Tata Steel launches a new quality of steel

Giant Tata Steel has developed a new grade of steel to improve the manufacturing of wheels for tractors and large off-road vehicles. This grade of steel will be manufactured at the Port Talbot plant and will be delivered either. In the form of coils or processed plates through the Tata Steel distribution network in the UK and continental Europe.

The Tata Steel company uses the experience gained in perfecting the steel used in the railway and oil industry. Previously, it was able to apply a similar solution to the steel needed for wheel manufacturers.

The new steel grade – DD13WR

The steel grade, called DD13WR, allows manufacturers to form, weld and cold roll the steel, with fewer chances of the material yielding.

Phil Clements, Excavation Sales Director for Tata Steel, said: “By working closely with customers we have been able to determine how we can help improve products and reduce production costs. This new type of steel is another example of how these relationships allow us to develop products that our customers need.”

Usually, the rim manufacturing process includes a series of steps that place high demands on the steel during production. Failure of the welds indicates an increased need for manual inspection and significant rework to eliminate the defect or expose the entire wheel.

The specialists working for Tata Steel have realized that the defects occurring during the production of tractor wheels. Are similar to those observed by the company in the case of butt-to-butt flash welds (in railway transport).

Samples of welding failures were received from numerous European tractor tire manufacturers. And analyzed in the R & D Center owned by Tata Steel in Great Britain. The solution was to create a class of steel that has a better controlled chemical composition.

The focus of product development was on improving the welding performance by optimizing the chemical composition. Also, lowering the sulfur level to perfect the formability after welding significantly reduces material splitting failures.

The steel has been validated through a series of studies that have had positive results.

Source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/tata-ploughs-steel-grade-tractor-8431620