Ferrite stainless steel sheet having less planar anisotropy and excellent anti-ridging characteristics and process for producing same

An enhanced ferritic stainless steel plate having less planar anisotropy and excellent anti-ridging characteristics comprising:

• not more than about 0.02 wt % of C, about 0.01-1.0 wt % of Si, about 0.01-1.0 wt % of Mn, not more than about 0.08 wt % of P, not more than about 0.01 wt % of S, about 0.005-0.30 wt % of Al, about 11-50 wt % of Cr, about 0.1-5.0 wt % of Mo, not more than about 0.03 wt % N,
• the content of elements C and N further satisfying the relationship:
• about 0.005 wt %.ltoreq.(C+N).ltoreq.about 0.03 wt %, and (C/N)<about 0.6,
• said sheet further comprising Ti in an amount which satisfies the relation:
• about 5.ltoreq.Ti/(C+N).ltoreq.about 30,
• the balance of said sheet comprising Fe and incidental impurities,
• said sheet having an X-ray integral intensity ratio (222)/(310) of not less than about 35 in a plane parallel to a sheet surface at a depth of about 1/4 of the sheet thickness from said sheet surface, and having an elongation of not less than 30%, an r value of not less than 1.4, a planar anisotropy of elongation, .DELTA.El, of not more than 2.0%, a planar anisotropy of r value, .DELTA.r, of not more than 0.2, and anti-ridging characteristics of not more than 10 .mu.m in undulating height, further comprising at least one member of at least one group selected from the following four groups:
• (1) Ca:
• about 0.0005-0.0050 wt %,
• (2) Nb:
• about 0.001-0.0100 wt %,
• (3) Cu:
• about 0.01-2.0 wt %,
• (4) Ni:
• about 0.01-2.0 wt %,
• and further comprising as an essential element 0.0002-0.0020 wt % B.