How to Tell If Steel Is Soft-Rolled

Steel is rolled using two types of processes: "cold rolling" and "hot rolling." Rolling is classified according to the temperature of the metal rolled. If the temperature exceeds 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the process is hot rolling. Below 1,000 degrees, the designation is cold rolling. Another term for hot-rolled steel is "soft-rolled," because it loses its hardness when heated. Soft-rolled steel is shaped or bent to its final dimensions at a temperature that surpasses 1,700 degrees.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Check to verify that the soft-rolled stock products have a rounded appearance at the corners and edges with inexact dimensions. In other words, the edges are not as precise or smooth as cold-rolled steel.

   • 2

     View the edges and corners of the soft-rolled steel for a rough blue-gray finish. Cold-rolled steel will have a shiny blue-gray surface.

   • 3

     Verify the thickness. Soft-rolled steel comes in thicknesses 0.01 inches or more. Cold-rolled steel comes in sizes less than 0.01 inches.