Steel Knowledge

Types of Steel

Type of Steel an alloy of iron and carbon with improved strength and fracture
Steel resistance compared to other forms of iron.

Carbon Steel
is a steel, that contain mainly of iron and up to 2.1% Carbon.

Alloy Steel
Is a steel, that contain other than iron and carbon, also alloyed with
several elements such as molybdenum, manganese, nickel, chromium,
vanadium, silicon, and boron.

Stainless Steel
Is a type of steel, which have good corrosion resistant due to the
addition of chromium and other alloying element. Containing >10.5%
chromium and <1.2% carbon.

Tool Steel
Is a steel, that contains chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, and
vanadium to increase heat resistance and durability.

(Source: James Sword Research)

 Steel Applications

Steel Applications

Transportation

Cars Ships/Vessels Train Bicycles Motorcycles

Building & Infrastructure

Building Bridge

Furniture

Electrical appliances

Weapons & Tools

 Types of Steel (Carbon Steel)

Carbon Steel
Is a steel, that contain mainly of iron and up to 2.1% Carbon.

Iron-carbon alloy Contain small amount of other alloying element, carbon is the primary alloying
ingredient.
• Has far lower chromium content.
• Susceptible to rust unlike stainless steel.
• Cheaper price
(Source: James Sword Research • Has its own varying mechanical properties based on carbon content.

Type of carbon steel:

1. Low Carbon Steel or Mild Steel (<0.3% Carbon)
• Relatively weaker and softer, more malleable and ductile than other carbon steel types.
• Very weldable and inexpensive to produce.
• It is having heightened flexibility.
• Commonly used for wire, structural shapes, machine parts and sheet metals.

Advantages:
• Good machinability
• Cheaper than stainless steel, Strong &
durable. Wire Structural shapes Machine Parts Sheet metals
• Production cost is relatively low.
• Environmentally friendly and 2. Medium Carbon Steel (0.3%-0.6% Carbon))
recyclable. Has a good balance between strength and ductility (Strong & less ductile).
• It can be heat treated to increase strength
• Commonly used in many types of steel parts (axles, gears, shafts and machine parts).
Disadvantages:
• Vulnerability to corrosion if exposed to
water or air over time. Shafts
• It is brittle, not easily bent or mold into
Axles Gear
diverse shapes.
• Strong and sometimes difficult to work
with. 3. High Carbon Steel (up to 1.5% Carbon)
• Less attractive appearance compared It is the hardest and toughest carbon steel with high strength, good wear resistant and low
ductility.
to stainless steel.
• common uses include drill, cutting tools, knives and springs.

Drill Cutting Tools Springs

 Types of Steel (Alloy Steel)

Alloy Steel
Is a steel, that contain other than iron and carbon, also alloyed with several elements such as
molybdenum, manganese, nickel, chromium, vanadium, silicon, and boron.

Types of Alloy Steel:

1. Low Alloy Steel (1-5% Alloy content)
(Source: James Sword Research 2. High Alloy Steel (>10% Alloy content)

Several elements of Alloy Steel and effects:

1. Molybdenum (Mo) ➔ increase strength and resistance to shock and heat.
2. Manganese (Mn) ➔ Increase surface hardness and resistance to strain, hammering and shock.
It also can be use as substitute of Nickel.
3. Nickel (Ni) ➔ increase the hardness, strength, good toughness, resistant to corrosion &
oxidation.
4. Chromium (Cr) ➔ add hardness, increase toughness, resistance to corrosion & oxidation.
5. Vanadium (V) ➔ increase strength, toughness and resistance to shock and corrosion.
6. Silicon (Si) ➔ increase strength and hardness. used as deoxidizing agent of melting
point of steel, also used in electrical sheet.
7. Boron (B) ➔ the enhancement of hardenability.

Alloy Steel applications:

is most used to manufacture pipes, especially pipes for energy-related applications. It's also used in the manufacturing of heating
elements in appliances like toasters, silverware, pots and pans, and corrosion-resistant containers.

Toaster
Silverware

Pots & Pans

 Alloy Elements and Effects

The effect of elements of alloys:

1. Chromium (Cr) ➔ add hardness, increase toughness, resistance to corrosion & oxidation.
2. Nickel (Ni) ➔ increase the hardness, strength, good toughness, resistant to corrosion & oxidation.
3. Molybdenum (Mo) ➔ increase strength and resistance to shock and heat.
4. Carbon (C) ➔ increase the hardness.
5. Manganese (Mn) ➔ Increase surface hardness and resistance to strain, hammering and shock.
6. It also can be use as substitute of Nickel.
7. Titanium (Ti) ➔ used for carbon stabilization. Minimized the occurrences of interannual corrosion.
8. Phosphorous (P) ➔ improve the machinability, increase strength, increase tendency to the cracking during welding.
9. Sulphur (S) ➔ improve the machinability, decrease weldability.
10. Selenium (Se) ➔ improve the machinability.
11. Niobium (Nb) ➔ used for carbon stabilization.
12. Nitrogen (N) ➔ increase the yield strength.
13. Silicon (Si) ➔ increase strength and hardness. used as deoxidizing agent of melting point of steel, also used in electrical sheet.
14. Cobalt (Co) ➔ improve hot hardness for application such as cutting tools.
15. Copper (Cu) ➔ increase the hardness and corrosion resistance.
16. Zinc (Zn) ➔ increase the hardness and corrosion resistance.
17. Tungsten ➔ adds hardness and improves grain structure and heat resistance.
18. Vanadium ➔ increase strength, toughness and resistance to shock and corrosion.

