Abstract: A method of heat treatment of wire including cooling the wire stock immediately after the stock leaves the rolling heat region to a temperature below the starting temperature of martensite formation and, thereafter, forming wire coils.

Abstract: Apparatus for the production and heat treatment of coiled elongated metal product of relatively small cross section, such as rods, bars and wire-rod material, is described. The elements required for the conduct of a variety of heat treatments can be performed on coiled product in a substantially continuous manner through the use of a ring conveyor with which the coilers of various process lines and a heat treating furnace communicate. Methods for performing various heat treatments using the described apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the production of hot-rolled steel strip from continuously cast precursor strip in at least two deformation stages, each deformation stage having one or more roll stands, wherein initial rolling is carried out in the first deformation stage at the output speed at which the precursor strip exits from the continuous casting plant and the intermediate strip thus produced is coiled prior to the second deformation stage at the output speed at which it exits from the first deformation stage, wherein the coil is uncoiled after reaching the coil weight and is supplied to the second deformation stage for finish rolling at the initial roll pass speed and is then coiled in the desired finished coil sizes.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a process for manufacturing ferritic stainless steel strip, in which a strip of a ferritic stainless steel, of the type containing at most 0.12% of carbon, at most 1% of manganese, at most 1% of silicon, at most 0.040% of phosphorus, at most 0.030% of sulfur and between 16 and 18% of chromium, is solidified, directly from liquid metal, between two close-together, internally-cooled, counterrotating rolls with horizontal axes, wherein said strip is then cooled or left to cool so as to avoid making it remain within the austenite to ferrite and carbides transformation range, wherein said strip is coiled at a temperature of between 600.degree. C. and the martensitic transformation temperature Ms, wherein the coiled strip is left to cool at a maximum rate of 300.degree. C./h down to a temperature of between 200.degree. C. and ambient temperature and wherein said strip then undergoes box annealing.

Abstract: Method comprising a thermal treatment step proper during which said sheets are in contact with a part of their surface (that is they are, for example, coiled or in tight packets) and a step of preliminary treatment of these surfaces by means of an aqueous solution or a water-alcohol solution into which an organic product of the silane type has been introduced.This treatment makes it possible to prevent the sticking of the sheets; it is particularly effective and it does not require any preliminary activation of the surface.

Abstract: This invention aims at producing a cold rolled thin sheet having excellent surface quality from a cast strip of a Cr--Ni type stainless steel cast strip by a thin casting method. The production method of the invention comprises the steps of continuously casting a Cr--Ni type stainless steel to a cast strip having a thickness of not greater than 10 mm by using a continuous casting machine the cast mold wall surface of which moves in synchronism with the cast strip; hot rolling the resulting cast strip at a temperature within the range of 900 to 1,200.degree. C. at a reduction ratio of 10 to 50%; carrying out, subsequently, heat-treatment at a temperature within the range of 1,200 to 900.degree. C. for at least 5 seconds; coiling the hot rolled cast strip at a temperature not higher than 600.degree. C.; descaling the rolled cast strip; cold rolling the cast strip; conducting annealing, pickling or bright annealing; and conducting skin pass rolling, whenever necessary.

Abstract: Method for heat treating rolled stock leaving a rolling train (12), wherein the rolled stock (13) undergoes a rapid cooling treatment in a rapid cooling assembly (11) located immediately downstream of the last rolling pass, the first cooling step being followed by a temperature-equalisation step in air and at least by a second cooling treatment before being discharged and collected, the temperature-equalisation step in air and the at least second cooling treatment being set so as not to modify the surface and inner crystalline structure of the rolled stock (13) which has formed at the outlet of the first cooling treatment, the at least second cooling treatment being followed by a short segment of temperature-equalisation in air and then directly by the collection of the rolled stock (13) into compact form, such as rolls coils bundles or packs, wherein the slow cooling of the rolled stock (13) collected in compact form leads to the transformation of the crystalline structure in the stable structures.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a strip of formable steel comprises the steps of (i) forming liquid steel by continuous casting into a slab having a thickness of not more than 100 mm, (ii) rolling the slab in the austenitic region into an intermediate slab having a thickness in the range 5 to 20 mm, (iii) cooling the intermediate slab to below the Ar.sub.3 temperature, (iv) holding the intermediate slab in an enclosure for temperature homogenisation, (v) rolling the intermediate slab into strip, with at least one rolling pass applying a thickness reduction of more than 50%, at a temperature below T.sub.t and above 200.degree. C., wherein T.sub.t is the temperature at which 75% of the steel is converted into ferrite, and (vi) coiling said strip at a temperature above 500.degree. C. Advantages of simplicity of the method and the plant required for it are obtained.

