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EPS Successfully ‘Pickles’ High Yield Heavy Gauge Steel
A major steel mill that produces a number of specialty high strength steels recently had several sheets of 100K yield steel processed through the EPS Sheet Line at TMW. The sheets were 1500 mm x 3000 mm across and 12 mm (0.4725 inch) thick. All sheets were thoroughly de-scaled and emerged with a very uniform surface appearance.
The mill representative was impressed. He explained that this high yield strength steel presents two persistent problems for acid pickling:
(1) The hardness of the material makes it difficult to loop through the acid tanks;
(2) It has a harder surface scale which requires longer acid immersion to remove. This makes
the acid pickling result more difficult to predict.
The results of this EPS trial are representative of past trials on material such as 6150 that is very difficult to acid pickle. It is important to note that since the EPS process is not a ‘dissolving’ process like acid pickling, EPS line speeds do not vary that much whether you’re processing commercial quality material or these very hard grades.
This particular mill produces 100K yield material up to 1 inch thick and its options for acid pickling such coils are very limited. It is encouraged that EPS may be a better way to “pickle” this very heavy gauge high strength material.
EPS Pickling of Martensitic Stainless
A large steel mill produces stainless 420R which is very hard: HV220 (by comparison, 316L stainless is 140HV and carbon steel typically ranges from 50 HV to 120HV). It is also rather brittle, hence it cannot be acid pickled in a continuous line; it must be run on a push-pull type line.
However, success with pickling using hydrochloric acid (HCl) is difficult. Full scale removal is not consistently achieved, and the mill does not wish to pursue using the more agressive (and more expensive) HF-based acid pickling. Instead, it wanted to investigate first running the 420R stainless through the EPS process and then through the push-pull HCl pickling line.
Two coils of the martensitic 420R stainless were processed on an EPS Coil Line. In each case, full scale removal was achieved and the coils continued on through cold rolling and batch annealing to complete their metallurgical processing. It was not necessary to run the coils through the HCl acid tanks to ‘finish’ their scale removal.
This reinforces the pickler’s thought that their best arrangement for the future may be to install a single EPS Cell in front of their acid pickling tanks. The EPS Cell would remove enough of the toughest scale that the duty on the acid tanks is reduced. This would allow them to greatly enhance their pickling speed and capacity, thereby enhancing the value of their investment in their existing acid pickling line. To learn more about using EPS technology to speed up an acid pickling line, visit the Using EPS Cells to Speed Up An Acid Pickling Line page of the EPS web site.
EPS Eliminates Dry Shot Blasting Operation
A major US manufacturer of water heaters recently tested EPS-processed hot rolled for their tanks. Although EPS is predominantly a complete acid pickling replacement, they wanted to determine if using EPS would allow them to eliminate the dry shot blasting step they perform prior to applying a heavy porcelain enamel coating that lines the tank.
Good news! By using EPS they found they can eliminate the dry shot blasting operation altogether. This offers savings in both cost and cycle time, and leads to a more efficient, cleaner, quieter work environment.
For more information on how EPS-processed material can simplify fabricating and finishing operations, visit epsprocess.com/eps-steel-advantages/fabrication
EPS Surface Texture Analysis and Comparison to Acid Pickled Surface
A recent ‘high-tech’ evaluation of comparable samples of EPS processed steel and acid-pickled steel produced convincing visual evidence of how the EPS surface texture produces a smoother, more consistent paint finish.
The evaluation employed a Wyko non-contact optical profilometer to scan samples of EPS-processed steel and acid-pickled steel. Scans were performed of the clean, bare steel, then of samples that had been chromated in preparation for painting and, finally, of samples that had been chromated and painted by e-coat. Not only did the Wyko instrument capture the customary parameters of Ra, Rq and Rt, it also captured 3D topographical ‘maps’ of the surface of each sample (see image at left.)
The bare EPS samples showed a higher average roughness value, Ra, than the bare acid pickled steel samples. This is expected, as EPS processing is designed to produce a rougher, but very uniform, surface finish that yields better paint adherence. However, as successive coatings were applied – first the chromate and then the paint – the Wyko scans showed the EPS painted surface becoming markedly more uniform than the painted acid-pickled samples. The conclusion reached is that although the EPS surface may be considered ‘rougher’ than typical acid-pickled, as measured by Ra, it is ‘topographically’ more uniform and this provides a better paint (e-coat) appearance.
