Cold formed steel is made by rolling and stamping steel plates to the desired shape, making it lighter and more elastic than hot-formed steel. It is versatile and easy to deform, making it suitable for cars, transmission poles, and smaller buildings.
Cold formed steel does not form with heat, like most other steels; instead, it is formed with rollers and presses to make it the correct size and shape. This causes cold formed steel to be lighter than other steels and tends to have a little more spring. Unlike hot-formed steel, which is difficult to deform, cold-formed steel is relatively easy for workers to change and bend. This steel is used to make cars, transmission poles, and some buildings.
Most steels are formed at very high temperatures; the steel is melted, placed in a mold and cooled to give a certain shape. Cold formed steel begins as steel plates that are rolled and stamped until the plates take on the correct size and shape. The rollers thin the steel, so it can be bent easily, and the presses add curves and lines so that the steel takes the desired shape, such as an L shape or curved line. While the process isn’t completely cold, because the presses and rollers cause heat from friction and motion, the heat isn’t enough to melt or deform the steel without additional pressure.
Compared to hot steel, cold formed steel is much lighter. This is because generally less steel is needed to create a similar shape when cold pressed; this lowers the cost of steel and makes it suitable for light use. It also has a little more elasticity than hot steel, typically about 29,500 kilograms per square inch (ksi) or 14.124 bar, compared to hot steel’s 29,000 ksi (13,885 bar).
Its higher elasticity and initial roll deformation make work easier, so that workers can easily transform cold-formed steel into different shapes on a construction site. This allows cold steel to be versatile, because it can be made to fit most needs on the fly. Hot steel has a standard shape and is very difficult to deform; while this makes hot steel suitable for support, it is usually not as good for detailing.
This steel is used in many items that need to be flexible and lightweight. For example, cars with steel frames need steel that can be easily deformed to fit the shape of the body, and the steel must be lightweight or the car won’t be able to move quickly. Hot steel is typically used for buildings, but smaller buildings can be made from cold formed steel if the steel doesn’t have to support a huge amount of weight.
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