High strength low-alloy steel (HSLA) is used in automotive, structural, and other applications because it has greater strength and ductility than traditional grades of carbon steel.

APW characterizes the size and quantity density of niobium carbide precipitates from two samples of the same steel coil. The higher quantity and smaller size of precipitates in the steel coil head explain the much higher ultimate tensile strength of the product. This process evaluation guides Tata Steel Port Talbot in selecting their hot rolling cooling mode to achieve the desired performance determined by these precipitates.