Ferrous and Non-Ferrous

Metals

Advanced Training Institute (ATI)

Chennai
Yuvaraj Chinnaiyan

Ferrous Metals And NonFerrous Metals

One method of classifying metals is by their content, and one common

division is into ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals. The term ferrous is
derived from the Latin "Ferrum" which means "containing iron", thus ferrous
metals contain iron and non ferrous metals do not. Ferrous metals may be
pure iron, like wrought iron, or they may be alloys of iron and other
elements. Steel, being an alloy of iron and carbon, would therefore be a
ferrous metal.
26th element
Iron or Ferrous
55.85 Atomic Mass

Ferrous Metals And NonFerrous Metals

Ferrous metals are often magnetic, but this property is not in and of itself
sufficient to classify a metal as ferrous or non-ferrous. Austenitic stainless
steel, a ferrous metal, is non-magnetic, while cobalt is magnetic but nonferrous. Ferrous metals are usually magentic, but there are a still some nonferrous metals that are magnetic as well.

Ferrous Metals And NonFerrous Metals

Common ferrous metals include the various irons and steels. Common nonferrous metals include aluminium, tin, copper, zinc, and brass, an alloy of
copper and zinc. Some precious metals such as silver, gold, and platinum
are also non-ferrous.

Summary: Non-ferrous metals mean they do not contain iron and ferrous
metals mean they do contain iron. Ferrous metals are usually magnetic,
although SOME non-ferrous metals are also magnetic.

Production of Iron and Steel

Raw Materials for Production

Iron Ore

Limestone ----------

Coke

Iron Ore
Abundant, makes up 5% of earths crust
Is not found in free state, must be found in rocks
and oxides, hence Iron ore.
After mining, the ore is crushed and the iron is
separated, then made into pellets, balls or
briquettes using binders, such as water.
The pellets are typically 65% iron, and about 1 in
diameter.

Coke (The black, legal kind)

Coke is formed by heating coal to 2100*F (1150 C), then

cooling it in quenching towers.

You need more than Iron? Why coke is used

1. Generates high heat, needed in order for chemical
reactions in ironmaking to take
place.
2. Produces CO (carbon monoxide) which reduces
iron-oxide to Iron.

Lastly, Limestone

Limestone (calcium carbonate) is used to remove

impurities.
When the metal is melted, limestone combines
with impurities and floats to the top of the metal,
forming slag. The slag can then be removed,
purifying the iron.

Ironmaking

Raw Materials Pig Iron

The three raw materials are dumped into a blast furnace.
Hot air (2000*F) is blasted into the furnace, which helps drive
the chemical reaction. The coke forms CO and the CO
reduces the iron oxide to iron.
The slag floats to the top and the metal is transferred to molds
and cools. IT IS NOW PIG IRON, ready for more iron work or
steelmaking.

Blast
Furnace

Tuyeres

(Same height as a 10 story building)

Steelmaking

Pig Iron Steel

To make steel you are simply removing more impurities, such
as, manganese, silicon, carbon, from the pig iron.
Impurities are removed by re-melting the metal and adding
carbon, steel scrap, and more limestone.
The metal can be melted using one of three methods.
Open-Hearth furnace
Electric furnace
Basic Oxygen furnace. (BOF)

Open-Hearth Furnace

Uses a fuel to generate heat, and melt the metal.

Basic-Oxygen Furnace
Fastest steelmaking process can
make 250 tons of steel / hour
Melted pig iron and scrap are poured
(charged) into a vessel.
Fluxing agents are added, like
limestone.
The molten metal is blasted with pure
oxygen. This produces iron oxide
which then reacts with carbon to
produce CO and CO2. The slag floats
to the top of the metal.
Higher steel quality than open hearth.
Used to make plate, sheet, I-beam,
tubing and channel.

Electric Furnace

Uses electric arc from electrode to metal to heat and melt it.
Can produce 60-90 tons of steel per day.
Steel is higher quality than open-hearth and BOF

Vacuum Furnace
Uses induction furnaces.
Air is removed from the furnace, this removes the
gaseous impurities from the molten metal.
Produces very high-quality steel.

Casting Ingots

Ingots
While steel is still molten, it is poured into a mold. The mold
may be a square, rectangle or round. The metal becomes an
ingot in the mold.
They can weigh 100 lbs to 40 tons.
The ingot will be removed from the mold and heated uniformly
to be rolled or formed into a final product.
HOWEVER While the molten metal cools, or solidifies,
gasses evolve and can affect the quality of the steel. This
leads to three types of steel: Killed Steel, Semi-Killed Steel,
and Rimmed Steel.

