Tata Steel announces the launch of Celsius 420, a stronger hot finished structural steel hollow section which reduces the weight of mechanical products and can speed up the construction of new buildings.
The next-generation in hot finished structural steel, developed in conjunction with construction customers primarily for use in applications where structural performance at minimum weight is required, Celsius 420 represents innovative advances in steel manufacturing.
Offering a high yield strength of 420 MPa and significant weight savings of up to 17 per cent compared with Tata Steel’s successful Celsius 355 products, Celsius 420 enables the construction sector to use smaller foundations and fewer temporary structures for cost- and time-effective construction. Celsius 420 also has potential for use in mechanical products sectors, such as industrial machines, agricultural vehicles and vehicle axles.
Celsius 420’s uniform grain structure means it is a fully stress-relieved product. Combined with the steel’s lower Carbon Equivalent Value (CEV) of 0.45, compared to the 0.5 product standard of EN 10210, this improves the weldability and fabrication of Celsius 420. Not only is steel with a lower CEV better for welding, but it requires no additional heat treatment, making the steel more cost-effective.
The steel’s strong weldability - unique in high-strength tube products – means high-strength structures can be fabricated without changing standard weld procedures. In addition, tighter radii can be maintained on the corner profiles of square and rectangular sections to ensure a smaller surface area for less weight, a reduced risk of fracture as well as a pleasing and consistent aesthetic.
“While our Celsius range is already very well established in the structural hollow sections market, we know our customers are always looking for new materials with enhanced properties. This is why we focus so much on innovation to develop next-generation products. We’re bringing to market an entirely new range of hot finished hollow structural sections that we believe is in a class of its own. Celsius 420 guarantees proven performance and quality assurance, offering customers design freedom and manufacturing confidence,” says Henrik Adam, Tata Steel’s Chief Commercial Officer in Europe.
Jonathan Clemens, Head of Marketing, Construction & Infrastructure for Tata Steel’s European operations, adds: “Being a hot finished structural hollow section product with added strength, Celsius 420 offers customers big advantages through lower material costs, good weldability and improved performance thanks to the high degree of uniformity in wall thickness. Customers can reduce the weight of the material they use for equivalent performance, which gives further benefits in terms of reduced building infrastructure requirements.
“Tata Steel is the only manufacturer to supply structural hollow sections to BES 6001, the BRE’s responsible sourcing standard. With a rating of ‘very good’, this certification provides independent verification of our corporate responsibility and a benchmark to show that we are continuously improving our sustainability credentials.”
Certification to BES 6001 also provides validation of product traceability. Tata Steel can demonstrate the provenance of the raw material right through to final production of Celsius 420, which is manufactured in the UK through the company’s fully integrated supply chain.
The Celsius 420 range of circular, rectangular, square and elliptical hollow sections is now in production and available to the market. The sections are made from strip produced at Tata Steel’s plants in south Wales, which is formed into hot finished tubes at the company’s Hartlepool and Corby mills in the UK.
