Classification of Metals

Metals/alloys
Ferrous Non Ferrous
Steel Cast Irons Aluminum
Low alloy High alloy Gray Iron Copper
High Carbon Ductile Zinc
Medium
Low Carbon Stainless Steel White Lead
Carbon Plain Tool Malleable

Iron Ores

Iron Ores
Magnetite (Fe3O4) Black
Hematite (Fe2O3) Red
Limonite (Fe2O3H2O) Brown
Siderite (FeCO3 (H2O)) Brown
CAST IRON:

Cast Iron: (>2.11%C) 2.11% to 6.67% C small amounts of Silicon, Mn, Phosphorous, Sulphur

Types %C Properties Applications

Grey Cast Iron 2.5 3.75 Brittle, M.P. is low, easily machinable, Machine tool, Gas (or) Water pipes for underground
self actras lubricant purposes, cylinder blocks & heads for I.C. Engines, frames
for electric motors, sanitary wares, piston rings
White Cast Iron 1.75 2.3 Hard and brittle, wear resistance, cannot Car wheels, rolls for crushing grains, jaw crusher plates
be machined
Malleable Cast Iron 2 3.6 Less brittle, good wear resistance and Automobile parts, bicycle parts, agricultural equipment,
vibration damping capacity electrical line hard wax, universal joint yoke, conveyor chain
links
Nodular (or) Spheroidal graphite C.I. By adding 0.1 Low melting point, better machined Paper industry machines and I.C. engines, power
(or) Ductile Cast Iron (or) High 0.8% of Mg surfaces, high tensile strength and transmission equipment, farm machinery, earth moving
strength C.I. Graphite of toughness, good resistance to wear, machinery, valves and fitting pumps and compressions
flakes to farm welding nicely, E(Youngs) is high
of small
nodules
Alloy C.I. Vanadium, Better corrosive resistance properties, Gears, automobile parts, crank shafts, wheels, pulleys, brake
Ni, Cu, Cr are machinability, strength drum, grinding machinery
added
Matted C.I. (White C.I. + Hard, brittle & effected by corrosion, Pipes and man holes
Grey C.I.) good fluidity
STEEL

Steel
Carbon Steel Alloy steel
Low Carbon (or) High Carbon
Mild Steel (Dead) Medium carbon Heat resisting
Mild Steel 0.15 Steel Stainless steel Spring steel Silicon steel Tool steel
0.15% C 0.45 0.8% C steel
0.45%C 0.8 1.5% C

Type %C Properties Applications

Mild Steel Up to 0.15% Soft, ductile, malleable, good forming 0.1% wires and pans; 0.1 0.15% boiler plate &tube
0.01 - 0.3% Easily forged & welded, magnetized 0.15 0.25% crank axle; 0.25 0.3% gears, valves,
permanently railway axles, connecting rods
Medium Steel 0.30 0.80% Stronger than mild steel greater tensile strength 0.35 0.45 rails, springs, brake levers
& more hardness than mild steel, 0.45 0.55 riffle barrels, gun parts & gear wheels,
Easily rolled and forged turbines, bucket, piniax, shaft coupling, nuts and bolts
High Carbon Steel 0.80 1.5% Easily be hardened and tempered. Cannot Wood working tools, metal cutting tools, punches, dies,
readily forged & welded. Less impact small drills, reamers etc.,
resistance

Alloy steels : Alloy steels are obtained by adding elements like Ni, Cr, Co, Va, Tungsten, silicon etc., to the carbon steel to get the desired properties.

Why to add ?

To improve tensile strength, elastic limit and ductility

To provide free cutting properties
To improve wear and corrosion resistance
To improve mach inability and weld ability
To retain the grain structure of steel
 Alloy Steel Composition Applications
Tools operating at high speed, tools of lathe
High Speed Steel(Heat Resistance Steel) 18% Tungsten, 4% Cr, 1%Vanadium } with 0.75%C
machines, planners, milling cutters
Cobalt H.S.S. 5 8% Co to increase hot hardness & wear resistance Super high speed steel
Good abrasive resistance, Used in manufacturing of
Vanadium H.S.S. 1% Va, 0.7%C } strength, toughness & hardness
springs, chassis etc.
Molybdenum 6% Mo, 6% Tu, 4% Cr, 2% Va Very good toughness, cutting ability
18% Cr, 8% Ni (Chromium oxide film on the surface High Corrosive resistance. Utensils, sinks, dental and
Stainless Steel
of metal) surgical instruments
Spring Steel 0.6 0.7% C, 0.2 0.55 % Si, 0.65 1.0 Mn Good strength, toughness, resilience. Heat springs
Low hysteresis loss, High magnetic properties.
Silicon Steel 0.8 4.8% Si
Electrical machines
Heat resisting steel 23 30% Cr, <0.35% C Heat resistance. Furnace parts, annealing boxes
NON FERROUS METALS :

