The Difference Between Non-Oriented Silicon Steel and Oriented Silicon Steel

1. Definition of Silicon Steel/Electrical Steel

Oriented silicon steel grains align in one direction with high silicon content, ideal for transformers. Non-oriented silicon steel, with disordered grains and lower silicon content, suits motor manufacturing. Typically, silicon content is set at 3%. Cold-rolled silicon steel is categorized into cold-rolled non-oriented silicon steel and cold-rolled oriented silicon steel.

(1) The production demands for cold-rolled non-oriented silicon steel are modest, with silicon content ranging from 0.5% to 3.0%. The finished product typically consists of steel strips measuring 0.35 to 0.5mm in thickness. Its Bs surpasses that of oriented silicon steel, featuring uniform thickness, high dimensional precision, and a smooth surface. These characteristics enhance the material's filling factor and magnetic properties.

(2) Cold-rolled oriented silicon steel contains silicon content above 3.0% and carbon content between 0.03% and 0.05%. It has low oxide inclusions and requires inhibitors. Compared to cold-rolled non-oriented silicon steel, it exhibits lower loss, strong magnetic directionality, and superior high magnetic permeability and low loss characteristics along its rolling direction. Commonly referred to as cold-rolled transformer silicon steel, it finds primary use in transformer manufacturing.

(3) Cold-rolled oriented silicon steel categorizes into common (CGO) and high magnetic induction (Hi-B) types. High magnetic induction cold-rolled oriented silicon steel is single-oriented steel strip, primarily used in electronic instrument manufacturing for electromagnetic components like chokes and transformers.

2. Difference of Silicon Steel/Electrical Steel

2.1 Properties of Silicon Steel/Electrical Steel

Grain-oriented silicon steel: Grain-oriented silicon steel, also known as cold-rolled transformer steel, is an important ferrosilicon alloy used in the transformer (core) manufacturing industry.

Non-oriented silicon steel: Non-oriented silicon steel is a ferrosilicon alloy with very low carbon content. Its grains are randomly oriented in the deformed and annealed steel plate.

2.2 Features of Silicon Steel/Electrical Steel

Grain-oriented silicon steel boasts strong magnetic directionality, exhibiting minimal iron loss along the rolling direction, and high magnetic permeability and induction under specific magnetizing fields. With approximately 3% silicon content, it necessitates low oxide inclusion and the presence of inhibitors like MnS or AlN.

Non-oriented silicon steel, a ferrosilicon alloy containing 0.8%-4.8% silicon, undergoes hot and cold rolling to produce sheets less than 1mm thick. Silicon addition enhances iron resistivity and maximum magnetic permeability while decreasing coercive force, core loss (iron loss), and magnetic aging.

2.3 Application of Silicon Steel/Electrical Steel

Grain-non-oriented cold-rolled strip serves as the core in motors or welding transformers, while grain-oriented cold-rolled strip is preferred for power transformers, pulse transformers, and magnetic amplifiers. Cold-rolled oriented thin silicon steel strip, produced from 0.30 or 0.35mm thick oriented silicon steel strip, undergoes pickling, cold rolling, and annealing processes.

Cold-rolled non-oriented silicon steel sheets are produced by hot-rolling billets or continuous casting billets into coils approximately 2.3mm thick. These electrical steel strips feature smooth surfaces, uniform thickness, high stacking coefficients, and excellent punching performance. They exhibit higher magnetic flux density and lower iron loss compared to hot-rolled electrical steel strips.

Using cold strip instead of hot-rolled strip in motor or transformer manufacturing can reduce weight and volume by 0%-25%. Utilizing cold-rolled oriented strip yields even better performance. Substituting it for hot-rolled or low-grade cold-rolled strip can decrease transformer power consumption by 45%-50% while enhancing reliability.

3. Application of Silicon Steel/Electrical Steel

3.1 Non-oriented Silicon Steel

① Large electromechanical: water, thermal, nuclear power units: 30-50W290 or above; wind turbines: 30-35W360 or above.

②Household appliances: high-efficiency inverter air conditioner compressor : 30-50W360 or above; high-efficiency inverter refrigerator compressor: 30-35W360 or above.

③ Small and medium-sized electromechanical products: Y1, Y2, Y3 series and derivative series products; high efficiency, super high efficiency: 30-35W470 or above.

④New energy vehicles: drive motor: 30-35-50W350 or above; new energy vehicle micromotor: 20-35W360 or above.

3.2 Grain Oriented Silicon Steel

Transformers: high-end transformers: 750KV, 1000KV; medium and low-end transformers: 220-500KV, 110-200KV, less than 110KV; various levels of energy-saving transformers: 0.18-30mm.

4. Tunkia Product System for Electrical/Silicon Steel Testing

Click to find more about Tunkia's product system for electrical steel testing.