Abstract: A zinc and zinc-alloy hot-dip-coated steel sheet and an alloyed zinc and zinc-alloy hot-dip-coated steel sheet, and a method for manufacturing these steel sheets, which steel sheets are used for automobiles. A zinc and zinc-alloy hot-dip-coated steel sheet which has oxides of readily oxidizable elements just under a coated layer and which shows a decreased number of bare spots and excellent coating adhesion. According to the method, the temperature for coiling during hot rolling is set to not less than 600.degree. C. and the cooling is conducted at a slow-cooling rate so that the-oxides remain after the following steps.

Abstract: Methods are provided for annealing coils of austenitic stainless steels through the use of a batch annealing process. The preferred methods involved selecting compositions of austenitic stainless steel alloys having a sufficiently low weight percentage of carbon so that annealing of the austenitic stainless steel occurs without intergranular carbide precipitation at a temperature of less than about 1700.degree. F., which is well below the normal annealing temperature for austenitic stainless steels. The lower annealing temperatures allow for annealing in conventional batch annealing furnaces. The content of carbon in T-201L stainless steel was kept at less than 0.030 weight percent and the steel was successfully annealed at temperatures within a range of about 1650.degree. F. to about 1700.degree. F. The carbon content of T-304L stainless steel was kept at less than 0.015 weight percent and the steel was successfully annealed at temperatures within a range of about 1550.degree. F. to about 1700.degree. F.

Abstract: A method of coiling or placing bar steel or wire in coils, wherein the rolling stock is reeled from rolling heat in a basket or is placed by a coiler in the form of coils onto a conveyor and is collected at the end of the conveyor over a mandrel into a coil, wherein the rolling stock is cooled during coiling and the rolling stock is further cooled after the coiling process or the formation of coils. Cooling of the rolling stock from rolling heat prior to coiling into the transformation range characterized by the Ar.sub.3 line or Ar.sub.1 line of the transformation time-temperature diagram corresponding to the type of steel to be cooled is extended, such that, depending on the type of steel, the rolling stock is transformed immediately after cooling prior to, during or after coiling, uniformly over the entire length and entire cross-section thereof essentially isothermally from the austenite phase into the ferrite phase or pearlite phase and, as required, into the bainite phase.

Abstract: A process for pickling a strip which is produced in a thin slab installation and subsequently hot-rolled, especially a low-carbon steel strip, in a continuous process immediately following the rolling process. The process includes the following sequence of steps: gently cooling the strip exiting the rolling mill at .gtoreq.880.degree. C. in a first cooling zone to 850.degree. to 680.degree. C., balancing surface temperature and core temperature of the strip in a first recovery zone to a uniform cross section temperature of approximately 680.degree. C., gently cooling the strip in an immediately adjoining second cooling zone from 680.degree. to 480.degree. C., and balancing surface temperature and core temperature in a second recovery zone to a uniform cross section temperature of approximately 480.degree. C. The process continues by drastically cooling the strip from 480.degree. C. to approximately 95.degree. C.

Abstract: A laying head forms hot rolled steel rod into a continuous series of rings. The rings are received on a conveyor for transport in an overlapping pattern through at least one cooling zone. The ring density of the overlapping pattern is greater along edge regions of the conveyor as compared to the ring density at a central region of the conveyor. A gaseous coolant is directed upwardly through the overlapping ring pattern, and a screen or other like foraminous element retards the upward flow of gaseous coolant at the central region of the conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for manufacture of DR (Double Rolled) steel strip in which a continuous annealing furnace is arranged for annealing of cold-reduced steel strip passing continuously through said furnace, and a rolling mill for cold-rolling of steel strip is arranged to receive in-line the output of annealed steel strip from said furnace. The mill has at least one roll stand having a pair of work rolls of which only one is driven externally. Rolling fluid, preferably free of mineral oil, is supplied to the strip being rolled in the rolling mill, and is removed from the strip prior to entry of the strip to downstream tension-applying means.

