Cold rolling is a fabrication process to fabricate large sheet metal which later is delivered to the metal fabricator you would hire. The sheet metal forming process is done by introducing the metal between rollers which will squeeze and compress the metal into the desired sheet metal size and thickness. This process is done by temperature which are about room temperature to gain and to increase the strength and hardness of the steel. The process follows as mentioned:
At room temperature, a steel sheet is passed through two or more rollers. The rollers decreases the thickness of the steel sheet and increases the strength and hardness. The main important thing is the sheet does not lose its ductility. This means that the end product is not prone to cracking or forming. This is the main difference to hot rolled steel.
As it offers excellent strength and hardness, it is widely used as a bracket or angle and for making of home and office furniture, because cold rolled steel can keep precise shapes and tolerances better than hot rolled steel.
It is used in manufacturing engineering products that require a tight tolerance levels and coated surfaces. Some of the examples are home appliances like ovens, washers, refrigerators, dryers and so on. Also, it is used in aircraft and automobile industry.
One of the most important properties is the high strength. The cold rolling process increases the strength of the steel by 20%. It is preferred in mechanical applications as it is highly resistant to denting.
Furthermore, it also has high formability which makes it ideal even if you need to bend the steel sheet to a certain shape such as a bracket, u-channel or z-channel.Also, it has excellent magnetic properties too. It makes it preferred alloy for a wide range of industrial and domestic applications.
Enameling and color coding cold rolled steel is possible. In fact it is recommended as steel will corrode over time. By putting a protective layer of paint coating on it, the life of the metal will be increased to a great extent.