Low carbon steel contains less than 0,3% carbon; therefore, it has a good plasticity, great malleability and expedited transformation as well. Its composition include iron and in addition to that it contains traces of elements such as manganese, phosphorus, sulfur and silicon. ASTM A36, SAE/AISI 1008, and ASTM A572 are the most widely recognized classes of steel. These grades can be found in different stress resistance, malleability, and weldability, which are suitable for varios industrial uses such as construction or auto manufacturing. charts, pdf and tables have more in-depth details of mechanical properties like allowable strain or resistance to tensile strain, thereby engineers and manufacturing agents could select more suitable material. Besides, there are detailed standards such as ASTM and material datasheets which contain requirements and quality assurance methods, so low carbon steel production remains controlled and stable.
Mild steel, more importantly known as low carbon steel, is an alloy of iron and carbon where the numbers of carbon atoms are between 0.05 and 0.25. While cobalt, nickel, copper, chromium, and iron make up the bulk, they rarely exceed 1% of the total number of other trace elements like manganese, phosphorus, sulphur, and silicon. What particular chemical make up varies depends on the kind of grade, as well as the way of manufacturing goods. Low-carbon steel is appreciated for the versatility, cost-effectiveness, and fast workability, the reason why it is basically employed in many different fields such as automotive manufacturing, construction, and machinery manufacturing.
GRADE | CARBON MAX | MANGANESE | PHOSPHORUS MAX | SULFUR MAX | SILICON |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A36 UP TO 3/4” THICK | 0.25% | N/A | 0.030% | 0.030% | 0.40% MAX |
A36 >3/4 – 1 ½” THICK | 0.25% | 0.80-1.20% | 0.030% | 0.030% | 0.40% MAX |
A36 > 1 ½ - 2 ½” THICK | 0.26% | 0.80-1.20% | 0.030% | 0.030% | 0.15-0.40% |
A36 >2 ½ - 4” THICK | 0.27% | 0.85-1.20% | 0.030% | 0.030% | 0.15-0.40% |
A36 >4” THICK | 0.29% | 0.85-1.20% | 0.030% | 0.030% | 0.15-0.40% |
A572 GRADE 42 | 0.21% | 1.35% | 0.030% | 0.030% | 0.15-0.40% |
A572 GRADE 50 | 0.23% | 1.35% | 0.030% | 0.030% | 0.15-0.40% |
A830 GRADE 1020 | 0.18-0.23% | 0.30-0.60% | 0.030% | 0.030% | - |
Type | AISI/ASTM name | Carbon content (wt.%) | Tensile strength (MPa) | Yield strength (MPa) | Ductility (% elongation in 50 mm) | Applications |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low | 1010 | 0.10 | 325 | 180 | 28 | Automobile panels, nails, wire |
Low | 1020 | 0.20 | 380 | 205 | 25 | Pipes, structural steel, sheet steel |
Low | A36 | 0.29 | 400 | 220 | 23 | Structural |
Low | A516 Grade 70 | 0.31 | 485 | 260 | 21 | Low-temperature pressure vessels |
Medium | 1030 | 0.27 – 0.34 | 460 | 325 | 12 | Machinery parts, gears, shifts, axles, bolts |
Medium | 1040 | 0.37 – 0.44 | 620 | 415 | 25 | Crankshafts, couplings, cold headed parts. |
High | 1080 | 0.75 – 0.88 | 924 | 440 | 12 | Music wire |
High | 1095 | 0.90 – 1.04 | 665 | 380 | 10 | Springs, cutting tools |
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