicular ferrite, carbide-free bainite, retained austenite and so on;
- how to maximise the control of segregation, decarburizing and non-metallic inclusions.
Stainless SteelsThe CSM metallurgical offer on stainless steels covers the whole spectrum of expertises. It is aimed at designing better performing stainless steels through the choice of chemical compositions, fabrication and transformation practices in accordance with the microstructures (i.e., austenitic, ferritic, austeno-ferritic, martensitic, PH, etc.) able to satisfy the demanded applications.
So, the CSM metallurgists have gained, through a more than fourty years' experience, a remarkable capability in this field, being able to accomplish the better balance between bulk and surface properties, by governing the microstructures and surfaces throughout the whole process, or by developing new production concepts (i.e., thin slab casting, strip-casting, integrated cold rolling, pickling and finishing treatments, etc.) able to fullfill the customer requirements.
Well-appreciated by customers not only for research and support activities focused on improving the quality of the more consolidated productions, the CSM metallurgists are also capable to deal with any border-edge topic concerning stainless steels technology.
In this regard, they are constantely challenging themselves in such fields as the setting-up of profitable microstructures for automotive (i.e., ferritic steels), structural (i.e., low Nickel high mechanical strength stainless steels), chemical and processing (i.e. High alloyed stainless steels), buildings and architecture (i.e., special austenitic and duplex grades) applications, an so on.
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