Forged Carbon, Alloy & Tool Steel Advantages

Low Carbon Steel

Low carbon steel has 0.05% to 0.25% carbon which allows the material to be ductile. Low carbon steel is a low-cost option for applications where high strength is not a consideration.

Medium Carbon Steel

Medium carbon steel has 0.29% to 0.54% carbon which contains a higher amount of manganese and allows the material to be quenched and tempered after forging.  These forgings offer higher strength and toughness than low carbon steels, yet avoid the higher costs associated with the highly alloyed stainless steels.

High and Very High Carbon Steel

High and very high carbon steel has 0.55% to 2.1% carbon which allows the material to achieve high hardness and resilience.

Carbon steel hardened by heat treatment has increased strength and toughness. Tool steels, containing higher amounts of carbon, are normally forged for the purpose of creating tools that can resist abrasion, fatigue and wear.

Benefits Of Forged Carbon, Alloy & Tool Steel

Benefits of Carbon Steel:

• Strength and Durability: Carbon steel offers excellent tensile strength and hardness, making it suitable for structural components and machinery parts that require high strength and resistance to wear.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Carbon steel is comparatively less expensive than other steel types, making it an economical choice for various applications. 
• Machinability: Carbon steel is easy to machine and fabricate, allowing for efficient production of components with intricate shapes.

Benefits of Alloy Steel:

• Enhanced Strength and Toughness: Alloying elements improve the strength, hardness, and toughness of steel, enabling its use in demanding applications that require resistance to high-temperature environments, pressure, and mechanical stress.
• Corrosion Resistance: Certain alloy steels exhibit improved corrosion resistance, making them suitable for applications in aggressive environments.
• Wear Resistance: Alloy steels can possess excellent wear resistance, ensuring their longevity and suitability for applications involving friction and abrasive forces.

Benefits of Tool Steel:

• High Hardness and Wear Resistance: Tool steel possesses excellent hardness, allowing it to withstand high cutting forces and resist wear during machining processes.
• Toughness and Shock Resistance: Tool steel exhibits high toughness, enabling it to absorb shock and resist deformation, making it suitable for applications involving high impact and repetitive stresses.
• Heat Resistance: Tool steel retains its hardness and toughness even at high temperatures, allowing it to withstand the thermal stresses associated with high-speed machining and heat treatment processes.

Carbon, Alloy & Tool Steel Applications

Carbon Steel:

• Construction: Carbon steel is widely used in construction for structural frameworks, bridges, and reinforcement bars due to its high strength and durability.
• Automotive: Carbon steel is employed in automobile frames, chassis components, and suspension systems due to its strength, impact resistance, and affordability.
• Infrastructure: Carbon steel is utilized in pipelines, tanks, and machinery for various industrial applications, including oil and gas, water treatment, and manufacturing.

Alloy Steel

• Aerospace and Defense: Alloy steel is used in aircraft components, landing gear, and structural parts due to its high strength, fatigue resistance, and temperature stability.
• Oil and Gas: Alloy steel finds application in oil and gas exploration, drilling, and production equipment due to its resistance to corrosion, high pressure, and harsh operating conditions.
• Automotive and Transportation: Alloy steel is employed in engine components, gears, axles, and suspension systems in the automotive and transportation industries due to its strength, durability, and heat resistance.

Tool Steel

• Manufacturing: Tool steel is used in the manufacturing industry for the production of cutting tools, dies, molds, and machine components that require high hardness and wear resistance.
• Automotive: Tool steel finds application in the automotive industry for the production of forging dies, punches, and cutting tools used in metal forming and machining processes.
• Plastics and Injection Molding: Tool steel is utilized in the plastics industry for the production of molds and dies used in injection molding, extrusion, and blow molding processes.