Hardness Testing Solutions for Thin Sheet Steel
What Is Thin Sheet Steel?
Thin sheet steel is cut from cold-rolled steel coils and retains the original properties of the cold-rolled coil. It can be used to produce a wide range of products, including steel pipes and roll-formed sections.
Key Advantages of Thin Sheet Steel
- Made as rigid sheets with high strength and load-bearing capacity.
- Rarely warps or dents during processing or transport.
- Has a clean appearance, with neatly finished edges and no rough burrs.
- Available in various thicknesses and sizes to meet needs in construction, machining, and other fields.
- Sheet steel can also withstand environmental exposure. Even outdoors, it does not require especially demanding storage.
Thin Sheet Steel Specifications
Thin sheet steel specifications describe key product properties, dimensions, and tolerances. This information helps users understand the product and choose the right material. Typical specifications include:
Common Thin Sheet Steel Dimensions
| Parameter | Unit | Specification |
| Material | PO, CR, GI/GA/EG, ZAM, stainless steel (SUS) | |
| Sheet thickness | mm | 0.3–6.0 (coil) up to 13 mm (sheet stock) |
| Master coil width | mm | 100–1,600 |
| Sheet stock width | mm | 100–3,000 |
| Master coil weight | up to 25,000 | |
| Master coil inner diameter | mm | 508/610/762 |
| Master coil outer diameter | mm | up to 2,000 |
Standard Tolerances for Thin Sheet Steel
| Parameter | Unit | Specification |
| Length | mm | 30–6,000 |
| Length tolerance | mm | ± 0.5 |
| Diagonal tolerance | mm | < 0.5/1,000 |
| Burr (mm) | mm | ≤ 0.05 |
| Surface protection | Paper, vinyl |
Types of Thin Sheet Steel
Thin sheet steel is generally divided into three types: black sheet steel, galvanized sheet steel, and stainless steel.
Black Thin Sheet Steel
- The input material is carbon steel sheet.
- Identification: the surface has the characteristic blue-black color of carbon steel.
- Black sheet steel oxidizes and corrodes easily, so it is not recommended for harsh environments. Its service life and corrosion resistance can be improved by galvanizing, oiling, or painting the surface.
Galvanized Thin Sheet Steel
- The input is galvanized steel coil: cold-rolled coil coated with zinc on both sides.
- Identification: the surface has a zinc spangle or a brighter, smoother gray finish.
- The zinc coating improves corrosion resistance and protection from environmental exposure. Its durability can reduce costs for users.
Stainless Steel Sheet
- The input material is stainless steel coil.
- Identification: the surface is smooth, glossy, and gray-white.
- Stainless sheet steel offers the best corrosion resistance of these types. It is durable, heat-resistant, flexible, and easy to form, so it is widely used in everyday products and industrial manufacturing.
Applications of Thin Sheet Steel
Thin and ultra-thin sheet steel can reduce metal input by 10–15% when manufacturing steel pipes and roll-formed sections. It is used across many industries and applications, including:
Black Thin Sheet Steel
- Storage cabinets
- Partitions
- Supporting industries
- Machinery and industrial steel pipe manufacturing
- …
Galvanized Thin Sheet Steel
- Components for refrigerators, washing machines, and water heaters
- Factory ventilation systems
- Highway guardrails
- Machinery and industrial steel pipe manufacturing
- …
Stainless steel sheet
- Kitchen counters, tables, chairs, and furniture
- Supporting industries
- Electronic equipment and components
- …
Hardness Testing Solutions for Thin Sheet Steel
Thin sheet steel comes in different thicknesses depending on the application. Common sheets are 0.2 mm (2 dem/zem) to 1 mm (1 ly, or 10 dem/zem) thick. This can be challenging for some hardness testers.
Vickers and Rockwell are the two common methods for testing thin sheet steel.
Vickers requires a sufficiently good surface to observe and measure the indentation, so it is not suitable for many types of steel.
Vickers testers also require a relatively high investment, and operators need good testing skills.
For thin sheet applications, the Rockwell method offers advantages such as:
- Lower equipment investment
- Simple, automated measurements
- Results are less affected by the steel surface and operator skill
Among these, theSuperficial Rockwell hardness tester(Superficial Rockwell, or Rockwell Superficial) is an excellent choice for hardness testing very thin metal sheets from 0.2 mm (2 dem/zem), such as model206 EXS by Affri, Italy.
 | AFFRI 206 EXS
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AFFRI is an Italian brand established in 1954. With more than 70 years of experience in researching, developing, and manufacturing hardness testers, Affri is a global leader known for patented innovations and accurate, durable equipment.
For consultation or a demo, contact Huy by phone/Zalo (24/7):0902 903 826
