Interstitial Free Sheet Steel - Applications and Performance

Interstitial free sheet steel containing columbium (niobium) has been used in a variety of difficult deep drawing applications in the automotive and appliance industries. Performance data have shown a significant increase in deep drawability for this steel over drawing quality aluminum-killed steel. Breakage rates in difficult deep drawn parts have been reduced, often dramatically. One or more anneals between draws have been eliminated and better finished parts have been formed. Laboratory research trials have shown that one or more drawing steps of a multistage draw can be eliminated in a complex part.