Characteristics :

1. Rase of fabrication
2. Resistance to corrosion
3. Electrical and thermal conductivity and weight

Non Ferrous Alloys Non Ferrous Material

Aluminium Alloys : Used in aero plane construction, ships, Aluminium
and automobile parts, pistons etc 1) Silvery white color Electrical wires and cables
2) Good conductors of heat and Kitchen utensils
electricity
3) Ductile & malleable furniture
Copper alloys : Copper
a) Brass : (alloy of copper and Used in bearings, pump lining & 1) Reddish brown Boiler parts
zinc) utensils 2) Gold weld ability & Radiator fins
b) Bronze : (Copper and tin) 1.Gun Metal, 2. Phosphor Bronze, amicability
3. Manganese Bronze 3) Ductility & Malleable Used for electro plating
Nickel Alloys : Lead
1. Invar 1) Bluish grey colored Paints are manufactured by lead
2. Inconel 2) Soft and heaviest
3. Monel metal (Ni & copper)
Tin Alloys Tin
1. Babbitt Metal [88% Sn, 8% 1) Bright shining colored metal Moisture proof packing are made of
Sb, 4% Cu] tin
2) Soft and malleable Coatings on other metals
Phosphor Bronze Zinc
Bluish grey metal Corrosive resistant
 Non Ferrous metals
Metals Properties Applications
Soft and weak
Over head cables
Hard and rigid (when mixed with other alloy)
Aluminium Cooking utensils
Good electrical & thermal conductivity
Raw material : Bauxite Thin foils used for wrapping food items
High resistance to corrosion
Aircraft and automobile components
Non toxicity
Al alloys : copper, Magnesium, Manganese, silicon, nickel
Duralumin : Forging, stamping, sheets, tubes and rivets, aircraft and
High tensile strength, light weight
Cu + Mn + Mg + Al (remainder) automobile components, pulleys, etc.
Y alloy :
High tensile strength and machinability Aircraft engines, for cylinder heads and pistons
Cu + Al () + Ni + Mn + Si + Mg + Iron
Magnalium :
Light weight Aircraft and automobile components
Al + Mg + Cu
Hindalium :
Light weight Utensils
Al + Mg + Cr
Soft, malleable, ductile, good conductor of electricity, Electrical cables wires, electrotyping, electroplating,
Copper (Cu) :
non corrosive making coins, household utensils
Copper alloys
Brass : Cu + Zn Resistance to atmosphere corrosion Marine casting, valves, automobiles, musical instruments
Bronze : Cu + Tn Hard, resists surface wear, malleable Sheets, wires, rods, bearings, tanks, stoves
Gun Metal : Cu + Tn + Zn High resistance to corrosion, very strong Gun barrels, bushes, bearings, glands etc

Lead Alloy : lead
Tin base alloy : Tin + antimony + Cu
Zinc base alloys : Al + Cr + Mg + Zinc
Monel Metal : Ni () + Cu + Fe + Mn +
Si + C
Inconel : Ni () + Cr + Fe
Nichrome : Ni () + Cr + Fe
Corrosive resistance Lining for acid tanks, cisters, water pipes etc
Soft material with low coefficient of friction, less
Bearings subjected to high pressure and load
strength
Automobile industry, oil burners, refrigerators, radios,
High tensile strength, hardness, ductility
photographs, TV., etc.,
Nickel base alloys
Propellers, pump fittings, condenser tubes, steam
Strong, ductile, tough, high corrosive resistant
turbines, bladders, tanks
Springs which have to withstand high temperatures,
High corrosive resistance
exhaust manifolds of aircraft engines
Electrical resistance, wires for electrical furnaces and
High heat & oxidation resistance
heating elements