Applications & Features of Low Carbon Mild Steel Alloy!

Mild steel is one of the most important items used in a vast number of applications. Though it is an alloy, it contains very less quantities of other elements besides iron. This bestows on it properties and features that are different from other varieties of steel.

The carbon content in this low alloy steel ranges from 0.05%-0.3%. The other major content is manganese which is used to offset impurities like sulphur as well as silicon and phosphorous traces that arise from the manufacturing process. Elements such as molybdenum, copper, chromium are present in low concentrations.

The mode of manufacture is quite similar to the one used for other varieties of carbon steel. It involves melting together coal and iron in a blast furnace and then solidifying the combination into a shape resembling a rectangle. The mild steel is then drawn into the required size through cold or hot rolling. It can be got in cold and hot rolled grades called as 'bright' and 'black' respectively. Many forms of mild steel are available in the market such as , , and varied sections of tube. Standards with regard to its dimensional accuracy, chemical composition and surface finish will vary depending upon their end use. Some of its typical features include high degree of weldability, good ductility, no hardenability, low tensile strength and low hardness.

Though mild steel cannot be easily hardened it possess sufficient strength for it to be used in a wide range of applications. Moreover the low carbon content makes it neither too ductile nor too brittle offering the possibility of production of an innumerable array of end-products. A lot of this metal goes into the production of machine parts. Mild steel is a good conductor of electricity and hence it is used in the process of welding. For example, cast steel parts which are better suited to welding. It can be conveniently machined in shaper, lathe or milling machine. The use of this metal saves on a lot of time that would otherwise have gone towards forging, machining or heat treatment as this needs very less time for final shaping after it is cooled.

Due to its malleability feature it is highly used in the construction of pipelines and other construction projects. Once it is galvanized, it becomes a preferred metal in this application as it complies with stringent wind or seismic requirements and cannot be affected by insects or rot.

Domestic cook-ware is also largely made of mild steel. Most of the restaurant chefs prefer to use this metal in their cook-ware due to its greater temperature limit, ability to remain sharper and act as a non-stick item after being seasoned.

Electrical devices use mild steel due to its ferromagnetic properties. Automobile manufacturers prefer mild steel in the manufacture of the vehicle's body and its several parts. However, since it is highly prone to rusting it is not suitable for products which need to be rust-free. In case of , the corrosion activity is reduced due to the TMT process that is involved in their manufacture.

All in all, mild steel is a very versatile item just like any other steel form!