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Steel
Steel is an alloy made primarily from iron and carbon (the alloy).
Typically, the percent of carbon in steel is relatively low, less than 2% carbon.
Many other elements within common structural steels such as manganese (1%) and small
amounts of silicon, phosphorus, sulfur and oxygen.
Composition controlled by ASTM Standards.
Henry Bessemer, a British inventor is typically credited with the invention of steel in
1856 (Bessemer Steel Company in Sheffield, England). Although steel was produced
before that time, it was his patented Bessemer process which is still used today. In short,
the process involves blowing air through molten pig iron to oxidize the material and
separate impurities.
Steel is different than Wrought Iron and Case Iron.
Wrought Iron - Iron that is almost pure (less than 0.15% carbon). Can be shaped and forge
welded with ease, but is soft and does not harden in the same way as Steel. The properties of
Wrought Iron are partially attributed to the Slag inclusions that result from Puddling and Forge
Welding. Widely used in Bridges, Axles and Ships plates before the development of Bessemer
and Siemens Steel. The last commercial production of Wrought Iron in the U.K. ceased in 1976.
Cast Iron - Iron with a high Carbon content (above 2% to 2.5% but usually less than 6%).
Identical, in most cases, to Pig Iron, it is easily cast to almost any shape and melts at a lower
temperature to other type of iron and steel.
Cast Iron is extremely hard and brittle. Machining is difficult and it is easily shattered, revealing
its crystalline structure. Chilled Cast Iron is even harder and is produced by cooling the castings
to increase the speed at which the iron solidifies. Cast Iron is still is wide use for numerous
casting, from drains covers through to engine blocks and water pipes. Can be Grey, White or
Malleable.
Pig Iron - The name used for the iron directly produced from a blast furnace. Originally cast
into 'pigs' around the base of the furnace, lasted casting machines were developed to produce
pigs but iron is now generally transported while still molten and converted into steel on the same
site. The name is derived from the impression given of piglets feeding from the sow by the iron
being run off the furnace into the original style of sand moulds. Pigs were traditionally sized to
be man handled, but size increase later. Pig Iron changes its name to Cast Iron when re-melted,
although no actual processing takes place. Iron casings can be created directly from the blast
furnace.
1
As the air passes upward through the molten pig iron, impurities such as silicon,
manganese, and carbon unite with the oxygen in the air to form oxides; the carbon
monoxide burns off with a blue flame and the other impurities form slag.
A514/A 514M
A588/A 588M
A572/A 572M
A370
A307
Specification for Carbon Steel Bolts and Studs, 60000 psi Tensile Strength
A502
A668/A668M
Specification for Steel Forgings, Carbon and Alloy, for General Industrial Use