Ears
The wavy projections formed in deep-drawing which normally occur in geometric positions either at 45% or at 0% and 90% to the direction of rolling. These are caused by directional properties in the sheet.

Easy Open End
A convenience feature can end designed to be opened by utilizing an integral tab opener to tear the container lid along a tear line formed in the lid. The end is designed so that after the container is opened, safe edges remain on the removable panel portion torn off from the lid body and on the rim remaining on the container. This is accomplished by shielding the residual tear line metal with multi-layer metal folds.

Eccentricity
Lack of coincidence of the centre of the bore of a tube with that of the outside circumference, resulting in variation in wall thickness.

ECCS
See Electrolytic Chromium Coated Sheets.

Eddy Current Methods
Used to measure physical and mechanical parameters and for the detection of surface imperfections in steel products. Eddy currents are so named because their paths often resemble the circular eddies in water. The eddy current method measures the electromagnetic interaction between a transducer or test coil and the part being inspected. By this interaction such physical parameters as the hardness, steel grade, and case depth can be inferred. In addition, cladding thickness, foil thickness, and the presence of surface or subsurface imperfections may be indicated.

Edge Break
A condition caused by an uneven roll surface. It is seen on the edges of a coil, not across the full width of the coil.

Edge Buckle
Edge buckle is similar to center buckle except that the condition occurs in one, or both edges, of the strip and is generally confined to a narrow portion of the width.

Edge Buildup
Condition that results when burred or damaged plate causes the edge of the coil to be higher in coating than the center of the coil.

Edger
1. Or edging rolls, are used to give a universal or rolled edge to the product. 2. The part of die used to distribute the metal in the proposition necessary to fill the die impression.

Edge Rolling (Edge Conditioning)
Rolling a strip of steel to smooth the edges. By removing the burr off the coil, it is safer for customers to manipulate.

Edging
The application of rolls to the edges of a rectangular section, for example, slab, plate, strip and flat, with the object of controlling width and giving a smooth edge of desired contour during the rolling process. Rounding by forging an upended disc or cheese to form a blank.

Edge Wave
A condition in the band of steel where the edges (in the direction of rolling) are longer than the center.

Elastic Deformation
Stretching of the material below the point at which a permanent "set" takes place. That is, in the range where the metal acts spring-like or elastic.

Electric Arc Furnace (EAF)
Steel making furnace where scrap is generally 100% of the charge. Heat for melting and refining of steel is supplied from electricity that arcs between the electrodes (usually graphite) or between electrode and the metal bath. When the arc is between the electrodes, the process is termed as the indirect arc process and when it is between the metal and the electrode, it is termed as the direct arc process. Furnaces may be either an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). DC units consume less energy and fewer electrodes, but they are more expensive.

Electric Process
A process of steel making wherein the source of fuel is electrical energy, that is, heat from electric arc or induced eddy currents, and the process is termed accordingly as electric arc process or induction process.

Electrical Sheet Steel
A group of steels made by electric process (silicon or aluminium alloyed) and used for the construction of magnetic cores of electrical equipment, because of their low watt-loss properties. They are divided into two general classifications, (I) oriented steels, and (2) non-oriented steels. The oriented steels are given mill treatments designed to yield exceptionally good magnetic properties in the rolling, or lengthwise, direction of the steel. Non-oriented grades are made with a mill treatment that yields a grain structure, or texture, of a random nature and, therefore, the magnetic properties in the rolling direction of the steel are not significantly better than those in the transverse direction.

Electric Reduction Furnace
Used for smelting ores in the production of ferroalloys, such as ferro-manganese, ferro-silicon, and ferro-chromium. These furnaces differ from the steel-making furnaces in that production is continuous, as in a blast furnace; the charge is placed in the furnace at the top and the molten product tapped near the bottom. Electric furnaces are also used in the smelting of iron ore.

Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) Pipe
Pipe made from strips of hot-rolled steel which are is formed into tubular shape by passing through forming rolls and welded by passing a heavy current across the longitudinal joint. While seamless pipe is traditionally stronger and more expensive than comparable ERW pipe, ERW technology is improving and the technique now accounts for approximately 48% of OCTG shipments by tonnage. Generally used by oil or gas companies.

Electric Soaking Pits
Developed to meet special requirements, such as control of scaling and the maintenance of controlled atmospheres during the heating of stainless-steel and alloy-steel ingots.

Electro Discharge Texturing
Developed to meet special requirements, such as control of scaling and the maintenance of controlled atmospheres during the heating of stainless-steel and alloy-steel ingots.

Electro-galvanizing Process
A cold-coating electroplating process in which the furnaces, galvanizing pot, and the cooling tower of the hot-dip process are replaced by a series of electrolytic cells through which steel passes. This process, unlike the hot-dip process, does not influence the mechanical properties of the sheet steel and provides a more uniform coating.

Electrolytic extraction
Removal of phases by using an electrolytic cell containing an electrolyte that preferentially dissolves the metal matrix.

Electrolytic Galvanized
Cold Rolled or Black Plate to which a coating of zinc is applied by electro-deposition; used for applications in which corrosion resistance and paintability is a primary concern.

Electrolytic Polishing
An electromechanical polishing process in which the metal to be polished is made the anode in an electrolytic cell where preferential dissolution at high points in the surface topography produces a specularly reflective surface.

Electrolytic Tin Coated Sheets (ETCS)
Cold rolled sheet coated with tin by electro-deposition through an acid or alkaline process.

