Patent ID: 8192566

Claim:
A. continuous annealing and pickling process for flat cold-rolled stainless steel products of thickness comprised from 0.3 to 4 mm, having, surface roughness Ra<0.50 μm, comprising the following steps: a first heating step up to a temperature comprised in the range from 650 to 1050° C. with an average thermal flow from 15 to 300 kW/m 2 received by each face of the strip, in a first atmosphere with an oxygen content from 0.5 to 12% provided in a first heating section ( 1 ) by means of burners; a second heating step lasting from 10 to 200 sec up to a temperature comprised in the range from 650 to 1200° C. in a second atmosphere, different with respect to the first atmosphere, with inert agents or reducing agents, said second atmosphere being provided in a second heating section ( 2 ) separated from the first heating section ( 1 ); at least one cooling step down to temperatures comprised in the range from 650° C. to ambient temperature in presence of inert agents or reducing agents; and at least one thermochemical or electrolytic descaling step.