A new grade of steel for laser cutting from ArcelorMittal Poland

ArcelorMittal Poland is working on the implementation of steel grades for laser cutting, in the form of cut sheets, into production. The first of them – of the S355MC grade, which meets the stringent requirements of the steel grades of the Amstrong® group – is just being launched on the market.

The new grade of steel is produced in the thermomechanical rolling process in Europe’s most modern hot rolling mill in Krakow. The sheet cutting process takes place at ArcelorMittal Distribution Solutions on certified cross-cutting lines that are able to guarantee a low level of internal stresses. This grade of steel is used in a variety of structures, such as truck trailer components, agricultural machinery, and other structures that require precise laser cutting. The thickness of the steel in this grade depends on the application and currently the range can be from 4 to 8 mm.

– The recipients of the new grade of steel in sheets now have another reason to be satisfied. Thanks to the improvement of its properties in a controlled production process, they can already laser cut it into any shape they choose – informs Tomasz Plaskura, sales director of ArcelorMittal Europe – flat products for Central and Eastern Europe.

S355MC – LASER, because this is the official name of the new species, is available in the CLASSIC version with acceptable flatness deviations of up to 5 millimeters per 1 meter and PREMIUM – up to 3 millimeters per 1 meter on ready-made elements after the laser cutting process. The reduction of internal stresses in the hot rolling process and in the straightening process during sheet cutting makes it suitable for laser cutting.

– Of course, we would not have achieved such a success if it were not for the good cooperation with the Research and Development center at ArcelorMittal Gent in Belgium and our partner in this project – ArcelorMittal Distribution Solutions – says Adam Dziedzic, head of the Product Development and Quality Improvement Department at ArcelorMittal Poland.

The production of the highest-class sheet metal with such properties was possible thanks to investments made by ArcelorMittal Poland in the hot rolling mill in Krakow. Only in the last year, the company invested PLN 236 million there. Modernization of the entire Krakow branch, i.e. the former Huta im. T. Sendzimir, absorbed PLN 3 billion in the last 12 years.

A new grade of steel for laser cutting, meeting the stringent requirements of the steel grades of the Amstrong® group, together with other types of sheets produced by ArcelorMittal with a special application (Aluzinc®, Magnelis®, Jetskin®, Granite® Rain) were presented at this year’s engineering fair in Brno in Moravia, which took place in October. It is the most famous trade fair in the Czech Republic, visited every year by 75 thousand people. guests. These are not only local and European fairs: this year, 1,500 exhibitors from 59 countries around the world were present in Brno.