STRENGTH

TOUGHNESS
DUCTILITY
WELDABILITY
DURABILITY
1.) Iron Making – Reducing iron ore
to pig iron
2.) Steelmaking – Refining pig iron
(and scrap steel from recycling) to
steel
3.) Casting– Forming steel into
finished products through rolling or
ingot forms
 Properties of steel can be altered by applying a
variety of heat treatments. For example, steel can be
hardened or softened by using heat treatment.
 The basic process is to heat the steel to a specific
temperature, hold the temperature for a specified
period of time, then cool the material at a specified
rate.
 Annealing
 Normalizing
 Hardening
 Tempering
 to refine the grain, soften
the steel, remove internal
stresses, remove gases,
increase ductility and
toughness, and change
electrical and magnetic
properties.
 Normalizing is similar to
annealing, with a slight difference
in the temperature and a faster
rate of cooling.
 Normalizing produces a uniform,
fine-grained microstructure
 Steel is hardened by heating
it to a temperature above the
transformation range and
holding it until austenite is
formed.
 The steel is then quenched
(cooled rapidly) by plunging
it into, or spraying it with,
water, brine, or oil
 Used to increase the toughness
of iron alloys, particularly steel.
 Untempered steel is very hard
but is too brittle for most
applications.
 Tempering is commonly done
after hardening to reduce
excess hardness
 Alloy metals can be used to alter the characteristics of steel.
 Alloy agents are added to improve one or more of the following
properties:
1. hardenability
2. corrosion resistance
3. machinability
4. ductility
5. strength
By altering the carbon and alloy content and by using different heat
treatments, steel can be produced with a wide variety of
characteristics. These are classified as follows:
1. Low alloy 2. High Alloy
■ Low carbon ■ Tool
Plain ■ Stainless
High strength–low alloy
■ Medium carbon
Plain
Heat treatable
■ High carbon
Plain
Tool
Structural Steel Cold Rolled Reinforcing Steel
steel

Fastening Products Other steel products