How Carbon Steel is Classified Based on Carbon Content

One type of metal that is widely used in many different industries is carbon steel, which is strong and durable. An essential component to understand about carbon steel is how much carbon is present. This enables us to understand about the types of carbon steel and what are the different jobs we can use them for.

What is Carbon Steel and Why is it useful?

At its heart, carbon steel is a combination of iron and carbon (as its name suggests). Most steel also contains a lot of carbon, which makes it strong and durable. It also helps to identify the classification of carbon steel and also its utility in different industries by knowing the percentage of carbon present in it.

How Strength And Durability Are Affected By Carbon Content

The strength and durability of carbon steels are based on the carbon content in the alloy. Metal with a greater carbon content is stronger and more durable, but can also shatter more readily. Steel with lower amounts of carbon is less strong but is easier to bend and shape. Since carbon steel pipe is categorized according to the carbon amount it includes, we can select an appropriate form of steel for additional tasks.

How Carbon Content Affects Welding and Machining

Carbon content also influences the ability to weld and machine the steel. More carbon in steel makes it difficult to weld and machine, since it can break easily. But steel with low carbon is easier to work with because of its flexibility. Get to learn about carbon steel plate to select the type of steel for welding and machining processes.

The way in which carbon steel is classified

Depending on the carbon content, carbon steel is divided into a number of different classifications. These are broadly divided into three categories low carbon steel, medium carbon steel, and high carbon steel. Low carbon steel contains up to 0.3% carbon and is suitable for applications requiring easy shaping and welding. Medium carbon steel contains 0.3% to 0.6% carbon and is used in jobs that require greater strength. High carbon steel is a type of carbon steel sheet that has carbon content greater than 0.6% and is often used for applications requiring high hardness and wear resistance.

Benefits & Applications of Various Categories of Carbon Steel

Carbon steel types have a number of advantages and applications in different industries. Low carbon steel is commonly produced in making cars, buildings, kitchen utensils, etc. Gears, axles, and shafts are made of medium carbon steel. High carbon steel is utilized to manufacture cutting tool, spring and heavy wires. Having the knowledge about the characteristics of various kinds of carbon steel, we can select the most suitable steel for our task.