It’s amazing what can be achieved when we think differently. Thinking laterally to find a new solution to an existing problem is surely the very definition of good engineering, and it’s an ethos that we hold dear at Tata Steel.

So, when we decided to enter the abrasion resistant (AR) steel market, we wanted to apply that same innovative thinking to help our customers solve problems that they so far haven’t had a solution for. The result is Valast^® 450, an abrasion resistant strip steel that can help you optimise performance and reduce wastage.

Optimal performance

As the name suggests, Valast 450 has a Brinell hardness rating of 450 and, being a strip product manufactured on our hot strip mill in IJmiuiden, it can be produced in thicknesses as low as 2.0mm. This means that, if you have traditionally used a softer AR400 grade, Valast 450 allows you to use a thinner gauge as it is more robust, allowing you to save weight. In the meantime, typical AR500 users now have the opportunity to explore more design options thanks to the lower yield strength that an AR450 provides.

Being a strip product, and benefitting from Tata Steel’s unique chemistry, Valast 450 also offers a guaranteed impact performance of 27J at -40°C. This affords you more confidence to supply products to customers in very cold climates, with competitors’ leading AR plate products typically only guaranteed to -20°C.
 

Minimise yield loss

We have already mentioned a couple of times in this article that Valast 450 is a strip steel product (see here for more detail on how AR strip compares to plate). One of the defining benefits of a strip steel is that design teams are no longer confined to a standard plate size.

Typically, as you will likely already know, plate steel is offered in standard dimensions. This means that, for argument’s sake, your current AR plate provider may sell you an 8 x 2000 x 6000mm plate. But what if your optimal length is 4700mm, and your optimal width is 1850mm? The result is a lot of scrap!

Valast 450 isn’t just a strip product, it is the widest strip product on the market. This means that we can provide you with a range of widths up to 2050mm and in any length that you require. So, if your optimal sheet dimensions are 4700mm x 1850mm, that is what you’ll receive – saving you money and reducing waste.

This change also allows you to rethink your nesting strategy – and this is where thinking laterally can really see untold benefits. Until now this has almost certainly been constrained by the dimensions of the plate. But what if it doesn’t have to be? Instead of your engineers and software being constrained to a set length, now the only limitation is the length of the cutting bench, allowing you much more freedom to find greater efficiency.
 

Technical partnership

At times like this, when you are exploring new opportunities and breaking new ground, we understand that you don’t need a supplier, you need a partner. That’s why each of our customers is allocated a specific technical expert – rather than a salesperson – who is backed up by a team of like-minded engineers.

This means that together we can explore all the opportunities Valast 450 offers and overcome any engineering challenges that you might currently face, without having to reinvent the wheel. We will always be open and honest, and we will always speak your language.

So, now is the time to join us in thinking differently to minimise yield loss and optimise performance.

To find out more about how Valast® 450 can help you to minimise yield loss and optimise performance, click here.