Non-Oriented Electrical Steel Sheet With Annealing-Free Hot Rolling

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing manufacturing process for non-oriented electrical steel sheets requires hot-rolled sheet annealing, which increases production costs and can deteriorate the cold-rolling property by coarsening crystal grains, while also challenging the optimization of magnetic properties.

Innovation Solution

A method for manufacturing a non-oriented electrical steel sheet that omits the hot-rolled sheet annealing process, involving heating a slab, hot-rolling it, cold-rolling without annealing, and finally annealing the cold-rolled sheet, while controlling the alloy composition and process conditions to improve magnetism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If hot-rolled sheet annealing is performed to improve texture and magnetic properties, then magnetic flux density is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemagnetic flux densityVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the hot-rolled sheet annealing process from the manufacturing sequence, extracting this unnecessary step while maintaining magnetic properties through optimized cold-rolling and final annealing parameters

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary texture optimization during the cold-rolling process by controlling reduction ratios and intermediate annealing conditions, preparing the material in advance for final annealing to achieve desired magnetic properties without requiring separate hot-rolled annealing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If hot-rolled sheet annealing is performed to improve texture, then magnetic properties are improved, but crystal grains are coarsened and cold-rolling property deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemagnetic propertiesVSAvoidcold-rolling property
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary grain refinement during cold-rolling by controlling reduction ratios and intermediate annealing, preparing the material in advance for final annealing to achieve desired magnetic properties without grain coarsening

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the temperature and time parameters of the final annealing process to achieve grain growth and magnetic property optimization simultaneously, avoiding the grain coarsening issue associated with hot-rolled annealing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of energy

If addition amounts of Si, Al, and Mn are increased to reduce iron loss, then specific resistance increases and eddy current loss decreases, but magnetic flux density deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveiron lossVSAvoidmagnetic flux density
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the compositional parameters of Si, Al, and Mn within specific ranges (Si: 2.0-3.5%, Al: 0.01-0.10%, Mn: 0.50-2.00%) to achieve the right balance between specific resistance and magnetic flux density

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite alloy system combining Si, Al, and Mn in optimized proportions, where each element contributes to reducing iron loss through different mechanisms while maintaining overall magnetic performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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

This approach reduces manufacturing costs, maintains excellent magnetic properties, and eliminates the need for stress relief annealing, thereby improving the overall efficiency and productivity of the steel sheet production.

Implementation Method 1

heating a slab... to a temperature sufficient to transform to an austenite single phase

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase transformation: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

cold-rolling the hot-rolled sheet without annealing the hot-rolled sheet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Deformation

Implementation Method 3

final-annealing the cold-rolled sheet... after final-annealing, a volume fraction of grains in which an angle formed by a {111} surface and a rolling surface is 15° or less is 27% or more

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRecrystallization: Annealing

Data Source

PatentUS12264377B2Non-oriented electrical steel sheet and method for producing same
Publication Date: 2025.04.01 POHANG IRON & STEEL CO LTD

AI summary

A non-oriented electrical steel sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention includes, in wt %, C at 0.005% or less (excluding 0%), Si at 0.5 to 2.4%, Mn at 0.4 to 1.0%, S at 0.005% or less (excluding 0%), Al at 0.01% or less (excluding 0%), N at 0.005% or less (excluding 0%), Ti at 0.005% or less (excluding 0%), Cu at 0.001 to 0.02%, and the balance of Fe and inevitable impurities, and satisfies Formula 1 below, wherein a volume fraction of grains in which an angle formed by a {111} surface and a rolling surface of the steel sheet is 15° or less is 27% or more.[Mn]/([Si]+150×[Al])≤0.35  [Formula 1](In Formula 1, [Mn], [Si], and [Al] are contents (wt %) of Mn, Si, and Al, respectively.)