Abstract: The invention refers to a process for production of raw stainless steel castings, in particular for stainless steel strip, covering rolling and annealing of cast material if required, as well as de-scaling, in particular by pickling in aqueous media, and coiling for raw stainless steel strip if necessary. In order to achieve greater flexibility as regards steel grades that can be treated and dimensions of the castings, the material is to be heat-treated in batches and preferably also annealed, cooled and de-scaled immediately after the final heat treatment stage, without intermediate storage, in batches. In a process covering the process stages for casting, rolling of the cast material if necessary, cooling, as well as de-scaling, in particular by pickling in aqueous media, and coiling, if necessary, to form raw stainless steel coils, the material is to be cast in batches and de-scaled immediately afterwards without intermediate storage in order to obtain the same advantage.

Abstract: A system for heat treating a rolled strip of Al--Mg--Si alloy includes a primary heating zone for solution treating the strip at 480.degree. C. or higher, a first cooling zone for cooling the strip at a rate of at least 100.degree. C./min. to 100.degree. C. or lower, a secondary heating zone for heating the strip to 120.degree.-250.degree. C. within 10 minutes for thereby adjusting a proof stress of 70-120 N/mm.sup.2 directly or after holding for 10 minutes or less, a coiler for winding the strip into a coil at 140.degree. C. or lower, and a unit for holding the coil at 50.degree.-140.degree. C. for at least 3 hours. The process from solution treatment to winding is continuous as well as from winding to stabilizing treatment. The strip has improved formability and bake hardenability and a minimized secular change at room temperature.

Abstract: In an arrangement for heat treatment of steel wire, the wire, after emerging from a continuous wire rolling mill, is placed by a laying head onto a horizontal conveyor and is transported on the horizontal conveyor in the form of a row of successive and overlapping loops. The wire is subjected to surface treatment during the transport and is collected at the end of the conveyor by a loop collecting unit to form a wire coil and is transferred to a coil conveying unit. Behind the laying head, a second loop collecting unit which can be moved into and out of the conveying path of the horizontal conveyor is provided. The second loop collecting unit includes a coil conveyor with transfer units which can be operated as selected for transferring the wire coils to coil heating units or to coil cooling units.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an expandable stent for use in blood vessels. The length of the stent after expansion is substantially the same as the stent length before expansion. The stent is annealed at high temperatures to permit stent deformation at relatively low pressures to conform to the blood vessel shape and diameter.

Abstract: A pressure-bonded composite material includes at least one layer of a stabilized low carbon steel core material and one layer of a stainless steel joined at an interface, wherein the stabilized carbon steel includes columbium (niobium) and at least one other carbide-forming element in amounts effective to prevent carbon migration from the carbon steel to the stainless steel and the composite material has a physical grain size no larger than ASTM #6.

Abstract: A high yield ratio-type, hot rolled high strength steel sheet excellent in both formability and spot weldability, containing not less than 5% of retained austenite, and a process for producing the same are provided. The steel sheet contains 0.05 to less than 0.15% by weight or 0.15 to less than 0.30% by weight of C, 0.5 to 3.0% by weight of Si, 0.5 to 3.0% by weight of Mn, more than 1.5 to 6.0% by weight of Si and Mn in total, not more than 0.02% by weight of P, no more than 0.01% by weight of S, and 0.005 to 0.10% by weight of Al, the balance essentially being Fe, and is composed of three phases of ferrite, bainite and retained austenite as a microstructure, and having a ratio (V.sub.F /d.sub.F) of ferrite volume fraction (V.sub.F) to ferrite grain size (d.sub.F) of not less than 20 (not less than 7 in case of 0.15 to less than 0.30% by weight of C), a volume fraction of retained austenite having grain sizes of not more than 2 .mu.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a medium-carbon steel plate having a graphitization of 50% or more with improved formability and weldability is disclosed, the process comprises the steps of:hot rolling a steel with a finishing temperature of 700.degree.-900.degree. C., the alloy composition of the steel consisting essentially of, by weight %:C: 0.20-0.70%,Si: more than 0.20 but not more than 2.00%,Mn: 0.05-0.50%, P: not more than 0.020%,S: not more than 0.010%, sol. Al: 0.01-1.00%,B: 0.0003-0.0050%, N: 0.002-0.010%,B/N: 0.2-0.8,Cu: 0-1.00%, Ni: 0-2.00%, Ca: 0-0.010%, andFe and incidental impurities: balance,cooling the resulting hot-rolled steel plate at a cooling rate of 5.degree.-50.degree. C./s,coiling the steel plate at a temperature of 400.degree.-650.degree. C., andoptionally, cold rolling the hot-rolled steel plate with a reduction in thickness of 20-85%, andannealing the cold-rolled steel plate at a temperature of 600.degree.- Ac.sub.1 for 1 hour or longer.

