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On April 26, reporters learned from China Baowu Taigang Group (hereinafter referred to as “TISCO”) that the group recently successfully overcomes the challenges of controlling the mechanical properties of extra-thick stainless steel plate. They have delivered over 6,000 tons of extra-thick plate, 8 cm thick or greater, to a major international energy project. The maximum thickness of a single plate reached a record-breaking 15 cm, with a maximum unit weight of 28 tons. This marks TISCO’s achievement in breaking the global record for stainless steel plate thickness, setting a new record for thickness.
In the field of high-end equipment manufacturing, the performance and cost of extra-thick stainless steel plate have always been key factors hindering industry progress. Traditional extra-thick stainless steel plate is typically 8 cm or thicker, but due to compression ratio limitations during the production process, the finished product thickness after rolling is typically less than 7 cm. Producing thicker plate requires traditional processes that not only lengthen production cycles but also reduce yield rates.
Through the development of new processes, TISCO’s technical team has successfully overcome a series of technical challenges, including the production of extra-thick billets, differential heating of billets, temperature-controlled rolling, and online solutionizing and shape control for extra-thick plates. The resulting extra-thick plates not only achieve breakthrough thicknesses, but also boast improvements in numerous technical specifications, such as tensile strength, low-temperature impact resistance, grain size control, and inclusion levels, far exceeding customer standards and achieving zero defects under high-quality NDT.
This breakthrough by TISCO has significantly enhanced the international competitiveness of China’s extra-thick stainless steel plates. Furthermore, leveraging the versatility of the new process, TISCO has expanded this technology to encompass a full range of high-end stainless steel materials. In addition to conventional grades, extra-thick plates, such as duplex steel, have also been delivered in batches, reaching a maximum thickness of 15 cm and meeting American standards.
By the end of 2024, cumulative deliveries of this extra-thick plate will have exceeded 12,000 tons, serving a variety of high-end sectors, including energy, chemicals, LNG storage and transportation, and special metallurgy. A person in charge of TISCO Group said: “TISCO’s extra-thick plates lead the world, redefining the ‘thickness’ of global stainless steel production with advanced technology, and providing strong support for China’s manufacturing to deeply participate in international competition.”