304 No.4 0.7mm stainless steel sheet with Novacel 4228 for Peru

For a customer in Peru, Sheye Metal prepared 304 No.4 stainless steel sheets in 0.7 × 1219 × 2438 mm, with slit edges and Novacel 4228 laser film. The order combined a familiar 4 × 8 ft sheet format with a specific requirement for the next stage of fabrication: the brushed surface needed protection suitable for laser cutting.

The photographs and two production videos below follow the material through processing and inspection. They also show a detail that is easy to overlook when buying protected sheet: how the film finishes at the steel edge. Sheye applies a wider film first, then trims the metal and excess film together so the finished pack has clean, aligned edges.

304 No.4, 0.7 mm: the Peru order specification

The designation separates three purchasing decisions. 304 identifies the steel grade; No.4 identifies the directional polished finish; 4228 identifies the protective film. For this order, the stated metric dimensions govern. “4 × 8 ft” is the familiar trade description for the rounded 1219 × 2438 mm format.

Why the customer specified Novacel 4228 laser film

A protective film has to remain compatible with the process that follows sheet supply. A buyer planning to laser-cut a visible No.4 surface needs to consider film lifting, cut-edge condition and removal after fabrication. An unsuitable film can add cleaning or rework to a job that appeared straightforward when the sheets arrived.

Novacel’s 4228 REF product information identifies a 100 µm film for both fiber and CO2 lasers. The manufacturer describes it as suitable for single-pass cutting at full speed, with very high adhesion to resist lifting and bubbling and help maintain clean edges. This explains the customer’s choice of a named laser film for these 0.7 mm sheets.

Cutting settings still need to be qualified for the actual equipment and material. Novacel’s stainless steel processing-film brochure calls for industrial-line qualification and explains the importance of laser absorption and resistance to cutting-gas pressure. Film colour alone cannot establish suitability: a general-purpose black-and-white handling film should not be assumed to perform like a specified laser film.

The manufacturer lists six months of outdoor durability for 4228 REF. Buyers should plan storage, exposure and removal around the recommended conditions. Where the parts will also be bent or stamped, film suitability should cover those operations as well. The production footage here documents sheet processing; it does not show a laser-cutting trial.

Apply a wider film, then trim the film and steel together

For Sheye, choosing the film is followed by choosing how to apply it. A correctly specified film can still be inconvenient to handle if loose strips extend beyond the finished sheet. Overhanging adhesive edges can catch during stacking and make individual sheets harder to separate.

Sheye buys film wider than the intended slit-edge sheet. During processing, the film is applied before the edge-trimming operation. The steel margins and the excess film are then removed together, leaving the protection aligned with the finished metal width. For this order, that width was 1219 mm.

This route helps avoid loose film between adjacent sheets and produces a neater stack for handling at the customer’s workshop. The film remains over the No.4 face while the material proceeds through cut-to-length processing to the specified 2438 mm length.

Production footage from the order

The first clip shows stainless steel strip travelling through the processing line. The second shows sheets with Novacel-printed protection moving along the outfeed conveyor. Together with the finished-stack photographs, they record different stages of this order; the camera views do not cover the complete trimming operation.

Inspection before the sheets leave the line

The inspection photographs cover alloy identification, local thickness readings, width and length checks, and measurements across both diagonals. Keeping these checks connected to the order helps the buyer understand what was inspected while the material was being processed.

PMI and thickness

The handheld PMI screen identifies 304 and displays chromium at 18.46% and nickel at 8.16%. This is an on-site alloy screening result. It does not replace a mill certificate or a complete chemical analysis.

At the thickness-check locations, the protective film is lifted so the micrometer contacts the steel. The three photographs show 0.697 mm, 0.697 mm and 0.698 mm on material ordered at a nominal 0.7 mm. These are individual photographed readings; acceptance of the order depends on its agreed specification and inspection records.

Width, length and both diagonals

The tape-measure views show the inspection setup for the nominal 1219 mm width and 2438 mm length. Separate photographs record checks across the two diagonals, which support the assessment of sheet squareness. The angled photographs provide a view of the work being done; exact dimensional results and tolerances belong in the inspection record.

Film stock organised around export sheet widths

Sheye Metal specialises in stainless steel processing and supply for international customers. Its regular Novacel 4228 film stock covers sheet-width requirements of 914 mm, 1000 mm, 1219 mm, 1250 mm, 1524 mm, 1829 mm and 2000 mm. These include the familiar 3 ft, 4 ft, 5 ft and 6 ft trade formats. For the trimming route described here, the selected film roll is wider than the required finished sheet.

Keeping film options alongside the material supply helps Sheye prepare orders around the customer’s fabrication requirements. Current material availability, film width and processing time are confirmed when the order is planned. A related 304/304L No.4 sheet order for Canada with Novacel 4228 film shows another size supplied with this protection.

Ordering 304 No.4 sheets with Novacel 4228

When comparing a 304 No.4 Novacel 4228 stainless steel sheet supplier or stockist, include the film requirement in the same enquiry as the steel specification. State the thickness, width, length and quantity, then confirm the edge condition, grain direction, protected side and intended laser process. An approved surface sample can help define the appearance required for visible parts.

Sheye can review the material and processing route together. Explore our 304 stainless steel sheet supply, or send your sheet and film requirements for a quotation. For the Peru specification, use: 304 No.4 / #4, 0.7 × 1219 × 2438 mm, slit edge, with Novacel 4228 laser film.