Processing Technology

Composite steel sheets or plates, especially clad plates, undergo specific processing technologies to combine two or more materials, ensuring proper bonding and desired properties. The primary goal is to achieve a strong metallurgical bond between the base and clad materials.

Here's an overview of the processing technologies for composite or clad steel plates:

Explosion Welding (EXW):

This process uses explosive detonations to drive the clad plate onto the base plate, creating a metallurgical bond between them.

The explosion generates significant heat and pressure, which results in the formation of a weld between the two metals.

It's a popular method for cladding because of the strong bond it produces.

Roll Bonding:

The base and clad materials are cleaned and stacked together.

The stack is then heated and passed through rolling mills, which reduce its thickness and bond the layers together.

Multiple passes might be required to achieve the desired bond and thickness.

Hot Pressing:

The materials are heated to a high temperature and then pressed together to form a bond.

This method is less common than explosion welding and roll bonding for steel clad plates.

Weld Overlay:

The cladding material is deposited onto the base material using welding processes, building up a layer of the clad material.

Common welding methods include submerged arc welding (SAW), electroslag welding (ESW), and others.

This method can be used for large surface areas and for repairing or adding cladding to existing equipment.

Heat Treatment:

After bonding, the composite plate might undergo heat treatment to relieve stresses, improve bond strength, or achieve desired mechanical properties.

Surface Treatment:

The clad side might require surface treatments like pickling or passivation, especially if corrosion-resistant alloys are used.

Grinding or machining might be used to achieve a smooth surface finish or specific thickness tolerances.

Quality Control and Testing:

Ultrasonic testing is commonly used to check the integrity of the bond across the plate.

Other tests, like shear strength tests or bend tests, might be used to assess the bond quality.

Standard material tests, such as tensile tests or impact tests, might be performed to ensure the composite plate meets required mechanical properties.

Cutting and Forming:

Composite plates can be cut using methods like plasma cutting, water jet cutting, or laser cutting.

They can also be formed or bent into specific shapes, but care must be taken to avoid delamination or damage to the clad layer.

(When producing or specifying composite steel plates, it's essential to understand the processing methods involved and ensure that the manufacturer follows best practices to achieve a strong bond and desired properties. Proper quality control and testing are critical, especially for applications where material performance is crucial.)

Physical Properties

Chemical Composition

The chemical composition of a composite or clad plate will depend on the individual layers:

 (It's crucial to specify the desired properties and chemical compositions of both the base and clad materials when dealing with composite plates. This ensures that the final product will meet the requirements of the application in terms of strength, corrosion resistance, and other essential attributes.)