Steel is a very useful material that is utilized in a multitude of applications. In fact, it’s estimated that more than 55 percent of the average car is made of steel. The kind of alloys used in its production determines its flexibility, as they impact the material’s strength, durability and performance. For instance, the manner that the metal is cooled by manufacturers can have a significant impact on the microstructure of the metal and its overall properties. It is also possible to manipulate it to achieve specific characteristics like yield strength, machinability and resistance to corrosion.
In its most basic form it is iron that has been alloyed with various elements to enhance its physical properties and make it suitable for specific applications. The proportions of the additional alloying elements determines the category of steel a steel belongs to and the overall performance for different applications.
For instance, stainless is made up of a minimum of 11 percent chromium. This makes it resistant against corrosion. This makes it perfect for a variety of purposes like kitchen utensils or cutlery. Tool steel, for instance is characterized by an extremely high strength and abrasion resistance that makes it a preferred material for hand tools and machine dies. Carbon steels also lend themselves to a wide range of applications due to their high ductility. Electrical steel is, however is one of the most specialized grades of steel that has silicon (typically 3%). This improves its magnetic properties, and reduces eddy-current losses. This makes what type of steel materials are used in the construction it ideal for transformer cores and laminations of electric motors.