Stainless Steel Clad Plate Rolling for Stronger Interface Bonding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stainless steel clad plate production technologies do not adequately address the interface bonding performance between the stainless steel cladding layer and the carbon steel or low alloy steel base layer, which affects the quality and performance of the final product.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a five-stage heating process, transverse and longitudinal rolling with controlled temperature and cooling, and a combination of heating and sealing processes to ensure bonding strength, including surface polishing and sealing processes to ensure bonding strength, and a sealing process to ensure bonding strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional heating and rolling processes are used for composite slabs, then production efficiency is maintained, but temperature uniformity and effective penetration of the core part are insufficient, resulting in poor interface bonding strength

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterface bonding strengthVSAvoidtemperature uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heating process is divided into five distinct stages (preheating, first heating, second heating, third heating, and soaking) with specific temperature ranges and residence times for each stage. This segmentation allows progressive heat penetration from the surface to the core of the composite slab, ensuring uniform temperature distribution and effective bonding at the interface between base material and cladding material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The composite slab undergoes preliminary heating stages before the main heating process. The preheating stage (≤850°C) and first heating stage (1080±30°C) prepare the material by gradually increasing temperature and reducing thermal shock, which prevents thermal stress and ensures uniform temperature distribution before the final high-temperature heating.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If the composite slab is heated to high temperature for effective penetration, then interface bonding improves, but energy consumption and process complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterface bonding strengthVSAvoidheating energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heating energy is distributed across five stages with progressively increasing temperatures. Each stage has optimized residence time (e.g., third heating stage: (0.25~0.35)×t min/mm, soaking stage: 15min~30min) that allows efficient heat penetration without excessive energy input, reducing overall energy consumption while achieving effective core penetration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heating process uses controlled parameter changes including specific temperature ranges (preheating ≤850°C, first heating 1080±30°C, second heating 1160±30°C, third heating 1220±20°C, soaking 1190±20°C) and residence times that optimize energy efficiency. The rolling reduction of the first pass (≥25mm) and rolling temperature (≥1060°C) are also controlled parameters that enhance bonding without excessive energy input.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If conventional rolling processes are used, then production speed is maintained, but bonding interface quality and mechanical properties are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding interface qualityVSAvoidrolling production speed
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The rolling process is divided into transverse rolling (first n passes) and longitudinal rolling (from the (n+1)th pass) with specific rolling reduction (first pass ≥25mm) and rolling temperature (first pass ≥1060°C, n-th pass ≥1030°C) controls. This segmentation ensures proper deformation and bonding at the interface while maintaining production efficiency through optimized pass sequences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Strength

If water cooling is applied between rolling passes to control temperature, then bonding quality improves, but process complexity and water consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding qualityVSAvoidcooling system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Water cooling is applied periodically between specific rolling passes (between the n-th pass and the (n+1)th pass, and between a (n+2)th pass and a (n+3)th pass) with controlled water amount (120~180m³). This periodic cooling maintains optimal temperature ranges for bonding quality while avoiding continuous cooling that would increase system complexity and water consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method ensures excellent bonding strength and uniform temperature distribution, ensuring the effective penetration of the composite slab, thereby enhancing the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the stainless steel clad plate.

Implementation Method 1

heating the composite slab in a heating furnace according to a five-stage mode of a preheating stage, a first heating stage, a second heating stage, a third heating stage and a soaking stage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

heating the composite slab in a heating furnace according to a five-stage mode

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 3

rolling the composite slab from the heating furnace to obtain a large clad plate; during an entire rolling process, transverse rolling is adopted for first n passes, and longitudinal rolling is adopted since the (n+1)th pass

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Implementation Method 4

between the n-th pass and the (n+1)th pass, and between a (n+2)th pass and a (n+3)th pass, water-cooling the slab back and forth once in 6 groups of headers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection cooling: Convection

Implementation Method 5

water-cooling the slab back and forth

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 6

seal welding; the composite slab comprises an upper base material, a lower base material, an intermediate cladding material, and a four-sided frame sealing the intermediate cladding material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Data Source

PatentEP4674542A1Stainless steel composite panel having excellent interface bonding and preparation method therefor
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 INST OF RES OF IRON & STEEL JIANGSU PROVINCE
  • EP4674542A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4674542A1 patent drawingFigure 4
  • EP4674542A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention discloses a stainless steel clad plate with excellent interface bonding and a preparation method thereof. In a rolling process of the method, n passes of transverse rolling are performed and then longitudinal rolling is performed, a reduction of a first pass is ≥25mm and a temperature is ≥1060°C, a target width is reached at an n-th pass, a temperature of the n-th pass is ≥1030°C; after the n-th pass and an (n+2)th pass, water-cooling is performed back and forth once in 6 groups of cooling headers, cooling water amounts of an upper header and a lower header are 120~180m3/h and 160~220m3/h respectively, and a roller table speed is 0.8~1.2m/s; reductions of passes from an (n+1)th pass to an (n+3)th pass are all ≥40mm, and a temperature of the (n+1)th pass is ≥950°C; up to an m-th pass, a temperature is ≥900°C, reaching 2.5~3.5 times a target thickness of a large clad plate; after that, performing water cooling, until a surface temperature of a slab is reduced to below 840°C; and then performing a second stage of rolling, a temperature of a first pass and a last pass of the stage is 810°C~840°C and 780~810°C.