Stainless Steel Mill Scale

Mill scale formation on stainless steels 2001.

Stainless steel mill scale.

This is true for powder coatings paints and other finishing techniques meant to protect the surface from corrosion. To achieve a smooth durable coating mill scale must be removed from an iron or steel workpiece before application. Shot blasting a method used to clean strengthen and polish metal is a fast and cost effective way to remove mill scale. It is usually less than 0 1 mm thick and initially adheres to the steel surface and protects it from atmospheric corrosion provided no break.

For this reason scale removal is an indispensable step in the pre coating process. The two most common technique used is shot blasting and scale breaker making the coil pass through series of rolls and making them bend at different angles. There seems to be conflicting opinions about whether the mill scale formed during production is helpful or harmful in resisting corrosion. The mill scale on 304 is chromium oxide.

I am a researcher studying corrosion resistant rebar specifically using stainless steel. By microwa ve heating. I often forge stainless which means it has real mill scale its all over dark gray. How do you remove mill scale from stainless steel.

Cho s lee j 2008 metal recovery from stainless steel mill scale. Met mater int 14 2 193 196. Scales and rust formed on steel coil s surface is traditionally removed by two process. It doesnt interfere with tig welding.

Removing mill scale from iron or stainless steel. Mill scale is formed on the outer surfaces of plates sheets or profiles when they are being produced by rolling red hot iron or steel billets in rolling mills. Mill scale is bluish black in color. I have been tig welding a lot of stainless for over 25 years now and have never cleaned it up before welding.