The stainless steel bar or tube is one of the most in-demand stainless steel products because it forms part of the base of a finished product. It is used in construction, automobile, equipment, sporting goods, fuel refining, manufacturing, piping, consumer products, and many more industries.
The process of producing the stainless steel bar starts with melting. This is intense heat of up to 12 hours where all the raw materials are melting together. The exact mix of raw materials will depend on the type of stainless steel bar needed and the choice would be copper, iron ore, silicon, nickel, and chromium among others.
The second stage is casting to form the tube where it is allowed to harden. Once this is done, the tube is heat-treated. The heat treatment falls under several types. The choice would depend on what kind of stainless steel bar is required and whether it is austenitic, ferritic, or martensitic. For instance, with austenitic stainless steel bars, the heating process will demand a minimum of 1900 degrees Fahrenheit or 1037 degrees Celsius. After the heating process, the bar is cooled down with precision because going too slow could result in carbide precipitation. Carbide precipitation is considered the pitfall of stainless steel manufacturing because if it happens the product reacts to the environment and is unable to resist corrosion or rust.
After the cooling process, the tube or bar is cleaned and polished before being packed for delivery. In some cases where special designs are required, the finishing goes through additional steps like brushing or grinding before being polished and shipped out.