Killed Semi-Killed Rimmed Steel

Killed Steel This is a fully deoxidized steel, and thus, has no
porosity.
This is accomplished by using elements like aluminum to
de-oxidize the metal. The impurities rise and mix with the
slag.
It is called killed because when the metal is poured it has
no bubbles, it is quiet.
Because it is so solid, not porous, the ingot shrinks
considerably when it cools, and a pipe or shrinkage
cavity forms. This must be cut off and scrapped.

Killed Semi-Killed Rimmed Steel

Semi-Killed Steel: This is practically the same as killed steel,
with some minor differences.
It is only partially de-oxidized, and therefore, is a little more
porous than killed steel.
Semi-Killed does not shrink as much as it cools, so the
pipe is much smaller and scrap is reduced.
It is much more economical and efficient to produce.

Killed Semi-Killed Rimmed Steel

Rimmed Steel: This is produced by adding elements like
aluminum to the molten metal to remove unwanted gases.
The gasses then form blowholes around the rim.
Results in little or no piping.
HOWEVER, impurities also tend to collect in the center of
the ingot, so products or rimmed steel need to be
inspected and tested.

**Refining

Continuous Casting
-Molten metal skips
ingot step, and goes
directly the furnace to a
tundish
-Metal solidifies in the mold
-The metal descends @ about 1/sec
-The solidified metal then goes through
pinch rollers that determine the final
form.

Benefits of Continuous Casting

Costs less to produce final product
Metal has more uniform composition and properties than ingot
processing.

Residual Elements
During the processing of
steels some residual
elements remain in the
metal.
These residuals are trace
elements that are unwanted
due to their detrimental
properties but cannot be
extracted completely.
Some of these residual
elements include: antimony,
arsenic, hydrogen,
nitrogen, oxygen, and tin.
Molten
Steel

Ferrous Metals
Mild Steel
Composition -0.15 to0.30% carbon
Properties- Tough, high tensile strength, ductile.
Because of low carbon content it can not be
hardened and tempered. It must be case hardened.
Uses- girders, Plates, nuts and bolts, general
purpose.

Ferrous Metals
High Speed Steel
Composition- medium carbon, tungsten, chromium
and vanadium.
Properties - Can be hardened and tempered. Can be
brittle. Retains hardness at high temperatures.
Uses- Cutting tools for lathes.

Ferrous Metals
Stainless Steel
Composition- 18% chromium, and 8% nickel added.
Properties - Corrosion resistant
Uses- Kitchen draining boards. Pipes, cutlery,
aircraft.

Stainless Steels

The reason for the name stainless is due to the

fact that in the presence of oxygen, the steel
develops a thin, hard, adherent film of chromium.
Even if the surface is scratched, the protective film is
rebuilt through passivation.
For passivation to occur there needs to be a minimum
chromium content of 10% to 12% by weight.

Stainless Steels
Stainless steels tend to have lower carbon
content since increased carbon content
lowers the corrosion resistance of
stainless steels.
Since the carbon reacts with chromium it
decreases the available chromium content
which is needed for developing the protective
film.

Stainless Steels
Using stainless steels as reinforcing bars, has become
a new trend, in concrete structures such as highways
buildings and bridges.
It is more beneficial than carbon steels because it is resistant
to corrosion from road salts and the concrete itself.

Rebar
corrosion in
concrete

Ferrous Metals
High Tensile Steel
Composition- Low carbon steel, nickel, and
chromium.
Properties- Very strong and very tough.
Uses- Gears, shafts, engine parts.

Ferrous Metals
High Carbon Steel
Composition- 0.70% to 1.40% carbon.
Properties- The hardest of the carbon steels. Less
ductile, tough and malleable.
Uses- Chisels, hammers, drills, files, lathe tools, taps
and dies

Ferrous Metals
Medium Carbon Steels
Composition- 0.30% to 0.70% carbon.
Properties- Stronger and harder than mild steels.
Less ductile, tough and malleable.
Uses- Metal ropes, wire, garden tools, springs.

