Cold Rolled Carbon
0.40 - 1.0 mm thick5 - 1500 mm wide
HSLA 260 to 550 Cold Rolled Steel Strip
High strength low alloy strip from 260 to 550, annealed, 0.40 to 1.0 mm, slit 5 to 1500 mm.
Overview
What This Grade Range Is For
HSLA steel reaches its strength through micro alloying and grain refinement rather than through carbon, which is why it stays weldable and reasonably formable while yielding far above mild steel. That combination is what lets a bracket lose thickness without losing load capacity. We supply the 260 to 550 range annealed, from 0.40 mm to 1.0 mm, slit from 5 mm to 1500 mm.
Specifications
| Quality Designation | HSLA 260 - 550 |
| Temper | Annealed |
| Thickness | 0.40 - 1.0 mm |
| Width | 5 - 1500 mm |
Ranges as supplied. Exact grade within the range is confirmed against your application.
Key Benefits
- Higher yield strength lets the same part be made from thinner material
- Weldable, unlike strength achieved by raising carbon content
- A wide 260 to 550 range, so the grade can be matched to the load rather than rounded up
- Same slitting range as the DC grades, so a redesign does not change the supply format
Problems It Solves
- A part is over thick in mild steel purely to reach a load rating
- Weight reduction stalls because higher carbon alternatives will not weld
- The strength grade needed is available only in wide coil
Who It Is For
- Automotive component suppliers under weight targets
- Equipment manufacturers reducing shipped weight
- Roll formers making structural profile
Application Scenarios
- Automotive brackets, reinforcements and seat structures
- Load bearing stamped components where weight is penalised
- Roll formed structural sections
- Chassis and frame parts in light equipment
Technical Features
- Strength from micro alloying and fine grain structure rather than from carbon
- Supplied annealed across the 260 to 550 range
- Less formable than the DC ladder, so bend radius needs checking against the grade
Manufacturing Process
How This Material Reaches You
Cold rolling to gauge
Annealing
Slitting to ordered width
Oiling, recoiling and packing
Materials
- High strength low alloy cold rolled steel, grades 260 to 550
Quality Control
- Thickness checked across the width
- Mechanical properties confirmed against the ordered grade
- Flatness and edge condition checked after slitting
Customization Options
- Grade selected against the calculated load rather than rounded up
- Slit width to your section developed width
- Coil format matched to your decoiler
Comparison
How It Compares With The Alternatives
| Compared With | What Changes |
|---|---|
| DC01 to DC06 Cold Rolled Steel Strip | DC grades draw deeper and go thinner, down to 0.05 mm. HSLA starts at 0.40 mm and buys yield strength instead of draw depth. |
| S260GD to S550GD Structural Galvanized Strip | The GD grades cover a similar strength range but arrive galvanized. Choose HSLA where the part is enclosed or gets its own coating. |
Use Guide
Getting The Specification Right First Time
- Calculate the required yield first, then pick the lowest grade that clears it
- Check the bend radius against the grade, because formability drops as strength rises
- Keep welding parameters under review when moving up from mild steel
- Remember the minimum gauge is 0.40 mm, so very thin parts stay on the DC ladder
What to Include in Your Enquiry
- The part and how it is formed, including the tightest bend radius
- The service environment and expected design life
- The strip width your die or roll former actually needs
- Coil inner diameter and maximum coil weight your decoiler accepts
HSLA 260 to 550 Cold Rolled Steel Strip Questions
What does the number in HSLA 340 mean?
It is the minimum yield strength in megapascals. HSLA 550 yields more than twice as high as HSLA 260, which is what allows the thickness reduction.
Can HSLA be supplied thinner than 0.40 mm?
Not in this range. Below 0.40 mm the DC01 to DC06 grades cover down to 0.05 mm.
Is HSLA harder to form than mild steel?
Yes, and the effect grows as the grade rises. Springback increases and the minimum bend radius gets larger, so the tool needs checking when a grade changes.
Is HSLA supplied in any temper other than annealed?
This range is supplied annealed. The DC grades are the ones we supply across the full annealed to full hard span.
Related Materials
Get a Quote on Cold Rolled Carbon
Send the specification or just the part drawing. We will confirm what is achievable in gauge, width and temper before anything is priced.