Research and Development
Ovako works constantly to improve the properties of advanced engineering steel in order to provide optimal and sustainable solutions to our customers.
Research and Development (R&D) at Ovako is performed in networks specialized in steel manufacturing, metal working and product characteristics. Our cross-organizational networks bring together employees from various geographical and functional units, focused on developing materials, production processes and customer applications.
Aimed at optimizing the advantages and uses of steel, Ovako takes an active role in its customers’ R&D if possible. In partnerships with customers, Ovako strives to identify new application areas for the products or develop new products adapted to our customer’s needs. The development projects carried out together with customers also provide an opportunity to identify the future market needs in order to develop products that meet those needs.
R&D is performed in a three step process.
Ovako identifies a need in the market, often in close partnership with a customer. Projects are initiated and run over the long or short term. Focus is always on end properties and applications.
The development process begins. Ovako uses various methods of testing to ensure that the steel achieves the desired properties.
A steel with better properties is ready to address the market. These properties might be higher cleanliness or improved mechanical properties. During this phase, it is important to educate customers as to how they can use the steel.
One example of our R&D is the Hybrid Steel® that was launched in 2017. Hybrid Steel is the result of a new alloying strategy that is used to create a steel with triple the tensile strength of conventional steel at elevated temperatures.
Final tempering is done at relatively low temperatures and there is very low distortion after heat treatment. This makes it possible for customers to substantially lower the cost of production steps or eliminate them entirely. For example, a component can be machined to its final dimension in a softer condition, followed by a simple heat treatment process to achieve full strength, which reduces complexity and costs.
Research and Insights / 5 Oct 2026
Direct-Quenched Steels Transform Forging
In a Materials World article, Ovako explains how direct-quenched steels can achieve strength, toughness and ductility without secondary heat treatment, improving sustainability and productivity.
Research and Insights / 5 Oct 2026
Research project leads the way to lead-free steel machining
Research comparing leaded and lead-free steels shows similar or better machinability, supporting the feasibility of lead-free alternatives when process parameters are managed.
Research and Insights / 5 Oct 2026
How lean alloy steels enable green ammonia engines
Using ammonia as an alternative fuel introduces unique corrosion and cracking risks for steel components. Ovako’s advanced lean alloy steels are designed to overcome these challenges and support the shift toward carbon-free combustion.
Research and Insights / 5 Oct 2026
Unlocking steel’s secrets with dilatometry
Heating and cooling change the structure of steel in ways we can’t see. Dilatometry measures these transformations in real time, helping engineers optimize steel properties for strength, efficiency, and sustainability.
Research and Insights / 5 Oct 2026
Exploring hybrid steel 60 advancing rolling contact fatigue resistance in bearings
Discover how Hybrid Steel® 60 improves rolling contact fatigue (RCF) resistance, offering superior performance in high-stress bearing applications. Learn about the groundbreaking research led by Tania Loaiza Uribe and its implications for the heavy vehicle and electric vehicle industries.
Research and Insights / 5 Oct 2026
Direct-quenching steel helps the forging industry eliminate energy-intensive reheating steps
Dr Steve Ooi, Group Technical Specialist Ovako R&D, outlines how innovative direct-quenching steels can enable forged components to achieve the ideal combination of strength, ductility and toughness without needing secondary heat treatment. It’s an approach that can save energy and carbon emissions while also boosting productivity.
Research and Insights / 5 Oct 2026
How to predict the corrosion resistance of steels alloyed with aluminum
Discover how our innovative Hybrid Steel® achieves superior corrosion resistance despite high aluminum content, with a new Corrosion Resistance Index (CRI) developed to predict performance where traditional PREN falls short.
Research and insights / 5 Oct 2026
Why we care about fatigue
Designers of critical components are on a constant quest for materials that are lighter, stronger and capable of handling ever greater and more complex loads. They especially value high mechanical strength. Yet it is metal fatigue that causes the majority of premature failures in service. To combat this, Ovako has focused on developing clean steels in which the small inclusions that give rise to fatigue failure are closely controlled. Patrik Ölund, Head of Group R&D at Ovako explains how this is done.
Research and insights / 5 Oct 2026
Hybrid Steel – combining strength, weldability and corrosion resistance
Traditionally, steels were classified into four categories: tool steel, stainless steel, engineering steel and maraging steels. That mold was broken in 2017 with the launch of our Hybrid Steel – a new family of grades with an innovative alloying philosophy. The result is that the key properties of each category are available in one high-performance steel.
Research and insights / 5 Oct 2026
Hydrogen plant ramping up
When our electrolyzer ramps up to start full-scale production after the summer break, it will enable us to cut our CO2 emissions by 20,000 tonnes per year by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. As one of the largest electrolyzers in Europe, the plant has a capacity of 8 tonnes of hydrogen per day and a power rating of 20 megawatts.
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS / 5 Oct 2026
Grinding away the mythology of recycled steel
Thomas Björk, PhD, Group Technical Specialist, Ovako Sweden AB, outlines a recent research program that shows both recycled steel and ore-based steel are equally good as raw materials for automotive crankshafts.
Research and insights / 5 Oct 2026
Vacuum Tank Degassing facility drives new opportunities
Aristotle said, “nature abhors a vacuum”. But our customers are loving the impact of vacuum treatment on the high-quality steel produced by our Smedjebacken mill in Sweden. This follows a €11 million investment in a Vacuum Tank Degassing (VTD) facility that started operation in the summer of 2020. It is the final piece of the jigsaw that enables Ovako to supply customers who need high-performance, reliable and cost-effective steel for demanding applications, especially in the automotive industry.
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