• JFE Steel Corporation

TOKYO – JFE Steel Corporation has commenced mass production of a newly-developed chromate-free precoated colored steel sheet for flat-screen television back covers. The latest addition to the “JFE Excel Coat” lineup, the product has two key advantages compared to conventional precoated steel sheets: 1) resistance to mold abrasion during press forming, and 2) stable expression of electromagnetic shielding. The company has established a mass-production line for the product at its East Japan Works (Keihin District) to respond to rapidly rising demand from the flat-screen television market and plans to expand production as demand warrants.

“JFE Excel Coat” is an environment-friendly chromate-free product. It is already used in a wide variety of home appliances, including washing machines, dryers and refrigerators. JFE Steel developed the new product for flat-screen television back covers to address rising demand in the rapidly growing market for digital home electronics.

Flat-screen television back covers have traditionally been made from precoated steel sheets because of their need to provide heat dissipation while preventing electromagnetic leakage. Back covers are formed by pressing precoated steel sheets into the desired shape, but abrasion from the mold during forming can cause defects in the coating, which may undermine product appearance. Conventional steel sheets are coated with highly abrasion-resistant films in order to prevent damage, but JFE Steel has enhanced the coat formation and layer structure of its sheets to achieve excellent resistance to abrasion damage without the need for extra coating.

Flat-screen television sets use electrical conduction at the cover joints to prevent electromagnetic leakage, but this design requires isolation from electromagnetic radiation produced by internal components. JFE Steel has addressed this issue by coating the back surface of the steel sheet with a chemical solvent that features excellent conductivity.

JFE Steel is committed to developing and marketing products that are both functional and good for the environment.