METAL PROPERTIES CHART: ROLL FORMED STEEL & MORE

There are plenty of other metals (besides steel) that are used for roll forming and other metal forming processes. Some of the most commonly used metals include:

Aluminum

Coated carbon steels

Copper

Bronze

Brass

Pre-painted coil steels

Perforated metals

A great engineering project always starts with the right metals -- so it’s wise to educate yourself on the pros and cons of each.

Get it wrong, and you’re left with a needlessly expensive or low-quality product. It’s crucial to start your vendor on the right path instead!

Let’s talk about the most important metals, then break them down into easy-to-follow categories of characteristics.

(Don’t forget to scroll to the blue button below to download a full-sized PDF of all the key metals!)

WHAT WE’LL COVER: ROLL FORMED STEEL & MUCH MORE

Here are the metals we’ll cover in this chart:

1018 cold rolled steel

Hot dipped G60 galvanized steel

Hot dipped G90 galvanized steel

A40 galvannealed steel

A60 galvannealed steel

304 stainless steel

316 stainless steel

430 stainless steel

UR52N “duplex” stainless steel

C360 (“free cutting”) brass

C93200 tin bronze (aka SAE 660 or “bearing bronze”)

UNS C11000 (electrolytic tough pitch, or ETP) copper

We’ll judge these roll forming metals by:

Surface finish

Hardness

Formability

Minimum bend radius

Corrosion resistance

Cost

Not sure what each of these physical properties mean? Here’s a quick breakdown:

Surface finish: The exterior’s roughness, waviness, and lay.

Hardness: How impervious is the metal to scratching and denting?

Formability: The ability of a workpiece to be manipulated by the roll forming machine without sustaining damage.

Minimum bend radius: The minimum radius you can bend a channel without damaging it.

Corrosion resistance: How well can the metal stand up to harsh environments without rusting or otherwise corroding?

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