Steel is a versatile metal that can be utilized for a variety of purposes. Steel is used in more than 55% of cars. Its flexibility is determined by the kind of alloy elements used to make it since these factors affect the overall strength endurance, durability, and performance. For instance, the way that manufacturers cool the metal can have a significant impact on its microstructure, and consequently its overall properties. It is also possible to manipulate it to obtain specific characteristics such as yield strength, machinability and resistance to corrosion.
Steel is iron which has had other elements added to it in order to enhance its physical properties and make it suitable for specific uses. The proportions of the other alloying elements determines which class of steel a steel belongs to and its overall performance for various applications.
For instance stainless steel is composed of a minimum of 11% chromium. This makes it resistant to corrosion. This makes it perfect for a variety of applications like cutting boards and kitchen utensils. Tool steel is a favorite due to its high hardness and resistance to abrasion. It is also used to machine dies and hand tools. Furthermore, the high ductility and weldability of carbon steels make them suitable for a range of applications. Electrical steel is on the other hand, is an example of a highly specialized type of steel that is composed of silicon (typically 3%). This improves its magnetic properties and decreases the loss of eddy current, making it ideal for transformer cores as well as electric motor laminations.