Electrolytic Tin Plate (ETP)
1. Light-gauge, low-carbon, cold reduced steel on which tin has been electro-deposited. 2. Black plate coated with Tin (Sn) electron deposition.

Electroplating
A batch process used to produce a zinc coating on manufactured articles. These may be functional (for corrosion protection) or decorative coatings. Electric current is used to force the deposition of negatively charged zinc ions from an acid solution onto the positively charged cathode, which is the article to be coated. Produces thin coatings generally less than 10 um (0.4 mils) thick.

Electro-galvanizing
A continuous process used to produce a zinc coating on steel sheet by electroplating. Both sulfuric or hydrochloric acid solutions are used. The most common method uses sulfuric acid with insoluble anodes. Produces thin coatings generally less than 10 um (0.4 mils) thick.

Electro-magnetic Stirring
This process, carried-out during solidification of liquid steel in a billet or bloom caster, imparts the following potential benefits to liquid steel :
1. Internal quality (reduced segregation, cracking and porosity) through a preferred solidification structure.
2. Sub-surface and internal cleanliness through a modified metal flow pattern.
3. Reduced criticality of casting parameters (temperature and casting speed)
4. Increased productivity through increased casting speeds.

Electroplating
This process is an old art, practised not only to protect the base metal from corrosion but also for decorative purposes and, more recently, to protect the base metal from wear by friction or abrasion. Metals used for coatings include cadmium, chromium, copper, gold, tin, lead, nickel, silver and zinc, and alloys such as brass, bronze and lead-tins as well as cobalt-tungsten, tungsten-nickel, nickel-zinc and cadmium-tin alloys

Electro-slag Remelting (ESR) Process
In this secondary steel making process, one or more steel electrodes of about the desired chemical composition are drip-melted through molten slag into a water-cooled copper mould at atmospheric pressure. The remelting rate for this process is somewhat greater than that for the Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) process, otherwise the two processes are similar. The ESR process cannot eliminate hydrogen as the VAR process is able to do, but it has the following capabilities :
1. Multiple electrodes can be melted into a single mould.
2. Spacing between mould wall and electrodes is not critical.
3. Ingot surface quality is excellent, requiring little or no conditioning.
4. Steel can be desulphurized to 0.002 per cent sulphur content.
5. Bound, square and rectangular shaped ingots can be produced.
6. Larger size and weight ingots can be produced.

Electro-stripping
A process by which the thickness of alloy deposited on a strip can be determined.

Electro-tinning
Tin coating by electro-deposition. This gives better uniformity and close control of tin-coating weight obtainable, resulting in saving of tin.

Elevator Furnaces
Car-bottom furnaces where the car is rolled under the furnace shell and then raised into the furnace by a motor-driven lifting mechanism.

Elongation
1. Total plastic strain before fracture, measured as a percent or axial strain during tensile testing. 2. This term is also used on orders specifying tensile test on which a minimum elongation between give points and distances has to be met. This elongation is expressed as percent of stretch over a given length, i. e. 25% elongation in 2 inches.

Embedded Abrasive
Fragments of abrasive particles forced into the surface of workpiece during grinding, abrasion or polishing.

Embossing
A coating defect consisting of the crawling or dewetting condition where the wet film recedes and forms a raised (in relief) impression.

Enamel
Organic material, which is applied in a film to protect or decorate aluminum, tinplate, black plate or paper.

Endurance
The capacity of a material to withstand repeated application of stress.

Epoxy Amino
Clear thermosetting coating with a combination epoxy resin and amino resin to give adhesion, flexibility and toughness. They offer good chemical and solvent resistance.

Epoxy Phenolic
Physical blends of epoxy and phenolic resins. Gold thermosetting coating with a combination of epoxy resin and amino resin to give adhesion, flexibility and toughness. They offer good chemical and solvent resistance.

Epsilon
Designation generally assigned to intermetallic, metal-metalloid and metal non-metallic compounds found in ferrous alloy systems.

Erosion
Progressive loss of original material from a solid surface due to mechanical interaction between that surface and a fluid, a multi-component fluid, or impinging liquid or solid particles.

Etching
In metallography, the process of revealing structural details by the preferential attack of reagents on a metal surface.

Etch Cracks
Shallow cracks in hardened steel containing high residual surface stresses, produced by etching in an embrittling acid.

ETCS
See Electrolytic Tin Coated Sheets.

ETP
See Electrolytic Tin Plate.

Exact Length
Material cut to specified length and agreed tolerance.

Exit End
The delivery end of the line.

Exit Reel (Delivery Reel or Prime Reel)
Reel used to wind the strip after the side trimming process.

Extra Deep Drawing Steel
A superior quality low carbon deep drawing steel.

Extrusion
Hot Extrusion : Consists of enclosing a piece of metal, heated to forging temperature, in a chamber called a 'container' and having a die at one end with an opening of the shape of the desired finished section, and applying pressure to the metal through the opposite end of the container. The metal is forced through the opening, the shape of which it assumes in cross-section as the metal flows plastically under the great used.
Cold Extrusion : It is carried out in a manner similar to the hot-extrusion process, with two main exceptions : (1) The steel is at room temperature, and (2) the surface of the piece is treated by some chemical process such as bonderizing to assist in reducing the friction between the steel and the container wall and die, in conjunction with special lubricants

Extrusion Billet
A short length of billet or hot-rolled bar, either solid or with a central hole.

Eye Bands
Metal bands wrapped through the center or "eye" of the coil to prevent it from uncoiling and to hold strip mults together.

Eyeholing
A coating defect, similar to cratering, but with exposed metal in the void.

Eye of Coil
The centre of the coil as wound.