You can read the full report, EPS Surface Texture Analysis and Comparison to Acid Pickled Surface, in the compiled booklet of all EPS laboratory and application testing – EPS End Use And Application Test report.
EPS Coil Line Manufacturer For India
Leak-Proof Steel Plant Projects of Mumbai, India has been qualified as an EPS Coil Line manufacturer. In addition, LPSPP is uniquely well-qualified to retrofit existing acid-pickling plants by replacing acid tanks with EPS Cells.
One of LPSPP’s predecessor companies had previously designed and built over 20 acid pickling lines in India in the period 1985 -2006. In 2009, this firm was merged into Leak-Proof Steel Plant Projects, a supplier of integrated flat rolled steel processing lines, as well as acid regeneration and recovery systems. Today’s LPSPP supplies continuous and push-pull acid pickling lines, slitting and cut-to-length lines and, through its partner companies, coil coating, galvanizing and tinning lines.
Mr. Arvind Josi, Managing Director of LPSPP, believes EPS technology is what the Indian steel industry needs now. “Steel capacity is still growing in India, but the hazardous nature of hydrochloric acid makes additional acid pickling most unwelcome. We see opportunities for new, complete EPS Coil-to-Coil Lines, but we also see opportunities for replacing acid tanks with EPS Cells in existing acid pickling lines. That allows you to speed up the line, reduce the consumption of acid and provide a better product with improved surface texture. We also intend to integrate EPS pickling capability into the slitting and cut-to-length lines we offer.”
You can contact Mr. Joshi and learn more about Leak-Proof Steel Plant Projects and all turnkey EPS Coil Line manufacturers at EPS Line Sales.
Rick Thomas Is New Director of Sales – TMW Technology Division
We are pleased to announce that Mr. Rick Thomas has been named Director of Sales for TMW’s Technology Division. In this capacity, Rick is responsible for global Eco Pickled Surface (EPS) technology sales.
Rick Thomas came to The Material Works, Ltd. in 1999 after nearly 15 years of working in the tool & die industry. At TMW, Rick worked as Plant Team Leader for six years, and was also the Chairman of the Safety Committee during that period. In 2006, he became TMW’s Director of Customer Service, a leadership role in which he managed TMW’s sales team and focused on continuous improvement in all aspects of customer relations.
Rick moved to the TMW Technology Division in 2011 to focus on EPS Sales. He has conducted several seminars and technical sessions on EPS around the world. His promotion to Director of Sales has Rick leading the Technology Sales Team both domestic and internationally.
Rick is a licensed small aircraft pilot and in his spare time enjoys golf, photography, and traveling with family and friends.
Please feel free to contact Rick with your inquiries about how your business could benefit from EPS technology. Contact Rick now.
Welcome To The New Eco Pickled Surface Web Site and The EPS Blog
We’re pleased to announce the launch of our revamped web site for EPS, www.epsprocess.com. With the new generation EPS Cell fully demonstrated and now in commercial production, things are moving rapidly. We have
- announced an order for a new turnkey EPS Coil Line in the USA,
- announced an order for a 4-cell turnkey EPS Coil Line in Mexico,
- made organizational changes to better support the growing interest in EPS
The new EPS web site is more flexible – easier to update for new information, and easier for you to find what you’re looking for. We hope you’ll find it ‘user-friendly’
The site also makes use of social networking tools, namely Facebook, Twitter and this new EPS Blog. Any news or developments of interest will be posted to those networks and you can sign on to any of them to get notifications.
Or not. If you’re not much of a “social media” user, just signup to use our outreach service at this link: EPS news subscription. That way, we’ll send you an e-mail with a summary of news items and a link to a post with more detail at this EPS Blog site.
And we’re interested in what you have to say. You’ll notice there’s a comment button below this post. That’s where you can ask for clarification, additional details or inform us and our readers of other items that pertain to the post topic.
We hope you find the new web site helpful and this new way of keeping in touch flexible.
Kevin Voges