Impact Weather
Code Name Tensile Weldability Specific characteristic Cost
property resistance
Main components of steel
Ｃ Carbon ○ × × －
Carbon almost decide steel property
Ｓｉ Silicon ○ － × △ Deoxidizing agent
Ｍｎ Manganese ○ ○ × － High tensile and hardness High
Ａｌ Aluminum △ ○ － △ Good for grain refining Low
Ｎｂ Niobium ○ － × － Toughness High
Ti Titanium ○ ○ － － hardenability High
Ｂ Boron ○ ○ △ － hardenability Low
 Types of Steel (Stainless Steel)

Stainless Steel
Is a type of steel, which have good corrosion resistant due to the addition of chromium and other
alloying element (group of corrosion resistant ferrous alloy). Containing >10.5% chromium and
<1.2% carbon.

The Chromium is key, it react with oxygen to create a passive layer, that prevent oxidation and protect
the steel from rusting.

(Source: James Sword Research) Based on microstructure, broadly 4 major categories of Stainless steel:
1. Austenitic Stainless Steel (2%-20% nickel, 16%-30% chromium)
Grade: • The highest generally corrosion resistance.
Categorized in 200 and 300 series • Low yield strength.
• The most weldable (due to low carbon content). Can be strengthened by through cold working.
• Not magnetic.
• Commonly used in house wares, industrial piping, vessels, construction and architectural facades.
200 300
2. Ferritic Stainless Steel (10.5%-30% chromium)
• It is generally with no nickel.
• Magnetic characteristics, due to the characteristics grain structure of alpha iron.
Grade: • Possess better corrosion, heat and cracking resistance than more common types.
Categorized in 400 series • Generally, more ductile and formable than austenitic steels.
• Cannot be harden/strengthened by Heat treatment.
409
• Can be welded, yet the main problem when welding, it is poor heat affected zone toughness.
420 • To soften, it can be annealed and cold worked.
410 • Commonly used in heat transfer equipment, dishwasher and in door architecture.
3. Martensitic Stainless Steel (10.5%-18% chromium)
• It is generally with no nickel & Magnetic characteristic.
Grade: • Tend to have lower corrosion resistance than other stainless steel, due to low chromium content.
Categorized in 400 series • It has carbon content (up to 2%) and becoming the primary different with ferritic.
• Due to high carbon, difficult to weld.
409
• The highest hardness in the heat affected zone, makes this type very prone to hydrogen cracking.
410 420 • it can be strengthened through heat treatment.
• commonly used to make cutlery, surgical instrument and turbine blades.
4. Duplex Stainless Steel (1.5%-8% nickel, 18%-28% chromium)
Grade: • Contains of two-phase structure of almost equal proportion of austenitic and ferritic.
Categorized in 200 and 300 series • It can be had up to twice the strength of austenitic, making it both strong and flexible.
Lean : S31500, S32304, S32404 • it has a high toughness, corrosion resistance and wear resistance.
Standard : S31803, S32205 • Generally, as weldable as austenitic.
Super : S32520, S32550, S32750
Hyper : S32707, S33207
• It has temperature limit.
• Commonly used in Ship, building and petrochemical industries.

Advantages : ●Easy to clean & maintain ●Strong & high durable ●High resistant to corrosion & staining ●Use for large variety of application
●Environmentally friendly & recyclable.
Disadvantages : ●It can be very expensive ●Susceptible to scratch & dents ●Can often result in costly waste & rework if not fabricated properly .
 Types of Steel (Tool Steel)

Tool Steel
Is a steel, that contains chromium, molybdenum, tungsten & vanadium and to increase heat
resistance and durability.

The 4 major alloying elements of Tool Steel and effects:

1. Chromium (Cr) ➔ add hardness, increase toughness, resistance to corrosion & oxidation.
2. Molybdenum (Mo) ➔ increase strength and resistance to shock and heat.
3. Tungsten ➔ adds hardness and improves grain structure and heat resistance.
4. Vanadium (V) ➔ increase strength, toughness and resistance to shock and corrosion.

