The first step towards the manufacture of steel based items is to learn on the different types of steel available. The main difference between the types of steel is usually the component added. Apart from the common components of steel which are iron, carbon and other impurities, there are other substances that are usually added top enhance some of the physical properties of the steel. Apart from galvanized steel that is usually produced by coating the steel with zinc, there are other types of steel that one should be aware of.
Knowing the different types of steel available makes it much easier to describe exactly what a person wants when contacting stainless steel ring companies. It is however important to note that the different types of steel are produced so as to match different field applications. Some of the most common types of steel include;
• Tool steels- some of the additional components added to this type of steel are tungsten, cobalt, molybdenum and vanadium. The main reason to the addition of these substances is to change the durability level and heat resistance properties. This is why this type of steel is ideal for the manufacture of cutting equipment thus the name. • Stainless steel- most people have come across this name if not this type of steel. Chromium is the main component added to the steel so as to produce this type of steel. The main reason for the addition of this component is so as to manufacture items that have high corrosion resistance. This is why this type of steel is highly used in the manufacture of kitchen utensils. This type of steel can be further categorized into three other types of steel with different magnetism and heat properties. Austenitic steel usually contain the largest percentage of chromium among the three and it is non-magnetic. Ferrite steel are magnetic and cannot be heat hardened but are easily strengthened through cold methods. Martens tic steel have both heat and magnetic properties. • Carbon steels- this is the most common form of steel in the world today. The carbon content in the steel is what determines the name or categorization of the steel. However there are three major categorizations of carbon steels namely; low, medium and high carbon steels. • Alloy steels- these are the most complex types of steels since they contain different components. This allows it to be produced to have different properties that allow it to be used in different applications. It can also be used in lintel steel. It is however common in the production of pipeline items, automotive parts and electric motors among other uses.
This categorization of steel is solely based on the components of the steel, but steel can also be categorized in accordance to the shape and use. The two common categorizations by shape are long products and flat products. The major application of the long products is in the locomotive industry while the latter is mostly used in manufacture of appliances and construction of stainless steel hooks. These are some of the major categorizations of steel that a buyer should be aware of before performing any purchases.