Stainless steel and profiling: a solution for the railway industry?

Abstract

Roll forming (profiling) is known as a versatile process to create long, often complex metallic shapes from
strips and that in a continuous way. Due to its formability and work hardening behaviour, stainless steel
exhibits an interesting potential to create such profiles. Moreover, its corrosion resistance makes it a durable
and economical solution too. This paper discusses a case study about a profiled (“section rolled”) design that
replaces a 1.4571 (316Ti) welded solution for a long structural parts in a railway car body shell. Starting from
the desired shape, a grade selection has been performed, prototypes have been characterised and the
industrial product has been produced accordingly. An alternative stainless steel grade has been selected for
this complex part because of its roll forming capability, high mechanical properties, fatigue and corrosion
resistance. After all the tests done, corrosion and fatigue properties were adequate.