Cut to Length Line Material Guide: GI, CR, HR, Stainless & Aluminium
Technical Guide · Published 2026-09-11 · 7 min read · By Friend Engineering Works
A cut to length line is not one-size-fits-all. The material you run changes how the line should be built - from the leveller to the shear to how the surface is protected. This guide explains what shifts for each common material so you can specify a line that suits your actual coil.
Our cut to length lines process cold rolled, hot rolled, stainless steel, tinplate and aluminium, in thicknesses from 0.10mm to 20mm. Here is how they differ in practice.
Cold Rolled (CR) Steel
CR coil is smooth, thinner and relatively easy to level and cut cleanly. The focus with CR is surface quality and flatness, since it often goes into visible or precision applications. Thin CR benefits from a fine-pitch leveller with more rolls.
Hot Rolled (HR) Steel
HR coil is thicker, harder and heavier. A line for HR needs a stronger structure, a more powerful leveller and a heavier-duty shear to cut cleanly up to 20mm. Scale and surface condition also matter. If you run heavy HR, build the line around that worst case, not your average coil.
Galvanised (GI / GP) Steel
Galvanised coil carries a zinc coating that must not be scratched or marked in the line. Roll surfaces, guides and the stacker all need to handle it gently. GI is the backbone of roofing and cladding - see cut to length lines for roofing and cladding.
Stainless Steel
Stainless is harder, springs back more after levelling, and shows surface defects clearly. It needs a capable leveller to achieve flatness and careful handling to protect the finish. Confirm your grades (such as 304, 316 or 430) with your manufacturer so tooling and settings suit them.
Aluminium
Aluminium is soft and marks easily, so it needs gentle handling and appropriate tension control, but it is lighter and cuts with less force. The settings for aluminium are quite different from steel, which is why a line meant to run both should be specified for both from the start.
The Practical Takeaway
If you run a single material, the line can be optimised tightly around it. If you run a mix, tell your manufacturer the full range up front - the hardest, thickest, and most delicate material each pull the design in different directions. The complete list of what to share is in our RFQ checklist.
Not sure which configuration suits your material mix? Contact Friend Engineering Works or explore our cut to length line.