The Basics on Steel Grades

The term “steel” is used to describe a very wide variety of products—the World Steel Association identified that there are actually 3,500 different steel grades that you can select from when using this kind of metal. Steel grades are assigned based on the different properties of steel, including chemical, environmental, and physical properties.

The most basic form of steel is a combination of iron and carbon, then from there the different levels of carbon and other impurities or additives determine its grade. Steel can be broadly categorized into four groups:

• Carbon steel
• Alloy steel
• Stainless steel
• Tool steel

Here’s a brief overview of steel categories and grades to help you sort through the information next time you plan to buy some from Wasatch Steel.

Carbon Steel
This is the most popular type of steel used, and accounts for about 9 out of 10 tons of steel produced worldwide at steel mills and sold in places like the steel supermarket at Wasatch Steel. It ranges from containing about 0.3 percent carbon to over 0.6 percent, and contains only trace amounts of alloying elements.

Alloy Steels
These types of steel contain some additional elements, the most popular being:

• Manganese
• Silicon
• Nickel
• Titanium
• Copper
• Chromium
• Aluminum

By adding these different elements you can change the property of the steel to make it harder, more corrosion-resistant, stronger, more malleable and formable, more weldable, and more ductile. Alloy steels are commonly used for things like building pipelines, parts for automobiles, and power generators.

Stainless Steel
This is a commonly known type of steel because it is used in many consumer products, such as small appliances. It has chromium added to make it better able to resist corrosion—the amount of chromium is between 10 and 20 percent, and determines its corrosive resistance levels. For example, steel with about 10-11 percent chromium is 200 times more resistant to corrosion than regular steel. The most commonly used stainless steels worldwide are Austensic, meaning they are non-magnetic and cannot be treated with heat. Other stainless steel alloys include Ferritic (which include nickel and molybdenum, aluminum, or titanium) and Martensitic (which include a small amount of nickel).

Tool Steel
This type of steel includes tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium and cobalt in different quantities that help the steel become more durable and better equipped for cutting, drilling, hammering, and more. They are very resistant to heat and extremely durable, which is why they make such a great material for tools. You can find a wide variety of tool steels at Wasatch Steel.

Steel is further divided into categories based on its shapes, including tubular shapes (rectangles, circles, squares, rods, and rails), flat products (coils, sheets, and strips), and miscellaneous products (piping materials, fittings, flanges, etc.).

Beyond these broad classifications, steel is further divided into smaller categories depending on its specific properties and what is added. When you have questions about the type of steel you might need, or you’re not sure what might work best for your next project, talk to the experts at Wasatch Steel to get some guidance and assistance.