Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group breaks Japanese and German monopoly in manufacturing ultra-thin stainless steel
Not only are Chinese companies catching up with the west on the latest technologies some of them are also breaking longstanding foreign monopoly. On August 9, a 600 kg stainless steel sheet which is, unbelievably, just 0.02 mm thick, was shipped from Shanxi Taiyuan to Germany. It is currently the thinnest stainless steel to have been produced in China. Manufactured by the Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group (also known as Taigang), the “hand-tear steel” as it is called has a width of 600 mm.
The Chinese media reported that at the Taigang Precision Strip Company the stainless steel, which is just a quarter of the thickness of an A4 sheet, was easily shredded in the hands of staff members. Coming close on the heels of the “pen tip steel” manufactured in 2017, the 0.02 mm stainless steel is another independent research and development of the Taigang Group. According to Wang Tianxiang, manager of Taigang Precision Strip Co., Ltd., the steel is the thinnest in China. As the manufacturing process control was difficult, it was for long monopolized by Japan and Germany.
Liao Xi, head of inspection at Taigang Precision Strip, said stainless steel precision strips generally range in size from 0.05 to 0.5 mm and those below 0.05 mm are called stainless steel foil. The 0.02 mm stainless steel is a frontier product that is higher than the industry standard. This ultra-thin steel is mainly used in aerospace, the petrochemical and automotive industries, electronic and home appliances and computers.
When in 2008 Taigang Precision Strip Company was founded, the production of thin stainless steel was the research and development target. After countless failures, a small amount of 0.02 mm stainless steel was produced in 2017, and mass production was rendered possible only recently. Chinese steelmakers are touting this ultra-thin stainless steel as breaking foreign monopoly and raising production levels to a hitherto unattainable standard.
Supported by cutting-edge technology, Taigang cooperates with many companies to develop hydrogen fuel cell passenger cars, flexible solar photo-voltaic power generators and also invests in ocean exploration. In addition, it manufactures new materials in the field of lithium battery coating.
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