FAQ about grain-oriented electrical steel

What is  grain-oriented electrical steel?

1 Definition:  grain-oriented silicon steel refers to cold-rolled electrical steel containing 2.9%~3.5%i, and the crystal structure of the steel plate has certain rules and directions. It generally refers to a single-oriented silicon steel sheet with a Gaussian texture, that is, a silicon steel whose crystal plane is parallel to the rolling surface and whose crystal orientation is parallel to the rolling direction. There is also a cold-rolled dual-oriented (cubic texture 1003<001>) silicon steel.

Two kinds of silicon steel grains and rolling directions are shown in the following figure:

How many classifications are there for grain-oriented electrical steel?

Cold-rolled grain-oriented electrical steel can be divided into ordinary grain-oriented silicon steel sheet (GO) and high magnetic induction grain-oriented silicon steel sheet (Hi-B) according to the magnetic properties.

What are the properties of grain-oriented electrical steel?

category B8（T） mean deviation angle Ratio of deviation angle <10° secondary grain diameter degree of grain orientation
ordinary 1.82~1.85 ~7° 75% 3~5mm 85%~90%
High magnetic induction 1.92~1.95 ~3° 100% 10~20mm ≥95%

What is the process of grain oriented electrical steel?

The specific process method is shown in the table below:

main process ordinary High magnetic induction
Inhibitor MnS(MnSe) Plan A Plan B Plan C
Billet Heating Temperature℃ 1350~1370 AIN+MnS MnSe+Sb N+B+S
Normalization temperature℃ 不常化或900~950 1380~1400 1350~1370 900~1025
First cold rolling reduction% 70 1100~1150 900~950 85~87
intermediate annealing temperature℃ 850~950 85~87 /
Second cold rolling reduction% 50~55 / 60~70 /
Decarburization annealing temperature℃ / 800~850 wetH2+N2 /
high temperature annealing temperature℃ 1180~1200 1180~1200 （820~920）x50H+（1180~1200） 1800~1200

What is the rolling method of grain-oriented electrical steel?

Generally, for ordinary grain-oriented silicon steel with a thickness greater than 0.3mm, the current popular method is to use the secondary crystallization method of inhibitors to produce it. That is, MnSe (or MnSe) is used as the inhibitor and the second medium reduction rate is cold rolled.

What is the chemical composition of grain oriented electrical steel?

The initial components of grain-oriented electrical steel are:

Silicon (SI) 3.2%

Carbon (C): ≦0.03%

Manganese (Mn): 0.06~0.10%

Sulfur (S): 0.03%.

What is the process flow of grain oriented electrical steel?

Hot rolling → normalization and pickling → primary cold rolling → annealing in China Construction → secondary cold rolling → decarburization return and MgO coating → high temperature annealing → stretch annealing and insulating film coating.

What is the temperature of grain oriented electrical steel?

Rolling start temperature: common type—1160℃±20℃; Hi-B steel ≥1190℃.

Finishing temperature: common type 950℃±10℃; Hi-B steel 1000℃~1060℃.

Coiling temperature: 550°C.

What are the advantages of grain oriented electrical steel?

Electrical steel, also known as silicon steel or transformer steel, is a specialized type of steel that has been used in a variety of electrical applications over the years. It has many properties that make it an ideal material for the production of transformers, electric motors and other electrical engineering components. In this blog post, we will learn about the properties of oriented electrical steel, which has many advantages over other types of electrical steel. The main advantage is that it has a very high magnetic flux density. This means it can carry more current than other types of electrical steel and therefore be more efficient. It also has very low hysteresis losses, meaning it loses less energy when the magnetic field changes direction. This makes it more efficient overall. Finally, oriented electrical steel is very corrosion resistant and therefore lasts longer.

What are the disadvantages of grain oriented electrical steel?

Grain-oriented electrical steel is a highly processed and specialized steel used in a variety of applications, including transformers and electric motors. While oriented electrical steel has many advantages, there are also some disadvantages that should be considered before using this type of steel

Some of the main disadvantages of grain oriented electrical steel include:

  1. High cost: Grain-oriented electrical steel is a high-cost material because it requires a lot of processing and manufacturing to produce it. This can make it cost-prohibitive in some applications.
  2. Limited Availability: Due to the limited number of manufacturers producing oriented electrical steel, oriented electrical steel is not widely available. This can make it difficult to find the right supplier for your needs.

How to choose the correct type of grain-oriented electrical steel?

If you are in the market for grain oriented electrical steel (also known as silicon steel), there are a few things you should keep in mind in order to choose the type that suits your needs. First, consider what type of application the steel will be used for. Oriented electrical steels are commonly used in transformer cores and other electromagnetic applications. It is also used in various types of motors and generators.

Next, you should consider the thickness of the steel. The thicker the steel, the higher the price. However, thicker grain-oriented electrical steels are generally more durable and can withstand greater weight and stress than thinner steels.

Finally, consider the texture of the steel. Smooth textures are best for applications that do not require additional grip or friction, such as transformer cores. A rougher texture is better for applications that require extra grip, such as generators or electric motors.