Nov

Understanding the Differences Between Ulbrich’s Precision Rolled and Service Center Products

Ulbrich offers a wide range of products to meet the diverse stainless steel and special metal needs of the market. Whether we’re oscillate-winding strip or plating wire as fine as a human hair, each Ulbrich division has unique product forms that serve an important role in the supply chain of our customers.

In some cases, these divisions are as far apart geographically as their products are different from one another. But in the case of Ulbrich Specialty Strip Mill (USSM) and Ulbrich of New England (UNE), these divisions are both located on the site where our company was founded over 100 years ago.

Therefore, we’re commonly asked what distinguishes a USSM product from a UNE product. In this article, we’re going to explain the difference between two of our Connecticut divisions and broadly discuss the difference between a precision-rolled and a service center metal product.

Precision-Rolled Strip Coil Products at USSM

Ulbrich Specialty Strip Mill specializes in producing highly customized, precision-rolled strip coil products. These products are manufactured to meet exacting specifications, with some of the tightest tolerances in the industry and the specific mechanical properties required for the most challenging applications.

USSM’s manufacturing process involves custom rolling, which allows for smaller quantities and highly controlled production parameters. This makes USSM’s strip coil ideal for applications that demand high precision and specialized properties.

Key features of USSM products include:

Custom Rolling: Ability to produce small quantities with precise mechanical and gauge tolerances.
Precision Annealing: By tightly controlling the annealing process, we can improve manufacturability of products such as deep draw applications.
Tailored Mechanical Properties: Along with our custom rolling also comes the capability to precisely control tensile, yield and elongation to ranges that best suit customer’s needs.
Tight Tolerances: Products can be manufactured with tolerances as tight as 1%, significantly better than the standard 5% tolerance offered by melt mills.
Specialized Applications: Our custom manufacturing processes allow us to support critical applications such as medical devices, renewable energy products and aerospace components.

Plus, USSM customers are purchasing more than metal. Our industry-leading metallurgical and product management teams are there to provide expert guidance on alloy selection, mechanical properties, and more. This ensures you’re procuring the optimal metal solution for your needs.

If a precision-rolled product seems right for the needs of your application, visit Ulbrich Specialty Strip Mill | Ulbrich to explore this division’s equipment, quality certifications, and more.

Service Center Strip Coil Products at UNE

Ulbrich of New England, on the other hand, focuses on the distribution of strip coil. The products from UNE are typically bought at gauge and then processed to meet customer requirements. This includes slitting, cutting to length, and edging.

In other words, the gauge and mechanical properties of the material remain the same, while we are manipulating the width, edge, and size of the coils. While these products may not have the same level of customization as those from USSM, they still offer exacting chemistries and tight tolerancing.

Key features of UNE products include:

High Volume and Efficiency: Products are available in larger quantities and are processed efficiently to meet standard specifications. Lead times are generally shorter.
Cost-Effective: Due to the higher volume and less stringent tolerances compared to our strip mill, UNE products are generally more cost-effective.
Standard Applications: Ideal for applications where the highest precision is not required, but supply chain management, reliable performance and cost efficiency are important.

Customers purchasing a distribution product from UNE also gain access to our vast supply chain expertise, which can help keep costs down and improve delivery performance. They also benefit from access to the same industry-leading technical support as our USSM reroll strip customers.

If you’re interested in a distribution product, visit Ulbrich of New England | Ulbrich to learn about this division’s capabilities, quality certifications, and more.

Ulbrich also has metal service centers in Illinois, California, and Mexico.

We’ll Guide You to the Best Division and Product for You

Unsure which is ideal for you? Stress not, because there’s no need for you to worry about deciding which division is best for your needs. At Ulbrich, we can determine the best path for your product based on many of the key factors we’ve referenced in this article.

We are one Ulbrich, so whether you purchase strip, flat, round or shaped wire, we’ll match you with the division and product that is right for your needs.

Seamless Transitions Across Product Life Cycles

One of the significant advantages of working with Ulbrich is the seamless transition across the product life cycle. Ulbrich can support customers from the initial development phase, providing small quantities of highly customized materials, to full-scale production with cost-effective, high-volume products. This ensures that customers receive the right product at the right stage of their project, without the need to switch suppliers.

Precision and Efficiency for Every Application

Ulbrich’s diverse product offerings from USSM and UNE cater to a wide range of applications and industries. By understanding the differences between precision-rolled and service center products, customers can make informed decisions that best suit their specific needs. Whether it’s the high precision of USSM products or the cost efficiency of UNE products, Ulbrich provides the expertise and quality to support your project’s success.

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