Tool and Die Steels

Tool and die steels are alloyed steels
design for high strength, impact
toughness, and wear resistance at normal
and elevated temperatures.
High-speed steels Maintain their hardness
and strength at elevated operating
temperatures. There are two basic types the
M-series and T-series

Tool and Die Steels

M-series contain 10 %
molybdenum and have
higher abrasion
resistance than Tseries
T- Series contain 12 %
to 18 % tungsten. They
undergo less distortion
in heat treatment and
are less expensive than
the M-series.

M- series steel drill

bits coated with
titanium

Tool and Die Steels

Dies are tools used for drawing wire, and
for blanking, bending, cutting, machine
forging, and embossing. .
H-series (Hot-working steels) for use at
elevated temperatures. They have high
toughness and high resistance to wear and
cracking.
S-series (shock resisting steels) designed for
impact toughness.

Ferrous Metals
Cast Iron
Composition- Remelted pig iron with small amounts
of scrap steel.
Properties- Hard, brittle, strong, cheap, selflubricating.
White cast iron, grey cast iron, malleable cast iron.
Uses- Heavy crushing machinery. Car cylinder
blocks, vices, machine tool parts, brake drums,
machine handle and gear wheels, plumbing fitments

Alloy Steels
High-strength, low-alloy
steels (HSLA) steels
were developed to
improve the ratio of
strength to weight.
Commonly used in
automobile bodies and in
the transportation industry
(the reduced weight makes
for better fuel economy ).

Microalloyed steels
Provide superior
properties without the
use of heat treating.
When cooled carefully
these steels develop
enhanced and
consistent strength.

Alloy Steels
Nanoalloyed steels have extremely small
grain size (10-100 nm). Since their
synthesis is done at an atomic level their
properties can be controlled specifically.

Steel Products

Steel Products
Rolled Structural Shapes

Steel Products
Sheet Piling
Sections are made to interlock abd are available in
several shape.

Steel Products
Steel Pipe
Seamless or welded small diameter pipe and
electrically welded large diameter pipe.
A large diameter pipe is made by having plates with
proper width, beveled edges and placed in a press
which forms them into cylinders. The two edges are
welded together and the pipe is brought to its final
diameter by hydraulically expanding the welded
sheet against a retaining jacket.

Steel Products
Reinforcing Steel
Made from new steel or from discarded railway car
axles or rails.
Reinforcing steel comes in plain or deformed bars,
that is, bars which have lugs or deformation rolled on
the surface to provide anchorage in concrete.

Steel Products
Welded Wire Fabric
Another type of reinforcing material. It consists of
parallel, longitudinal wired welded to transverse
wires at regular intervals.

Steel Products
Steel Wire
Over 150,000 uses for wire including pins, needles,
nails, bolts, cables, piano wire, fences.

Steel Products
Bolts and Nuts
(either hot forged or cold-formed from wire of the
appropriate diameter). For bolts, wire is fed into an
automatic bolt-making machine which cuts to length
heads, trims, points, and, in many cases rolls the
thread.

Steel Products
Steel Strapping
Made from high-tensile flat wire in a number of sizes.
Used for banding forms to keep them from bulging
under the pressure if freshly poured concrete. A
tightener tightens it and the two lapped end is
sealed.

Steel Products
Open Web Steel Jolt
Lightweight warren-type trusses made in several
different styles.

Steel Products
Sheet Steel
Black and galvanized, can be used to manufacture
corrugated roofing and sliding and formed steel
decking. Corrugated sheets have one edge turned
up, one turned down.

Steel Products
Sheet Steel
Two basic styles are open-faced decking and cellular
decking which allow easy distribution of electric
systems and outlets.

Steel Products
Steel Studs
Lightweight, requiring minimum storage space and
does not wrap or shrink. Fasteners do not pop, and
joints stay closed. Much faster to install to than
wood-stud installation. Available in 1 1/8, 2 and 3
5/8 inches.
Plumbing stacks and electrical components fit easily
into a steel-frame wall.

Steel Products
Pans and Domes
Manufactured for use in forming one-way and twoway ribbed concrete floor systems.

