Steel grades

Non-alloy structural steel is a type of carbon steel that is characterized by a simple chemical composition and a carbon content that usually ranges from 0.2% to 0.6%. Due to this amount of carbon, this steel has good mechanical properties and high plasticity, which makes it an ideal material for structural applications. It is easy to process, well weldable, and resistant to stress, which makes it widely used in construction, machine manufacturing, and other engineering elements. Depending on the strength class, non-alloy structural steel can be used for both light and heavy structures. The lower content of alloying elements makes this steel affordable, making it an economical choice for many industries.

Typical grades of structural steel are S235JR, S355J2, S355J2+N.

Non-alloyed machine steel is a type of carbon steel that is mainly used for the production of machine and device elements, where appropriate mechanical properties and load resistance are important. The carbon content in this steel is usually from 0.2% to 0.5%, which allows for obtaining good strength and at the same time appropriate plasticity. This steel is easy to machine and is well suited for welding. Due to its mechanical properties, unalloyed machine steel is widely used in the automotive and agricultural industries, as well as in the production of various tools and structural parts, such as shafts, gears, axles and load-bearing elements.

Free-cutting steels are specifically designed for machining, offering excellent machinability and dimensional stability. They contain additives such as sulfur and phosphorus that improve their machinability. Typical properties include:

• Excellent machinability
• Dimensional stability during machining

Applications include:

• Manufacture of screws, nuts and other fasteners
• Automotive parts
• Precision components in medical and electrical devices

Steels for heat treatment are subjected to hardening and tempering processes, which increase their strength and hardness. These properties are achieved by precisely controlling the thermal processes. These grades are characterized by:

• High tensile strength
• Increased hardness
• Wear resistance

Applications include:

• Shaft production
• Mechanical parts exposed to high loads
• Industrial tools

Carburizing steels are used for parts that require a hard surface and a soft core. The carburizing process involves saturating the surface of the steel with carbon, which hardens the surface. Typical properties include:

• A hard, wear-resistant surface
• A soft, ductile core

Applications include:

• Gears
• Shafts and axles
• Components subject to high abrasion

Unalloyed steel for pressure equipment is a specialized type of carbon steel, mainly used in the production of pressure vessels, boilers, high-pressure equipment and pressure pipes. These steels are designed to provide resistance to high pressures and temperatures, while maintaining good ductility and stress resistance. This makes them suitable for applications requiring high reliability and resistance to temperature and pressure changes.

Steels widely used in construction due to their universal mechanical properties and favorable strength-to-cost ratio. This is a steel with a low alloy content, which makes it easy to process and weld, while providing sufficient strength and resistance to mechanical damage. Non-alloy construction steel is used in many structural elements, such as beams, columns, plates and bars, providing solid support for a variety of building projects.

A high-quality steel designed for cold forming processes. It has excellent formability and strength, making it ideal for applications requiring precision shaping, bending, and durability. This steel is widely used in a variety of industries, including automotive, construction, and manufacturing, offering improved weldability and resistance to deformation. Its unique properties make it suitable for the production of complex components while maintaining structural integrity and strength even under heavy loads and stress.

Spring steel is an alloy steel designed for components that should have very good elastic properties, in particular springs, springs and torsion shafts, spring washers, but also other vehicle suspension components, clock components, industrial machines, medical equipment, etc.

The mechanical properties of these steels should include:

• high elastic limit Rsp
• high tensile strength Rm
• high ratio of elastic limit Rsp to plastic limit Rp
• high fatigue strength
• good plasticity.

Nitriding steels are characterized by their ability to form hard surface layers after the nitriding process. Nitriding involves the diffusion of nitrogen into the steel surface, which increases its hardness and fatigue resistance. Typical properties include:

• Very hard surface
• High fatigue resistance

Applications include:

• Precision tools
• Engine parts
• Components with high fatigue resistance

Carburizing steels are used for parts that require a hard surface and a soft core. The carburizing process involves saturating the surface of the steel with carbon, which hardens the surface. Typical properties include:

• A hard, wear-resistant surface
• A soft, ductile core

Applications include:

• Gears
• Shafts and axles
• Components subject to high abrasion

Steels for heat treatment are subjected to hardening and tempering processes, which increase their strength and hardness. These properties are achieved by precisely controlling the thermal processes. These grades are characterized by:

• High tensile strength
• Increased hardness
• Wear resistance

Applications include:

• Shaft production
• Mechanical parts exposed to high loads
• Industrial tools