Based od AISI, there are 6 main types of Tool Steel:

1. Water hardening
2. Cold working
3. Shock resistant
4. High speed
5. Hot working
6. Special purpose

Tool Steel applications:

Tool steels are used in a variety of different industries and applications, including cutting, forming, shearing, and stamping of metals and
plastics, extrusion of plastic components, such as pipes and vinyl window frames and the manufacture of dies for pressing metal powder
into shapes like gears.

Cutting Tools Gears

Steel Maker

CHINA
• China Baowu Steel SOUTH KOREA
• Ansteel Group • POSCO Steel
• Jiangsu Shagang • Hyundai Steel
• Hesteel Group
• Jianlong Steel
• Shougang
• Shandong Iron and Steel JAPAN
• Valin Steel Group • Nippon Steel Corp (NSC)
• Baotou Steel • JFE Steel (JFE
• Etc,. • Sumitomo Metal Industry (SMI)
• Kobe Steel
• Daido Steel Co

TAIWAN
INDIA China Steel Co (CSC)
• Tata Steel
• JSW Steel
• Steel Authority of
India Limited (SAIL)
• JINDAL

(Source: Wikipedia)
 Making Process of Steel

Iron Steel Continues Caster Rolling Final Product

Rail
Steel Sheet Pile
Shape Steel
Steel Bar Steel Bar

Wire Rod

Steel Wire

Plate

Pig Iron Converter Billet

Hot Rolled Coil

Blast Furnace Secondary refining/
Bloom
Vacuum degasser
Hot Rolled Strip Mill
Scrap
Electric furnace

Slab Cold Rolled Coil

Galvanized Coil
Cold Rolled Strip Mill

Pipe
Pipe Roll

Seamless Steel Pipe

Reheating Furnace Seamless Pipe Making Line
Making Process of Steel

① Blast Furnace ② Converter

(Making Pig Iron from Iron core
etc.)
is a cylinder line with refractory.
It is a vertical shaft furnace that produce liquid
metals by the reaction a flow of air introduce
under pressure into the bottom of the furnace
with a mixture of metallic ore, coke, and flux fed
into the top.
(Making Steel from Pig Iron)
The main task in converter processes is
oxidation of carbon, and as side reactions
oxidizing refining of other impurities
present in hot metal.

To Make 1t Pig Iron

Iron ore : 1,600kg
Coke : 340kg
Limestone : 160kg

(Source: Wikipedia) (Source: Wikipedia)

③ Electric Furnace ④ Vacuum Degasser

(To Melt Scrap Metal )
It uses electrical energy to melt the main
raw material of scrap metal, direct
reduced iron, and/or pig iron to produce
molten steel.
(Adjustment component of Steel)
Vacuum degassing’s effectiveness in removing
hydrogen and nitrogen from the steel is due
to the reduced pressure between the molten
steel and the vacuum, which causes the gases
to become less soluble and separate from the
liquefied steel.

(Source: Wikipedia) (Source: Wikipedia)

 Making Process of Steel

⑤ Continuous Casting Billet

(Making Slab. 1 Slab around 240mm, 20mt )
is the process whereby molten metal is solidified into a
"semifinished" billet, bloom, or slab for subsequent rolling in
the finishing mills.
A billet is a length of metal that has a round or square cross-
section, with an area less than 36 in2 (230 cm2).
Billets are further processed via profile rolling and drawing.
Final products include bar stock and wire.

Bloom

Blooms has rectangular /square cross section.

The cross-section area of bloom is always greater than 36 in 2
(230 cm 2).
Common final products include structural shapes, rails, rods,
and seamless pipes.

Slab

A slab has rectangular cross section, slab has thickness lesser

than bloom.

(Source: Wikipedia)
 Making Process of Steel

⑤ Rolling
(Making Hot/Cold Coil from Slab)
What is the process?
rolling is a metal forming process in which metal stock is passed through one or more pairs of rolls.

What does it do?

to reduce the thickness and to make the thickness uniform. The concept is similar to the rolling of dough. Rolling is classified
according to the temperature of the metal rolled.

Hot Rolling Mill Cold Rolling Mill

⑤ .1. Hot Rolling Mill ⑤ .2. Cold Rolling Mill

(Making Hot Coil from Slab)
What is the process?
In this technique, metal is heated beyond the recrystallization
temperature, and the plasticity is distorted during the rolling
procedure. This process ensures that the volume and features
of the metal are maintained while creating various shapes and
dimensions
(Making Cold Coil from Slab)
What is the process?
Cold rolling is an industrial process used to change the
material properties of sheets or strips of metal. The metal is
fed between two rollers which compresses it. The resulting
mechanical properties vary, depending on how much strain is
applied.

What does it do? What does it do?

The hot rolling process has a significant effect on the
properties of steel. By heating steel above its recrystallization
temperature and then cooling it at room temperature in a
process known as normalization, the steel's microstructure
undergoes permanent changes, resulting in enhanced
toughness and ductility
when the metal is put under mechanical stress, it causes a
permanent change to the crystalline structure of the metal.
This causes an increase in its strength (full hard) and often
improves corrosion resistance.