All about C345 steel

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

As it turned out, if you are faced with the need to quickly familiarize yourself with the main characteristics of a particular steel, in our vast and omniscient Internet there are only a couple of articles in which the information you need will be described in an easy-to-understand language, and not clippings from the relevant GOSTs and other documents, the language of which will be understood only by graduates of higher educational institutions. With this article, we will try to tip the scales towards simplicity and accessibility. It will focus on steel C345. We urge you to be careful. We are starting.

Destination

For a better understanding, it is first worth explaining what this steel grade is actually used for. In fact, everything is outrageously simple and clear. Steel C345 is construction steel, which the letter “C” helpfully reminds us of, structural. Additionally, this steel can be called carbon, which is partly true, and low-alloy, which is already somewhat controversial. However, this should be discussed later.

Where and why is C345 steel used? Based on the name, you can immediately understand that it is most often found at construction sites, and in large quantities. It acts as the main material for the manufacture of metal structures, both welded and prefabricated.

From the foregoing, it becomes clear in what form the steel enters the aforementioned construction site. According to GOST 27772-88, steel is produced in the form:

• equal and unequal corner;
• channels;
• I-beams;
• sheet metal.

Composition

Thanks to the same GOST, we can also find out the chemical composition of steel. The average content of alloying elements in the alloy is:

• carbon - 0.15%;
• silicon – 0.8%;
• manganese - 1.5%;
• nickel - 0.3%;
• chrome – 0.3%;
• copper – 0.3%;
• sulfur – 0.04%;
• phosphorus – 0.035%;
• nitrogen – 0.012%.

As you can see, the chemical composition of C345 steel is very diverse and includes 9 elements. Based on this, it can be assumed that this steel cannot be called low-alloyed. However, it is worth noting that the percentage of elements, with the possible exception of manganese and silicon, does not exceed half a percent. That is why you will be right if you call this grade low-alloy steel.

C345 steel: characteristics

The physical properties of steel directly depend on its chemical composition. And in the case of C345, the influenceimpurities on the steel structure is so small that there is no need to talk about any outstanding properties. A small amount of carbon makes steel relatively soft and ductile, and therefore less durable. The situation is slightly corrected by manganese and silicon, which have a positive effect on the strength and overall hardness of the alloy, without reducing impact strength and ductility. Impurities of nickel, chromium and copper as a whole slightly improve the resistance of steel to the external environment, which, however, does not prevent it from oxidizing in air with the formation of rust.

If we talk about C345 steel in general, then it is soft (on average only 22 units of the Rockwell scale), ductile, easily processed and just as easily weldable steel with a good structure. It is not prone to the formation of internal defects and a number of other undesirable moments.

Analogues

It's no secret that steel is needed everywhere. And for many countries, it is much cheaper to smelt steel at home than to import it from abroad. That is why today there are so many different grades of steel. However, there are also those whose composition does not differ much from each other or is completely identical. Steel grade C345 also has analogues. Here is a small list of them:

• United States – GR.50Type1-4.
• Europe – 1.0570.
• Japan – SM490.
• China – 16Mn.

This is the name given to steels similar to C345. Knowing them, you can easily find a product from the steel you need anywhere in the world, since the above brandspop up frequently around the globe.