ESSC & DUPLEX 2019

Stainless steel strip products have a variety of challenging applications in different market segments. Depending on the application of the final product, different heat treatments concepts are required to achieve the target properties required by customers in the most cost-efficient way. This paper reviews the versatile heat treatment applications of continuous bright annealing lines operating under pure hydrogen process atmosphere. Typically, such lines are used to process various stainless steel grades or special alloys with austenitic, ferritic or martensitic microstructure, whose alloying elements (Cr, Ni, Mn, Ti, Mo, etc.) have a high affinity to oxidation and are therefore heat treated in a hydrogen atmosphere with lowest dewpoints to maintain a brilliant surface finish. The product portfolio to be processed via such a continuous bright annealing line ranges from foils with 0,02 mm thickness up to heavy gauges with 4,5 mm thickness. So many different market segments can be served. The paper will give a practical overview of typical use cases, challenges and benefits of such lines in different market segments, such as • Classical austenitic, ferritic, martensitic grades with highest production rates • Precision strips with focus on ultra-thin gauges • Ni-base alloys with highest peak metal temperatures