58 SECTION j 1 Introduction to Basic Metallurgy

AISI-SAE Designation Type of Steel with Typical Grades Nominal Alloy Content (%)
Carbon Steels
10xx Plain carbon steel: 1005, 1010, Manganese up to 1% max
1016, 1030 etc.
11xx Resulfurized: 1110, 1117, 1137
etc.
12xx Resulfurized and
Rephosphorized: 1211, 1212,
1213, 1215, 12L14 (this grade
include up to 0.35% lead)
15xx Plain carbon steel: 1513, 1522, Manganese range from 1% to
1526, 1548,1561 and 1566 etc. 1.65%
Manganese Steels
13xx Manganese 1.75%
Nickel Steels
23xx Nickel 3.5
Nickel 5
Nickel Chromium Steels
31xx Nickel 1.25, Cr 0.65 and 0.80
32xx Nickel 1.75, Cr 1.07
33xx Nickel 3.50, Cr 1.5 and 1.57
34xx Nickel 3.00, Cr 0.77
Molybdenum Steels
40xx 4023, 4024, 4027, 4028 etc. Mo 0.20 and 0.25
44xx Mo 0.40 and 0.52
Chromium Molybdenum Steels
41xx Cr Mo
4118 0.50 0.12
4130, 4137, 4140, 0.80 0.20
4142, 4145, 4147, 4150 0.95 0.25
4161 0.70-0.90 0.30

Nickel Chromium Molybdenum Steels

43xx 4320 Ni Cr Mo
1.65 to 0.40 to 0.20 to
2.00 0.60 0.30
4340 1.65 to 0.70 to 0.20 to
2.00 0.90 0.30
47xx 4720 0.90 to 0.35 to 0.15 to
1.20 0.55 0.25
81xx 0.30 0.40 0.12
86xx 0.55 0.50 0.20
87xx 0.55 0.50 0.25
88xx 0.55 0.50 0.35
93xx 3.25 1.20 0.12
94xx 0.45 0.40 0.12
97xx 0.55 0.20 0.20
98xx 1.00 0.80 0.25
Nickel Molybdenum Steels
46xx Ni Mo
0.85 0.20
1.82 0.25
48xx 3.50 0.25
Chromium Steels
50xx Cr 0.27, 0.40, 0.50, 0.65
51xx Cr 0.80, 0.87, 0.92, 1.00, 1.05
52xx Cr 0.50, Carbon 1.00

FIGURE 1-6-1 Classification of steel.

 Classification of Steels Chapter j 6 59

Chromium Vanadium Steels

61xx Cr V
0.60, 0.80, 0.95 0.10, 0.15
Chromium Tungsten Steels
72xx Cr 0.75; W 1.75
Silicon Manganese Steels
92xx Si: 1.40, 2.00; Mn 0.65, 0.82,
0.85; Cr 0.65
High-Strength Low-Alloy (HSLA) Steels
9xx Various SAE grades
xxBxx B indicates added Boron
xxLxx L indicates Lead addition
XX indicates steel designation for carbon steel and low alloys.
Stainless Steels
AISI designation SAE designation
2xx 302xx Chromium Manganese and

FIGURE 1-6-1 contd

LOW-CARBON STEELS
Low-carbon steels contain up to 0.30% carbon. The majority of this class of
steel is flat-rolled products such as sheet or strip; usually they are in the cold-
rolled and annealed condition. These steels have high formability because they
contain very low carbon, usually less than 0.10% C, with up to 0.4% Mn.
For rolled steel structural plates and sections, the carbon content is often
increased to approximately 0.30%, and the manganese content is increased to
1.5%. These materials are useful for stampings, forgings, seamless tubes, and
as boilerplates.

MEDIUM-CARBON STEELS
Medium-carbon steels are similar to low-carbon steels except that they contain
carbon from 0.30% to 0.60% and manganese from 0.60% to 1.65%. Increasing
the carbon content to approximately 0.5% with an accompanying increase in
manganese allows medium-carbon steels to be used in the quenched and
tempered condition. These steels are mainly used for making shafts, axles,
gears, crankshafts, couplings, and forgings. Steels with carbon ranging from
0.40% to 0.60% are used for rails, railway wheels, and rail axles.

HIGH-CARBON STEELS
High-carbon steels contain carbon from 0.60% to 1.00%; the manganese
content ranges from 0.30% to 0.90%. High-carbon steels are used for some
hand tools, spring materials, and high-strength wires.

ULTRAHIGH-CARBON STEELS
These steels are often experimental alloys containing 1.25% to 2.0% C. These
steels are often thermomechanically processed to produce consistent and