Docol Roll is the latest milestone in the continuous development of SSAB’s products. This ultra-high strength steel is available in two strength levels and can be formed to very tight bending radii. It will be presented to the public at the EuroBLECH 2008 industry fair (21 – 25 October 2008).
Special advantages offered by this Docol cold-reduced steel are its high yield strength and the high dimensional stability of the finished profiles. In response to the increased demand for roll-forming steels, SSAB is now launching Docol Roll, an ultra-high strength steel which can be formed to the tightest bending radii. One of the reasons for its outstanding bending characteristics is the fact that this optimised dual-phase steel has a very well balanced hardness distribution of the components ferrite and martensite. A special annealing process results in a very well balanced hardness distribution in the material combined with a slight difference between the yield strength and the tensile strength of the steel.
Docol Roll offers many advantages for the automotive industry
Docol Roll offers even more advantages. The finished profiles boast high dimensional stability and are excellently suited to welding. With Docol Roll, it is possible to create more complex constructions that are able to tolerate the highest stresses. This steel is characterised by its homogenous microstructure, something which results in improved formability. Docol Roll is ideal for components in complex mechanical applications such as those built by the manufacturers of seat rails.
Competitive advantage: reduced weight and improved performance
The steel being presented at the EuroBLECH 2008 industry fair in Hanover/Germany is suitable for the production of dimensionally stable and smooth profiles which have a low tendency to bend or twist. “The special advantage offered by Docol Roll is the fact that it is ultra-high strength while also offering very tight bending radii. In addition, it is suitable for the manufacture of products with very good geometric stability,” says Karl-Inge Nilsson, Development Manager for cold-reduced and metal coated products at SSAB.
SSAB had close contact with profile producers right from the development phase. The profile producers expressed a desire for a product whose tighter bending radii would make it possible to build more rigid constructions, and thus facilitate further weight reductions, something which motivated the engineers at SSAB to further refine their proven Docol product. “As a leading provider in this niche market, it is especially important for SSAB to maintain a continuous dialogue with end users, suppliers and other market participants, in order to recognise trends at an early date,” says Anke Meyer, Vice Manager Marketing Communications for the SSAB Strip Products Division.
Johnson Controls confirms excellent characteristics of Docol Roll
One of the world’s largest suppliers to the automotive industry, Johnson Controls, has already utilised Docol Roll in the production of seat rails in South Korea. Johnson Controls, South Korea states the very good bending characteristics, as well as the overall high quality of the Docol Roll material in the production.
Know-how from field tests
The automotive industry expressed a great deal of interest in Docol Roll even during the development phase. The product was subjected to an extensive series of tests, and the data thus obtained was evaluated in detail.
A trend towards greater efficiency
SSAB is certain that the market offers a positive future for Docol Roll. “Roll-forming is a very cost-efficient procedure, particularly when it comes to large production runs. Roll-forming minimises the amount of production rejects, and downstream processing steps can be integrated into a single production line,” says Magdalena Nillius, Product Manager for cold rolled products at SSAB.
Automotive industry spurs innovation
The automotive industry benefits from the combination of roll-forming of profiles with the advantages of these ultra-high strength steels. It makes it possible to achieve high productivity with reasonable production costs. The opportunities presented by roll-forming have yet to be fully utilised, as more and more profile manufacturers are now changing their production processes. The trend towards ever thinner profiles capable of withstanding powerful stresses is also evident in the construction, electronics and furniture industries. With its extremely good bending characteristics, Docol Rolls is suitable not only for roll-forming, but is also advantageous in other manufacturing processes.
Docol Roll test material available
In order to ensure that those interested in testing this steel on their own production systems are able to do so, SSAB is able to supply coils, slit strips and sheet from its test stock at short notice. Other products which can be ordered from our regional sales locations are Dogal Roll (hot-dip galvanised) and an electro-galvanised version of Docol Roll. All steels are manufactured in the SSAB steel mill in Borlänge, Sweden.
Please direct your email queries to docolroll@ssab.com. You will find printable picture files for downloading in the “Media” section of our website at: www.ssabtunnplat.com.
Contacts:
Anke Meyer,
Vice Manager
Marketing Communications
SSAB Strip Products Division
Phone: +49 (0)451 / 613 05 58
Mobile: +49 172 42 44 309
anke.meyer@ssab.com
Magdalena Nillius,
Product Manager for cold rolled products
SSAB Strip Products Division
Phone: +46 243 716 43
Mobile: +46 70 650 47 51
magdalena.nillius@ssab.com
SSAB, a global niche producer of high strength steel with a leading position and excellent productivity develops solutions which increase the competitiveness of its customers. In 2007 the SSAB Group employed 10,000 people and achieved annual sales of approx. 48 billion Swedish krona (approx. 5.1 billion Euros).