Non-Ferrous Metals
Aluminum
Composition- Pure Metal
Properties- Grayish-White, soft, malleable,
conductive to heat and electricity, It is corrosion
resistant. It can be welded but this is difficult. Needs
special processes
Uses- Aircraft, boats, window frames, saucepans,
packaging and insulation, pistons and cranks

Non-Ferrous Metals
Aluminum alloys
Composition- Aluminum +4%
Copper+1%Manganese
Properties- Ductile, Malleable, Work Hardens
Uses- Aircraft and vehicle parts

Non-Ferrous Metals
Copper
Composition- Pure metal Copper+1%Manganese
Properties- Red, tough, ductile, High electrical
conductor, corrosion resistant, Can work hard or
cold. Needs frequent annealing
Uses- Electrical wire, cables and conductors, water
and central heating pipes and cylinders. Printed
circuit boards, roofs

Non-Ferrous Metals
Brass
Composition- 65% copper +35%zinc
Properties- Very corrosive, yellow in colour, tarnishes
very easily. Harder than copper. Good electrical
conductor
Uses- Castings, ornaments, valves, forgings

Non-Ferrous Metals
Lead
Composition- Pure metal
Properties- The heaviest common metal. Soft,
malleable, bright and shiny when new but quickly
oxidizes to a dull grey. Resistant to corrosion.
Uses- Protection against X-Ray machines. Paints,
roof coverings, flashings

Non-Ferrous Metals
Zinc
Composition- Pure metal
Properties- A layer of oxide protects it from corrosion,
bluish-white, easily worked
Uses- Makes brass. Coating for steel galvanized
corrugated iron roofing, tanks, buckets, rust-proof
paints

Non-Ferrous Metals
Tin
Composition- Pure metal
Properties- White and soft, corrosion resistant
Uses- Tinplate, making bronze

Non-Ferrous Metals
Gilding metal
Composition- 85% copper+15% zinc
Properties- Corrosion resistant, golden colour,
enamels well
Uses- Beaten metalwork, jewelry

Carbon and Alloying Steels

Carbon and alloying steels are the most
commonly used metals
The structural makeup and controlled
processing of these steels make them
suitable for many different functions.
Basic product shapes include plate, sheet,
bar, wire, tube, castings, and forgings.
Increasing the percentages of these elements
in steels, increases the properties they impart.

Effects of Elements in Steels

Different elements are added to steels to
given the steel different properties.
The elements pass on properties such as
harden- ability, strength, hardness,
toughness, wear resistance, etc.
Some properties are beneficial while
others are detrimental.

Effects of Elements in Steels

Boron: Improves hardenability without the loss of (or even
with some improvement in) machinability and formability.
Calcium: Deoxidizes steels, improves toughness, and may
improve formability and machinability.
Carbon: improves hardenability, strength, hardness, and wear
resistance; it reduces ductility, weldability, and toughness.
Cerium: controls the shape of inclusions and improves
toughness in high-strength low alloy steels; it deoxidizes
steels.
Chromium: improves toughness, hardenability, wear and
corrosion resistance, and high-temperature strength; it
increases the depth of the hardness penetration resulting from
heat treatment by promoting carburization.
Cobalt: improves strength and hardness at elevated
temperatures.

Effects of Elements in Steels

Copper: improves resistance to atmospheric corrosion
and, to a lesser extent, increases strength with little loss
in ductility; it adversely affects the hot-working
characteristics and surface quality.
Lead: improves machinability; it causes liquid-metal
embrittlement.
Magnesium: has the same effects as cerium.
Manganese: improves hardenability, strength, abrasion
resistance, and machinability; it deoxidizes the molten
steel, reduce hot shortness, and decreases weldability.
Molybdenum: improves hardenability, wear resistance,
toughness, elevated-temperature strength, creep
resistance, and hardness; it minimizes temper
embrittlement.

Effects of Elements in Steels

Nickel: improves strength, toughness, and corrosion
resistance; it improves hardenability.
Niobium (columbium): imparts fineness of grain size and
improves strength and impact toughness; it lowers
transition temperature and may decrease hardenability.
Phosphorus: improves strength, hardenability, corrosion
resistance, and machinability; it severely reduces ductility
and toughness.
Selenium: improves machinability.
Silicon: improves strength, hardness, corrosion resistance,
and electrical conductivity; it decreases magnetichysteresis loss, machinability, and cold formability.

Effects of Elements in Steels

Sulfur: Improves machinability when combined with
manganese; it lowers impact strength and ductility and
impairs surface quality and weldability.
Tantalum: has effects similar to those of niobium.
Tellurium: improves machinability, formability, and
toughness.
Titanium: improves hardenability; it deoxidizes steels.
Tungsten: has the same effects as cobalt.
Vanadium: improves strength, toughness, abrasion
resistance, and hardness at elevated temperatures; it
inhibits grain growth during heat treatment.
Zirconium: has the same effects as cerium