Vertical continuous casting is used to produce 304L stainless steel in a domestic plant
but edge cracks are easy to form in the rolling process. By means of chemical composition analysis
microstructural observation
energy spectrum analysis and high temperature mechanical properties testing
the structure fracture morphology and inclusions at the edge cracks of steel were studied. The results show that the structure of hot rolled 304L plate is austenite and ferrite. The crack passes through the two-phase structure and results in the compression deformation of the structure. The CaO-SiO
2
-Al
2
O
3
- MgO composite inclusions are contained and the inclusions contain Na and K elements. Finally
it is found that the mould powder entrapped in the production process is the cause of edge cracks in hot rolling plate.