Your Metal Fabrication Specialists
96 US Highway 17 92 N
Haines City,FL 33844
Haines City,Fl 33844
Office-863.422.1244
Fax-863.422.7036
CARBON
Carbon Steel also known as black metal, dirty steel, or just plain carbon steel is steel where the main alloying constituent is carbon.
The term "carbon steel" may also be used in reference to steel which is not stainless steel; in this use carbon steel may include alloy steels.
Steel with a low carbon content has properties similar to iron. As the carbon content rises, the metal becomes harder and stronger but less ductile and more difficult to weld. In general, higher carbon content lowers the melting point and its temperature resistance. Carbon content influences the yield strength of steel because carbon atoms fit into the interstitial crystal lattice sites of the body-centered cubic (BCC) arrangement of the iron atoms. The interstitial carbon reduces the mobility of dislocations, which in turn has a hardening effect on the iron. To get dislocations to move, a high enough stress level must be applied in order for the dislocations to "break away". This is because the interstitial carbon atoms cause some of the iron BCC lattice cells to distort.
85% of all steel used in the U.S. is carbon steel.
Generally Speaking there are 3 Classifications for "Carbon Steel".
Low Carbon:
When strength is not a major concern, low-carbon steels are good choices because they are easy to handle (draw, bend, punch, swage, etc.) and fairly inexpensive. Surface hardness can be improved by a process called carburizing which involves heating the alloys in a carbon-rich atmosphere. Low-carbon steels that are usually carburized are AISI 1015, 1018, 1020, and 1117.
Medium Carbon:
Medium-carbon steels (AISI 1029-1053, 1137-1151, and 1541-1552) can be heat treated to have a good balance of ductility and strength. These steels are typically used in large parts, forgings, and machined components.
Bolts, rods, crankshafts, and tubings in the automotive industry are generally made of AISI 1040 and its modifications. Axles, gears, and components that require higher hardness and wear resistance are frequently made of AISI 1050.
High Carbon:
High-carbon steels (AISI 1055-1095, 1137-1151, and 1561-1572) are extremely strong yet more brittle. They offer better responses to heat treatment and longer service life than medium-carbon steels.
High-carbon steels typically have high wear resistance due to their superior surface hardness.
What can i do with it you ask? Well carbon steel is used in many applications, high rise buildings, roller coasters, cars, duct work, platforms, trains, planes, cabinets, hinges, possibly the chair you are sitting in. So if there is anything you need fabricated from carbon steel, Contact us, we would be glad to help, because Walsdorf is Your Metal Fabrication Specialist.
