Stainless Steel 2B Plate vs Wire Drawing Plate: The Difference Explained

1. What is stainless steel 2B plate?

Stainless steel 2B plate refers to a stainless steel plate with a surface state of 2B. “2B” is the name given to this particular surface state of a stainless steel plate.

The most common surface state of cold-rolled stainless steel plates is 2B. The thickness of a stainless steel 2B plate is generally less than 3mm, but there are also 5mm, 6mm, and 8mm plates (although the latter are rare).

Stainless steel 2B plates are generally used in applications that have specific surface requirements. The hot-rolled stainless steel coil plate is polished by a roll to create a slight cold-rolled effect and to achieve the desired surface finish. This results in a stainless steel plate with a surface state of 2B, which is also known as a 2B plate.

Stainless steel is known for its good strength, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, making it widely used in the chemical industry, shipbuilding, construction, household appliances, and other industries. In addition, the surface of stainless steel is easy to clean and can be recycled, making it a valuable material in the food and medical equipment industry.

There are various surface states available for stainless steel, with each being suitable for different applications.

Surface of cold rolled plate 2B

2. Comparison with the surface state of hot rolled plate

After being hot-rolled, annealed, pickled, and descaled, the stainless steel billet is transformed into a hot-rolled stainless steel coil. The surface of the coil is silvery-white, slightly rough, and lacks luster, which is referred to as the NO. 1 surface.

Hot rolled plate No.1 surface

3. Surface requirements of stainless steel 2B

The surface of the stainless steel 2B plate is required to be high, so it needs to be purchased and inspected according to the actual use scenario.

4. Application of stainless steel 2B plate

Stainless steel 2B plates are widely used in various applications, including stainless steel doors and windows, water tanks, shower rooms, skirting lines, machine equipment shells, chassis and cabinets, various panels, electrical appliances, and kitchenware. They are commonly seen in both production and daily life.

5. Stainless steel wire drawing plate

One of the differences between stainless steel 2B plates and wire drawing plates is their surface state.

The surface of the 2B plate undergoes heat treatment, pickling, or other treatments after cold rolling. It is then cold-rolled again to achieve an appropriate level of brightness.

On the other hand, the wire drawing plate’s surface is achieved by processing it with abrasive materials of 150-180# grit (as shown in the figure below). This creates a surface effect of grinding stripes caused by processing the abrasive materials with the appropriate grain size.

1. What is a wire drawing plate?

Stainless steel wire drawing is a type of surface processing technology for stainless steel, which is commonly used for polishing stainless steel surfaces. It produces different surface effects such as straight wire and short wire.

Stainless steel wire drawing plate (straight wire HL)

The stainless steel wire drawing plate undergoes processing through specialized mechanical polishing equipment.

The stainless steel wire drawing technique results in various effects, including straight wire (also known as filament hairline wire), short wire (also referred to as broken wire/frosting), lotus grain, and more.

2. Application of stainless steel wire drawing plate

The surface brushed stainless steel plates with different textures have different visual effects and suitable use scenes.

1. Stainless steel long wire drawing plate

Stainless steel straight wire (long wire drawing board) has a stronger metal texture due to its color and texture, and is mainly used for indoor and outdoor decoration (various panels, etc.), equipment shell manufacturing (decorative covers, structural shells, etc.), 3C product manufacturing (chassis, body decoration), etc.

2. Stainless steel short wire drawing plate

The most commonly used type of wire drawing plate made from stainless steel is the narrow wire drawing plate.

Stainless steel granulated wire plates are widely used and are important materials for manufacturing stainless steel equipment in the light industry.

Stainless steel wire drawing plates with varying thicknesses, roughness (R), and materials are suitable for producing short wire polished steel plates with roughness Ra values below 0.4μm, depending on the intended use.

Aside from serving as external surfaces of equipment, they can also be utilized as equipment liners and internal components that come into direct contact with various media.

3. Lotus pattern

Lotus grain is an unconventional surface finish.

When viewed from a distance, the lotus grain pattern resembles a circular sand pattern, but up close, it appears irregular and disordered.

Compared to other brushed finishes, the main advantage of stainless steel plates with lotus grain is that minor scratches on the surface are easy to repair.

As a result, this type of plate is commonly used in high-traffic areas, such as kitchens, homes, and public spaces, where wear and tear are likely to occur.

6. Which is better, stainless steel 2B plate or wire drawing plate?

Which is better: brushed stainless steel or smooth stainless steel?

Brushed stainless steel refers to stainless steel wire drawing plate, while smooth stainless steel mostly refers to stainless steel 2B plate. However, if it is a “polished plate,” it may refer to either a stainless steel wire drawing plate or a stainless steel mirror sheet.

While the same specifications and sizes can be more expensive for brushed stainless steel compared to stainless steel 2B plate and stainless steel wire drawing plate, brushed stainless steel has a higher sense of sophistication and quality.

To see the difference between stainless steel 2B plate and wire drawing plate, refer to the following table: