In metal processing and manufacturing, carbon steel is known for its wide range of applications and diverse properties. Among many alloy materials, carbon steel has become one of the most common materials in the industrial field due to its excellent mechanical properties, processability, and cost-effectiveness. This article will delve into the basic concepts, classifications, and the most common type of carbon steel, aiming to provide readers with accurate, professional, detailed, and authoritative information.
What is the most common type of carbon steel?
1. Basic concepts of carbon steel
Carbon steel, also known as carbon steel, is an iron-carbon alloy with a carbon content between 0.0218% and 2.11%. The main element of carbon steel is iron, and the amount of carbon added determines the performance of carbon steel. As the carbon content increases, the hardness, strength and wear resistance of carbon steel increase, but the plasticity and toughness decrease. Therefore, carbon steels with different carbon contents have significant differences in their uses and processing methods.
2. Classification of carbon steel
Carbon steel can be classified in a variety of ways based on its carbon content, alloying element content, and purpose. The following are several common classification methods:
Classified by carbon content:
- Low carbon steel: Carbon steel with a carbon content of less than 0.25%. It has good plasticity and toughness, is easy to process and weld, and is often used to manufacture pipes, plates, wires, etc.
- Medium carbon steel: Carbon steel with a carbon content between 0.25% and 0.6%. It has high strength and hardness and is often used to manufacture mechanical parts, bearings and gears.
- High carbon steel: Carbon steel with a carbon content higher than 0.6%. It has extremely high hardness and wear resistance, but poor plasticity and toughness. It is often used to make knives, molds, springs, etc.
Classification by alloy element content:
- Non-alloyed steel (carbon steel): Carbon steel that contains only a small amount of alloying elements, and its properties are mainly determined by the carbon content.
- Low alloy steel: Carbon steel containing a small amount of alloying elements (such as manganese, silicon, chromium, etc.). Some properties of the steel are improved by the addition of alloying elements.
- High alloy steel: Carbon steel containing a large amount of alloying elements and has excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance.
3. The most common type of carbon steel
Among the many types of carbon steel, mild steel is undoubtedly the most common. Low carbon steel is widely used in various industries due to its excellent plasticity, toughness, and ease of processing and welding. Here are some common mild steel types:
A36 steel: This is a common low-carbon structural steel with excellent mechanical properties and welding properties. It is commonly used in construction, bridges, ships, vehicles and other fields.
1018 steel: 1018 steel is a high-quality low-carbon steel with high strength and hardness while maintaining good processability. It is often used to manufacture mechanical parts and bearings.
1020 Steel: 1020 steel is a low-carbon steel similar to 1018 steel, but has a slightly higher carbon content and therefore has higher strength and hardness, making it suitable for applications requiring higher mechanical properties.
Conclusion
To sum up, carbon steel, as an important metal material, has a wide range of applications in the industrial field. Among them, low carbon steel has become the most common type of carbon steel due to its excellent performance and wide range of applications. Through the introduction of the basic concepts, classifications and common types of carbon steel, I believe readers will have a deeper understanding of carbon steel. In practical applications, selecting the appropriate type of carbon steel is of great significance to ensure product quality and improve production efficiency.
Thank you for reading our article and we hope it can help you to have a better understanding of the most common type of carbon steel. If you are looking for carbon steel suppliers and manufacturers online now, we would advise you to visit Huaxia Steel.
As a leading supplier of carbon steel from Shanghai China, Huaxia Steel offers customers high-quality carbon steel, tool steel, and alloy steel at a very competitive price.
