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News Release from: Ovako Steel AB | Subject: IQ steel
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 02 June 2006
Isotropic steel quality improved
By fine-tuning the manufacturing process, Ovako has further enhanced the purity of its new IQ (Isotropic Quality) steel.
By fine-tuning the manufacturing process, Ovako has further enhanced the purity of its new IQ (Isotropic Quality) steel Isotropic refers to the fact that the steel has equal strength in all directions, and the new steel is especially well suited to demanding applications that are subjected to high loads, such as rolling bearings and components for the automotive industry
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 6 Feb 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Isotropic steel can lighten hydraulic components
Intended for use in the manufacture of highly stressed hydraulic components, an isotropic steel has high impact strength coupled with high yield strength, leading to lighter assembly weight.
The increased properties of this new steel quality also means that components can be manufactured with lower material thickness, making it increasingly possible to save weight.
Ovako's new steel is primarily designed for manufacturing parts that are subjected to high loads and where equalised strength is required in all areas of the component.
A newly developed manufacturing process has allowed Ovako to achieve a very high cleanliness in the new IQ steel, giving the material these very qualities.
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'Sulphide stringers' are a major disruption in a steel's integrity and the new IQ-steels can resolve this problem.
In essence the steel refining, together with the minimal occurrence of sulphur stringers and other non-metallic inclusions, gives the steel its outstanding isotropic properties.
Examples of the applications for which IQ steel has been designed are rolling bearings, gearbox components and advanced fuel injection systems for efficient car engines.
IQ Steel is particularly useful where priority is given to strength and reliability, combined with low weight in manufactured components.
Almost 4 times the impact strength "Compared with a regular steel, rolling-bearings manufactured with material from the new process can, for example, offer 20 per cent higher lengthwise fatigue Ovako Steel - graphresistance.
Similarly, construction steel can improve by up to four times its usual crosswise impact strength," says Patrik Olund, head of material development at Ovako.
"This means that the new IQ steel is ideal for demanding applications such as in the vehicle industry where high strength and low weight are often at a premium." The purity, combined with the improved properties, now make it possible to manufacture components with a slimmer material thickness than before and can offer weight reduction without compromising strength requirements.
"Through the development and refinement of our steel manufacturing process we have been able to further minimise the occurrence of non-metallic inclusions, eliminate sulphide stringers and offer a better steel to our customers," says Olund.
"All Ovako's standard steel grades can be upgraded to an IQ specification, our highest quality standard, enabling us to optimise our steel to meet individual customer application demands.".
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