Steel is an irreplaceable material

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Modern technical civilization is hard to imagine without steel. Various brands of this material are used almost everywhere. Both ordinary household items and complex devices are made from it. But ideally, steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, however, like cast iron. And they are distinguished only by the percentage of C2. That is, if the alloy contains less than 2.14% carbon, then it is steel, and if more, then it is cast iron. But in fact, every steel contains various impurities, such as silicon, phosphorus, sulfur and manganese. And metallurgists, adding to it such elements as chromium, magnesium, molybdenum, nickel, tungsten and vanadium, changing the percentage of alloying elements and carbon, produce various grades of this alloy, which differ significantly in their qualities.

In this regard, they are alloyed and carbon. And the quality of carbon steel (consisting only of iron and carbon) depends on the amount of C2 in it. That is, if such an alloy contains up to 0.3% carbon, then it is called soft or technical iron. And in solid steel, the percentage of this element is in the range of 0.3-2.14%. Buteach of the grades of this alloy has its own purpose. So, for example, technical iron has high plasticity, is not hardened, is easily forged, welded and rolled both in cold and hot condition. Therefore, mild steel is a relatively cheap material for various non-load-bearing parts.

Hard grades of this alloy are already used for other purposes. So, for example, many people who are versed in technology know what GOST steel 45 is. That is, this alloy contains 0.45% carbon. This steel can already be fired, improved and cut. After improvement, such parts as connecting rods, crankshafts, flywheels, gear rims, axles, bolts and other similar parts are made from it. It also has the ability to be surface hardened with HDTV. And this makes it possible to make gears, long and running shafts from it, that is, parts that must have high surface hardness and increased wear resistance with low deformation.

Alloyed chromium steel is widely used in mechanical engineering. This is already a material for the manufacture of high-strength parts that operate under light loads. Such an alloy is difficult to weld, it requires heating and subsequent heat treatment. So, for example, shafts, axles, rods, plungers, gear shafts, spindles and rings are made from 40X steel. It is suitable for making camshafts, crankshafts, racks, mandrels, bushings, ring gears and other precision parts.

Alsocorrosion-resistant or stainless steel is widely used. These are such brands as 40 X 13, 30 X 13, 12 X 13 and several others. These alloys are the material for the manufacture of measuring and cutting tools, household items, carburetor needles, springs and other similar parts that operate in corrosive environments and at temperatures up to 450 degrees. And such steel as ШХ15 is called ball-bearing. And plungers, plunger bushings, discharge valve seats and valves themselves, pusher rollers, sprayer bodies and other parts are made from it, which must have high hardness, contact strength and wear resistance. In general, if desired, the steel grade can be selected for any purpose.