Hot rolled ultra-high strength steel with a gauge range of 3–10 mm (0.118¨–0.395¨) was developed using conventional slab caster and hot strip mill technology at Stelco Inc. (Stelco) to meet standard industry specifications along with additional unique customer requirements. The effects of chemical composition, steelmaking and hot rolling process parameters on microstructure, precipitation behaviour, and mechanical properties were studied. Both Grade 90 (620 Mpa, Stelco trademarked STELMAX^TM90) and Grade 100 (690 MPa, STELMAX^TM100) products met strength requirements in longitudinal and transverse directions. Furthermore, these ultra-high strength steels exhibited excellent ductility, impact toughness, edge stretchability and bendability. The enhanced mechanical properties are the results of chemistry design and carefully controlling austenite/ferrite grain size and precipitation behaviour at different processing stages. These newly developed steels have extensive applications in automobile safety components, light-weight construction, piping/tubing and offshore structures.

Medium-to-high carbon hot-rolled steel strip was developed on a thin slab casting direct strip production complex at Essar Steel Algoma Inc. to meet different specifications and special customer requirements. The effects of chemistry, casting and hot rolling process parameters on microstructure and mechanical properties were studied. Soft core reduction, secondary cooling, casting speed, as well as hot rolling and coiling temperature were optimised to achieve the required mechanical properties and other requirements such as ultrasonic test after electric resistance welding, wear resistance and corrosion resistance. These new developed medium-to-high carbon steel grades have extensive applications in oil and gas industries, general manufacturing, construction, automotive and mining equipment.