Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.

1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten.Modern steels are made with varying combinations of alloy metals to fulfill many purposes. Carbon steel, composed simply of iron and carbon, accounts for 0% of steel production. !lloys with a higher than 2.1% carbon content are "nown as cast iron because of their lower melting point and good castability. Steel is also distinguishable from wrought iron, which can contain a small amount of carbon, but it isincluded in the form of slag inclusions. #wo distinguishing factors are steel$s increased rust resistance and better weld ability. Carbon and other elements act as a hardening agent, preventing dislocations in the iron atom crystal lattice from sliding past one another. %arying the amount of alloying elements and the form of their presence in the steel &solute elements, precipitated phase' controls (ualities such as the hardness, ductility, and tensile strength of the resulting steel. Steel with increased carbon content can be made harder and stronger than iron, but such steel is also less ductile than iron. )ron is found into earth crust inform of or and iron is e*tracted form iron ore. #he e*traction of the iron form ore is "nown as the smelting was first applied to metals with low melting points, such as tin which melts at appro*imately 2+0 ,C &-.2 ,/' and copper which melts at appro*imately 1,100 ,C &2,010 ,/'. )n comparison, cast iron melts at appro*imately 1,01+ ,C &2,+01 ,/'. 2hen steels with less than 0..% carbon, "nown as a hypothyroid steel, are cooled, the austenitic phase &//C' of the mi*ture attempts to revert to the ferrite phase &3CC', resulting in an e*cess of carbon. 4ne way for carbon to leave the austenite is for it to precipitate out of solution as cementite leaving behind iron that is low enough in carbon to ta"e the form of ferrite, resulting in a ferrite matri* with cementite inclusions. Cementite is a hard and brittle inter metallic compound with the chemical formula of /e0C.

2hen iron is smelted from its ore by commercial processes, it contains more carbon than is desirable. #o become steel, it must be melted and reprocessed to reduce the carbon to the correct amount, at which point other elements can be added. #his li(uid is then continuously cast into long slabs or cast into ingots. !ppro*imately 5% of steel is continuously cast, while only -% is produced as ingots. Modern steels are made with varying combinations of alloy metals to fulfill many purposes. Carbon Steel composed simply of iron and carbon, accounts for 0% of steel production.6igh strength low ally steel has small additions of other elements, typically 1.+% manganese, to provide additional strength for a modest price increase. Steel Products: Steel Pipes Steel Fasteners Steel Tubes Steel Pipe Fittings Steel Alloys Steel Flanges Steel Profiles & Bars Other Steel Products