There are significant differences between steel billets and steel plates in many aspects. The following is a detailed comparison in terms of production process, appearance, composition, use, etc.:

1. Production process

Steel billet: Steel billet is a product obtained by casting molten steel produced in a steel-making furnace. It has not undergone further processing processes such as rolling and cutting, and is the primary raw material for steel production. The production process of steel billet mainly includes steps such as ironmaking, steelmaking and casting.

Steel plate: Steel plate is a finished steel product obtained by rolling and stretching the billet for many times. The steel billet is pressed into a flat plate during hot or cold rolling, and undergoes cutting, drilling and other processes to form the final product.

2. Appearance

Steel billet: Steel billet is usually in the shape of a square or rectangular billet, and the corners are sometimes arc-shaped, but the overall shape is relatively primitive and the surface is rough (Source: Baidu Ai Purchasing). The volume and weight of steel billets are relatively large.

Steel plate: Steel plate is a flat or corrugated plate formed after rolling. There are certain requirements and specifications for shape, size, surface finish, thickness, etc. Steel plates are generally thinner than billets and have a smoother surface.

3. Ingredients and quality

Steel billet: Since the steel billet is directly cast, it may contain more foreign matter and unremoved gas inclusions inside, so the quality and chemical composition of the steel billet are relatively unstable.

Steel plate: Steel plate is a finished product obtained from high-quality steel billet after rolling, cutting, drilling and other processes. Its material is relatively pure and its composition is relatively stable. During the processing, the content of harmful substances in the steel plates is greatly reduced.

4. Purpose

Steel billet: Steel billet is mainly used to produce semi-finished products of steel, such as processing into other forms of steel products, such as steel bars, wire rods, profiles, etc. through rolling, extrusion, forging and other processes. It is not directly available for social use but requires further processing before it becomes the final product.

Steel plate: Steel plate is a kind of finished steel material and is widely used in many fields such as construction, shipbuilding, bridges, and automobile manufacturing. Steel plates have good processability and performance and can meet the needs of various complex structures and equipment.

To sum up, there are significant differences between steel billets and steel plates in terms of production process, appearance, composition, quality and use. Understanding these differences helps us better understand and apply these two steel materials.