Abstract: In the heat treatment of heat treatable material in an industrial furnace, in particular for the annealing of annealable material such as, for example, aluminum strip wound into a coil (1), by means of blowing of the annealable material with hot gas jets (8) issuing from nozzles (7), in order to insure a very good and uniform heat transfer from the hot gas stream to the material and a completely uniform temperature distribution in the coil (1), and also the rapid heating thereof, without any need to fear locally partial overtemperatures in the coil, it is proposed in accordance with the invention to move the annealable material such as, for example, the coil (1), and the hot gas jets (8) relative to one another, for example by means of the fact that the coil (1) and/or the hot gas nozzles (7) are rotated about the coil axis, so that the blowing impingement points of the hot gas jets (8) move on the blown surface of the annealable material and all desired portions there can be swept in controlled fashion.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed, which serves to contact with a flowing gas two mutually opposite, substantially flat and substantially circular annular surfaces of an annular cylindrical workpiece having an inside diameter not in excess of a predetermined maximum inside diameter. The apparatus comprises an oven housing, which contains two mutually opposite plenum chambers, which are defined by respective side walls which are spaced apart in an axial direction and define between them an oven chamber adapted to accommodate said workpiece in a position in which each of said side walls faces one of said surfaces of said workpiece, each of said side walls being formed with orifice slot means, and a fan for supplying a gas to said plenum chambers.

Abstract: Method and apparatus is disclosed for heat treating coiled, metal strip in bell shaped annealing furnaces employing an annealing stand upon which coils of strip are vertically stacked. An inner cover removably sealed to the stand surrounds the coil and an outer cover surrounds the inner cover. A vacuum is drawn within the inner cover while the work is being preheated to volatize oil on the coil into hydrocarbon vapors and permit the hydrocarbons to be drawn off prior to annealing so that carbon soot formation does not occur. A unique concentric, two seal arrangement is disclosed which provides for drawing a vacuum between the seals to positively seal the inner cover to the base while providing a fail safe mechanism for monitoring the process thus permitting a potentially explosive reducing atmosphere, such as pure hydrogen, to be used in the annealing furnace in a safe manner.

Abstract: A process to prevent the formation of adhesives when annealing a steel band having a low carbon content uses an inert gas consisting of nitrogen and hydrogen and includes the phases of heating up, holding time and cooling. The process is characterized in that during the holding time, the steel band is coated by oxidation with a thin coating which is then completely removed by reduction during the cooling phase.

Abstract: A method for direct patenting of a hot-rolled wire rod comprises the steps of: transporting a hot-rolled wire rod on a conveyer in a state that said wire rod is in a form of continuous series of loops; blasting mist to the surface of said wire rod at least from above and blasting air to the back side of the wire rod from below to cool the wire rod at a rate of 12.degree. C. to 50.degree. C./sec. down to 550.degree. C. to 400.degree. C. during the transportation, the mist provides 200 to 2400 l/min. water and has an air to water ratio of 200 Nm.sup.3 /m.sup.3 or less; and reheating the cooled wire rod at a rate of 3.degree. C./sec. or less, or cooling the cooled wire rod slowly at a rate of 2.degree. C./sec. or less during the transportation.