What Is Steel and Why Is It Important?

Understanding What Is Steel and Why It Is Important

With all the several metals available on the world, steel is perhaps the most popular and widely used type for centuries now. Steel is an essential material used for construction, vehicle and machinery production, for creating tools, appliances, etc. It is available and can be purchased almost anywhere in the world. For example; if you’re in Salt Lake Utah, Wasatch Steel is one of the largest steel supermarkets in the area.

What is steel?

Steel is the hardest type of metal that is produced out of iron. It is often confused with iron itself, but they are slightly different. Iron is the main material or mineral while steel is the by-product of it. Steel is an alloy or a mixture of metal derived by combining pure iron, carbon, and at times, certain types of minerals like manganese, tungsten, chromium, and vanadium. The kind of mineral that shall be added depends on the type of steel the manufacturer wants to produce. The most common type of steel you see in the market for construction and building several crafts is made out of iron and carbon.

The process in making steel starts from the purification of the iron ore that is mined from the earth. If you had the chance to take a look at the earliest metal or iron tools made by humans, they are rough or coarse, heavy, not that hard as the ones today, and are more susceptible to rusting. This is because the iron mined itself is not that pure. There are impurities like extra minerals plus dirt that is combined with them. To remove such impurities and finally create steel, iron is heated and melted. Pure oxygen is blown through this molten iron to remove and oxidize such impurities. The molten iron is combined with minimal amount or percentage of carbon to eventually solidify and harden the steel.

While it is in its molten state, the manufacturer can transform it into several types and kinds of steel products, usually dependent on the demands of customers and retailers like Wasatch Steel.

Why steel is important?

The importance of steel can be a bit obvious to everyone. Perhaps, the best way to describe this importance is to cite some of the uses or functions of this metal.

-          It is used for building and construction. The most evident use of steel would be in the field of architecture and construction. All buildings including our homes have steel frameworks that make them sturdy and strong. Without steel, we are only limited to the rock, clay, or wood-type architecture.

-          It is used to make vehicles. All vehicles used today have a certain percentage of steel used in them. Without steel, vehicles can be very fragile and will eventually risk the safety of passengers if they are to be solely crafted from plastic or any other light materials. Not to mention the fact that the engines themselves are made out of tough steel.

-          Used in making everyday items. If you would ask Wasatch Steel, steel has its contribution to majority of the items we regularly use at home, at work, or anywhere else. From the smallest to the largest household appliances, kitchen tools, accessories and aids, etc.

You can learn more about the uses including the different types of steels available from Wasatch Steel by visiting their shop at this link http://wasatchsteel.com.