Welding, bending and cutting of Raex®

Raex^® abrasion resistant steels feature excellent flatness and a smooth surface quality – all helpful when bending a workpiece. All steel users can gain high productivity when bending Raex^®, improving yield and cost efficiency. Low variation in hardness will guarantee similar bending results every time.

The uniform properties also make Raex^® ideal for free bending or bottom bending. It is typical for high strength steels that springback must be compensated. The bottom tool should be shaped to allow for overbending without coining the material. Raex^® steel’s uniform thickness will make springback the same for the entire bent workpiece, resulting in a nice, even bend.

Bending properties of Raex^® are currently guaranteed up to 20 mm. The bendability of thicker gauges is also excellent and the bending process can be an efficient alternative to welding in thick plate applications as well. Choosing bending parameters for different grades is now easier with a new Raex^® Smart calculator.

With a low carbon equivalent, Raex^® offers excellent weldability for different joints and structures. Welding temperature, heat input and careful preparation are key factors for successfully welding Raex^® abrasion resistant steel plate.

Controlling heat input during welding is very important for achieving optimal properties in the welded joint. To get on the right track, Raex^® Smart will offer the support needed when defining proper welding parameters for reaching recommended heat input value and optimal properties for the material. In order to reach optimal properties, for the first run and following weld pass sequences, it is important to follow t8/5 times for reaching optimal hardness, strength and impact toughness level of the welded joint. Minimum and maximum heat input depends on the steel grade, plate thickness and welding method.

Undermatching ferritic welding consumables with hydrogen content of HD≤5 ml/100g are recommended for Raex^® steels. Undermatching consumables have good toughness, less need to increase working temperature and are cost effective.

Raex^® steels are easy to cut and can be cut with different cutting methods. The surface quality of Raex^® is optimized using state-of-the-art techniques during rolling, which guarantees an excellent product outlook but also brings an outstanding laser cutting properties for the product. An additional advantage of Raex^® products is less need for preheating which will speed up fabrication for the users and in the field.

Raex^® steels can be cut using different cutting methods, the most popular ones being plasma and flame cutting. Users can select the cutting method based on the requirements for the cut edge or the material itself. In special cases when high hardness is required on the edge, water jet likely offers the best solution. If high precision is important but heat input is not so relevant, laser cutting makes a great choice for Raex^® steels.

With the smooth cut edge quality, edge finishing time can be minimized during manufacturing. Parts can be sent directly to the next phase in the value chain without incurring extra costs. In addition, less need for preheating also brings cost efficiency, not only for the workshops but also when cutting onsite. Some thicknesses preheating is the best choice before cutting but an alternative option is also to adjust cutting speed.