The Complete Guide to Buying Metal Products - Mead Metals

11 Aug.,2025

 

The Complete Guide to Buying Metal Products - Mead Metals

AISI

Stands for American Iron and Steel Institute. The institute serves as the voice of the North American steel industry. AISI numbers are used to categorize metals by alloy type and carbon content, and they do it with four digits. The first two digits of an AISI number refer to the alloy type, and the second two digits refer to carbon content.

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ALLOY

A metal made by combining two or more metallic elements. An alloy typically possesses qualities different from those of the components used to create it.

ASM

Stands for American Society for Metals. ASM International is the world’s largest association of metal material engineers and scientists. The association engages and connects materials professionals and their organizations to the resources necessary to solve problems, improve outcomes, and advance society.

ASTM

Stands for American Society for Testing and Materials. ASTM International is a not-for-profit organization that develops standards for materials, products, systems, and services. Metal with an ASTM designation meets the international standards for quality and regulations.

CUT-TO-LENGTH

This process levels coil into a flat sheet or blank. The service provides better length and width tolerances than sheared product, and it can improve diagonal tolerances as well.

DEBURRING

Cutting metals can leave behind burrs, which are unwanted raised edges or protrusions. Deburring is the process of removing these burrs with a tool.

DRAWING

Drawing is a metalworking process that uses tensile forces to stretch metal. As the metal is drawn, it stretches thinner, into a desired shape and thickness.

DRAWING TEMPERATURE

Drawing is usually done at room temperature, classifying it as a cold working process. However, it may be performed at elevated temperatures during special applications like on large wires, rods, or hollow sections in order to reduce forces.

ELONGATION

A metal fabricating term that refers to the degree to which a material can be bent, stretched, or compressed before rupturing. A metal’s elongation is a point between tensile strength and yield strength, and it is typically expressed as a percentage of the original length.

GAUGE

The thickness of sheet metal in the USA is commonly specified by a traditional, non-linear measure known as its gauge. The larger the gauge number, the thinner the metal.

HEAT LOTS OR HEAT NUMBER

A heat number is an identification number that is stamped on a material plate to prove it meets industry quality standards which require materials to be tested by the manufacturer. The heat lot or heat number is used to identify production runs for quality control purposes.

EDGE ROLLING

Edge rolling is the process of adding finishing edges to metal. It forms the edge of a strip to the desired shape beyond that of a standard slit edge.

MIL STD

Stands for Military Standard. This classification establishes uniform engineering and technical requirements for military-unique or substantially modified commercial processes, procedures, practices, and methods. In order to qualify, materials have undergone rugged, exact testing, equal to the exigencies of combat use.

NORMALIZING TEMPERATURE

Normalization is a heat treatment that relieves stress on steel to improve ductility and toughness in steel that may harden after the cold working process. During normalization, steel is warmed to a temperature just above its upper critical point. Normalized heat treatment facilitates a more uniform final product.

ROCKWELL SCALE

The Rockwell Scale indicates the hardness of materials. Rockwell hardness numbers are most often used to describe the hardness of metals, although they are also used for some plastics. The Rockwell scale is based on measuring the depth of the indentation made by pressing a diamond point into a material.

SAE

Stands for Society of Automotive Engineers. SAE International is a global association of engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive, and commercial-vehicle industries. Materials meeting SAE standards are internationally recognized for safety, quality, and effectiveness.

Are you interested in learning more about Stainless Steel Cold Rolled Coils? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

SLITTING

Slitting is a precise shearing process, but instead of making cuts at the end of a workpiece like shearing, slitting cuts a wide coil of metal into a number of narrower coils as the main coil is moved through the slitter. During the slitting process, the metal coil passes lengthwise through the slitter’s circular blades.

TEMPER

Temper refers to reheating hardened, normalized, or mechanically worked steel to a temperature below the critical range to soften it and improve impact strength. Tempering results in greater toughness by decreasing an alloy’s hardness.

TENSILE STRENGTH

The maximum stress a material will withstand before fracturing or breaking. The ultimate tensile strength is calculated from the maximum load applied during the test, divided by the original cross-sectional area.

UNS DESIGNATION/NUMBER

Stands for the Unified Numbering System for Metals and Alloys. UNS designation provides a means of correlating internationally used metal and alloy numbering systems currently administered by societies, trade associations, and those individual users and producers of metals and alloys. This system is meant to avoid the confusion caused by using more than one identification number for the same metal or alloy, and the opposite situation of having the same number assigned to two or more different metals or alloys.

YIELD STRENGTH

The amount of stress a material can withstand before causing permanent deformity.

Steel Coils—What They Are, What They're Used For, and More

Are you looking for information on steel coils? You’re not alone! These things have lots of uses, but with so many steel coil types out there, you may have a lot of questions in mind. Fortunately for you, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about steel coils, including what they’re made of, how they’re used, and more.

What Are Steel Coils?

Steel coils are long, thin sheets of steel that are used in a variety of applications. They are produced by rolling steel at high temperatures and can be found in a variety of industries, including construction, automotive, and appliances.

What Are Steel Coils Made Of?

Steel coils are made of a variety of different materials, including carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. The type of material that is used depends on the intended application of the steel coil.

What Types of Steel Coils Are There?

When it comes to steel coils, there are a few different types that are commonly used. These include cold rolled, hot rolled, and coated steel coils. Let’s take a closer look at each type so you can better understand their uses.

Cold rolled steel coils are made from a hot rolled steel sheet that has been further processed to create a thinner, more pliable material. These coils are then either annealed or temper-rolled to achieve the desired properties. This type of steel coil is often used in the automotive industry for things like door panels and fenders.

Hot rolled steel coils are made from a red-hot steel sheet that is then passed through a set of rollers to achieve the desired thickness. These coils are often used in construction projects where a thicker steel coil is needed.

Coated steel coils are made by applying a coating to a hot rolled or cold rolled steel coil. This can be done using a number of different methods, such as hot dip galvanizing or electro-galvanizing. Coated steel coils are often used in the automotive and construction industries to protect against corrosion.

How Are Steel Coils Used?

Steel coils have a variety of applications, including in construction, automotive, and appliances. They are often used as structural components or as part of the exterior of buildings. In the construction industry, steel coils are used to create metal roofs, wall panels, and floor decks. In the automotive industry, steel coils are used to create car bodies and parts. In appliances, steel coils are used to create refrigerator doors and washing machine drums.

What Are the Benefits of Using Steel Coils?

There are many benefits to using steel coils. First, they’re super versatile, meaning that they can be used for a wide variety of applications. Second, they’re recyclable, making them an eco-friendly solution. Third, they’re cost-effective since they don’t cost you much but still last a long time. Finally, they’re easy to work with, being easily bendable, cuttable, and shaped for any needs.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for information on steel coils, we hope this article has been helpful. There’s a lot to know about steel coils, but the most important thing is that if you need to purchase steel coils for any reason, you must understand your needs thoroughly and ensure that the steel coil you opt for fits your need as precisely as possible. After all, there are many types out there, not to mention manufacturers for them! Be sure to work with a professional provider to ensure your needs are met thoroughly and that all your after-sales needs are thoroughly satisfied!

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Steel Cold Rolled Coil.