Thin Stainless Steel Strips
Precision rolled, annealed and slit on our own lines in Wuxi, from 0.27mm to 0.5mm (thinner gauges by a second cold rolling) thick and 20 to 400mm wide. Bright annealed, 2B or hard rolled, in 304, 316L, 301 and 430.
Thickness measured continuously along the coil, with the log available on request
Coils recoiled to your line; small coils for prototypes and pilot runs
Base coil from our long-term mill partners TISCO, Tsingshan, Baowu, POSCO, JISCO, Hongwang, ZPSS, Delong and Yongjin
Why Buy Thin Strip From MTS
01
Microns, Not Fractions of a Millimeter
On 0.05mm strip, a 0.005mm error is 10% of the thickness. We quote thin strip with a tolerance in microns, and check it after every processing step.
02
Flat Enough to Feed
Thin strip shows edge wave and center buckle more than thick strip. We tension level before slitting, so the strip feeds flat into your die.
03
Surface Without Roll Marks
Bright annealed strip is inspected on both sides for roll marks, scratches and stains. Paper interleaving protects the surface in the coil.
04
Small Coils, Long Coils
Our 7 recoiling lines split master coils to the weight your line can take, on 508 or 610mm ID. Small prototype coils. Production lots can come oscillate wound on spools, so your line stops less often.
05
Slit to Order, Shipped on Time
We slit and recoil thin strip on our own lines, from base coil held in our Wuxi warehouses. Lead time is 8–12 working days. Our own cranes load each container, and orders ship from Shanghai, Qingdao or Tianjin.
Thin Strip Behaves Differently From Standard Strip
A 1mm strip and a 0.05mm strip are the same steel. They do not behave the same way on your line.
Thin strip has little stiffness. Any wave, camber or uneven tension shows up as a feeding fault. A small thickness change also has a big effect. It shifts the spring force of a contact, or the seal of a gasket.
That is why thin stainless steel strips are rolled on multi-roll mills with automatic gauge control. They are then bright annealed or left hard, tension leveled and slit on precision slitters.
When you buy thin strip, buy the process, not just the size. Ask how the strip is rolled, measured and packed.
Thin Stainless Strip by Thickness
Foil Gauge: 0.02–0.05mm
Used for shielding, flexible circuits, battery tabs and laminated parts. Usually 304 or 316L, bright annealed or full hard. Made to order in most widths.
Shim Gauge: 0.05–0.2mm
Used for shims, gaskets, diaphragms and small contacts. Thickness consistency matters more than surface here. Example: 304 bright annealed, 0.1mm × 50mm, in coil.
Light Gauge: 0.2–0.5mm
Used for flexible hose, bellows, small stampings and clamps. The most common range for precision stamping lines. Hard tempers are available for spring parts, see Spring Stainless Steel Strip.
Thin Stainless Strip by Grade
304 Thin Strip
The general choice for electronics, shims and stamped parts. Bright annealed 304 is soft, clean and easy to form.
316L Thin Strip
For medical parts, marine sensors and gaskets that see chlorides. Lower carbon helps when parts are welded.
301 Thin Strip
Rolled to hard tempers for thin springs, clips and contacts. Gains strength quickly with cold work.
430 Thin Strip
Magnetic and nickel-free. Used for magnetic shielding parts and low-cost indoor components.
Thin Strip Specifications
| Process | Equipment |
|---|---|
| Cut to length & leveling | 20 cut-to-length lines, 0.25–16 mm (up to 20 mm on request) × 300–2000 mm |
| Slitting | 10 slitting lines, min. width 20 mm, up to 14 mm thick (16mm on request) |
| Recoiling | 7 recoiling lines, down to a few hundred kg for thin gauges, ID 508 / 610 / 760 mm |
| Brushing & polishing | No.4, HL, satin and 8K mirror, up to 2000 mm wide |
| Testing | Calipers, tape, CMM; surface check under light, after every step |
Buying Thin Stainless Steel Strips: What to Check Beyond Size
With thin strip, the size on the order is the easy part. Problems usually come from tolerance, shape, surface or packing. Here is what to agree before you buy.
Tolerance: Agree It in Numbers
“Precision” means different things to different mills. Some quote ±10% of the thickness. Others quote a fixed figure in microns. For 0.05mm strip, those two can differ by a factor of two.
Write the tolerance as a number on your drawing. Also say where it is measured: across the width, along the length, or both. If your part depends on spring force, ask for the thickness range within one coil, not just the average.
Shape: Flatness and Camber
Thin strip can be within tolerance and still fail. Edge wave makes it buckle in the die. Camber (a curve along the length) makes it walk off the guide.
Ask for a camber limit, for example 1mm in 1 meter. For very narrow strip, also ask how the slitter controls twist. If your line has a straightener, tell the supplier. They may relax shape limits, which can lower the price.
Surface: BA or 2B
Bright annealed strip is clean and reflective. It suits visible parts, medical parts and anything that will be plated. 2B is duller and hides small marks. It suits parts that will be hidden or painted.
Roll marks and scratches show more on thin strip. If surface is critical, agree a sample as the reference. Ask for interleaving paper between laps.
Hardness: Soft or Hard
Annealed thin strip is soft and forms easily. Hard rolled strip keeps its shape and acts as a spring. Thin strip work-hardens fast in forming, so a part that cracks may need a softer temper.
Give a hardness range, such as HV 180–220, not only “soft”. A range lets the supplier hold every coil in the same window.
How Much Strip Is in a Kilogram
Thin strip is sold by weight but used by length. You can work out the length from the weight:
Length (m) = weight (kg) ÷ (thickness mm × width mm × 0.00793)
For example, 1 kg of 304 strip at 0.1mm × 10mm gives about 126 meters. Use this to compare prices per meter, and to plan coil changes.
Joints and Coil Length
Long thin strip often contains welded or taped joints. A joint can jam a progressive die or break a stamping run. Say whether joints are allowed, and how they must be marked.
If you run long, fast lines, ask for spools. Oscillate wound strip gives far more length per load than a pancake coil.
Packing for the Trip
Thin strip dents and creases easily. It should travel in sealed bags with desiccant, inside wooden cases. Coils should lie flat or sit on cores, never stacked loose. Check packing photos before shipment on your first orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the thinnest stainless steel strip you can supply?
We supply stainless strip down to 0.05mm in 304 and 316L. Below about 0.05mm, widths and grades are more limited. Send your thickness and width, and we will confirm what can be supplied within 2–4 working hours.
Why does my thin strip have a curve along its length?
That curve is camber. It comes from uneven rolling or slitting. A small amount is normal and allowed by standard tolerance. If your process cannot handle it, agree a tighter camber limit before ordering.
Can you supply thin strip with no joints?
Yes, for coils up to a set length or weight. Longer coils may need joints. We mark every joint with a colored tag on the coil edge. Tell us your maximum allowed number of joints per coil.
Does thin stainless strip rust?
304 and 316L thin strip resist rust like thicker material. But iron dust from cutting tools can cause surface spots. Keep the strip in its packing until use, and store it dry.
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