From the food to aerospace industries, different types of steel are required. Therefore, steel is one of the basic materials that we need every day. Steel castings are the most common casting material in every foundry. This is because there is a high demand for steel castings in every industry in the world.
What are the different types of steel?
Steel is one of the most durable materials in the world and has a service life of up to 100 years in every construction project. Moreover, steel casting machinery is known for its long-lasting performance.
Some of the most common construction steels are beams, flanges, webs, angles, metal plates, channels, angles, etc. But cutting these materials requires unique steel products such as tool steel. This article provides detailed information about steel types and their applications.
1. Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is known for its strength and corrosion resistance. In addition, stainless steel is popular for its excellent aesthetics, easy cleaning, and recyclable properties. Depending on its material composition, stainless steel contains more than 10% chromium and small amounts of various other materials. The passivation layer or chromium oxide layer is a thin sealing layer that provides reliable corrosion resistance, which comes from the combination of oxygen and chromium. Some of the most common stainless steel grades are 304, 316, 430, 409 and 304L.
Applications: Automotive and transportation, medical technology, construction, food processing machinery and manufacturing.
2. Carbon steel
Typical carbon steel contains up to 2.1 wt.% carbon content. It is an iron-carbon alloy and usually contains manganese as well. Carbon steel is further divided into three types depending on the carbon content.
Mild steel: It is the most popular carbon steel and contains less than 0.25 wt.% carbon. Most industries use cold working to manufacture this product. The most common applications of mild steel are automotive body parts, structural beams, components, pipes, food cans, etc.
Medium carbon steel: This type of carbon steel contains 0.25 to 0.60 wt.% carbon content and 0.60 to 1.65 wt.% manganese content. Heat treatment is the main manufacturing process for medium carbon steel. The most common applications of medium carbon steel are railway lines, train wheels, crankshafts, gears, machine parts, etc.
High Carbon Steel: This type of carbon steel has a carbon content between 0.60 to 1.25 wt.% and a manganese content between 0.30 to 0.90 wt.%. High carbon steel is the hardest of the carbon steels in this group. The most common examples of high carbon steel are cutting tools, high-end springs, strong wires, and dies.

3. Alloy Steel
Alloy steels are known for their improved hardenability and strength. This type of steel contains a variety of elements such as aluminum, bismuth, boron, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, sulfur, etc. The content of these elements in alloy steels ranges from 1 wt.% to 50 wt.%. There are two types of alloy steels: low alloy steel and high alloy steel.
Applications: The most common examples of alloy steels are military equipment and vehicles, ships, pipelines, hydraulic equipment, structural components, etc. Some of the most common examples of high alloy steels are structural components, automotive parts and equipment, chemical processing equipment, and power plant equipment.
4. Mild Steel
MS or mild steel is one of the most popular steel grades used in construction applications. There are different grades of mild steel. Other elements can be added to improve corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and strength. The most common mild steel grades are EN 1.0301, EN 1.1121, and EN 1.0402.
Applications: Mild steel is standard for most construction applications. This steel is popular in construction to giant sea-going vessel manufacturing. Machinery, pipes, cutlery, cookware, and fencing are popular mild steel applications.
5. Tool Steel
Tool steels are generally known for tool manufacturing. Since these steels are hard, heat-resistant, and wear-resistant, they are ideal for use as tool elements. This steel is a high-quality carbon and alloy steel that is ideal for cutting and reaming different materials such as metal, wood, or plastic. Tool steels are usually furnace-melted and processed to get the required shapes for different tool components.
There are seven types of tool steels that are famous in the manufacturing industry. These steels include high speed steel, hot work steel, cold work steel, water hardening tool steel, impact resistant steel, low alloy special tool steel and low carbon die steel.
Applications: Different types of tools like forming, stamping and cutting are the most common applications of tool steel. Also, this steel is popular for extrusion of plastic parts, slitting of steel coils and casting dies.
6. Others
The above mentioned steel types are most common in construction and manufacturing applications. We have included all other popular steel grades as below.

• Tungsten Steel: Tungsten is the main alloying element in these steel casting types. These steel castings are widely used in manufacturing micro drills, cutting blades, rocket engine nozzles, etc.
• Nickel Steel: Steels containing 0.5 wt.% to 0.6 wt.% nickel alloying element are called nickel steels. This steel casting is famous for food contact materials, transportation, construction and water treatment processes.
• Manganese Steel: This steel casting has another name; Hadfield Steel or Manganese Alloy. In these steel grades, 12-14 wt.% manganese is contained which makes it strong and wear resistant. Tractor parts and equipment, rock crushers, cement mixes, and elevators are the best examples of manganese alloys.
• Vanadium Steels: Vanadium steels are popular for their excellent corrosion resistance. These steels contain just 1% vanadium which is enough to achieve high vibration resistance. Automobile springs are the best example of this type of steel.
• Chrome Steels: Chrome steels also have excellent wear and temperature resistance. Rock crushers and automobile parts are common examples of this type.
• Chrome Vanadium Steels: These types have high tensile strength and excellent ductility. Gears, automobile axles, and frames are common examples.
• Silicon Steels: These steels are famous for making permanent magnets. The composition contains nearly 1 to 2 weight % of silicone.
• Molybdenum Steels: Molybdenum is an excellent alloying agent that is used to make tough, weldable, and corrosion-resistant steels. Oil and gas pipelines and ball bearings are typical examples of this type.
• Cobalt Steels: Gas turbine blades and chambers are made of cobalt steels.
• Aluminum Steels: Automobile industry, food processing, packaging, etc. are typical applications of aluminum steels.

There are more than 1500 types of steel castings available in the world. Infrastructure requires materials with different kinds of physical and chemical properties. Each requirement requires a different type of steel, so there are many types of steel that are popular now. The following four tips are the main factors that determine the different types of steel castings.
a. Physical properties
The physical properties of steel castings are the primary consideration reflected by the steel grade parameters. The physical properties of steel castings are yield stress, tensile strength, and elongation of the final product. Different types of steel castings are created based on the different requirements of these properties.
b. Composition and chemical properties
The chemical composition of steel castings is also an important factor to consider when choosing the right steel grade. Different applications require steel castings with different chemical compositions. However, the selection of alloying agents is the main step in determining the final state of the steel. The percentage of these elements is crucial because it also determines the physical parameters of the steel, such as corrosion resistance, heat resistance, wear resistance, etc.
c. Manufacturing type
The manufacturing process also has a certain impact on the physical and chemical properties of steel castings. Hot forming and cold forming produce different product properties respectively. Hot forming enhances ductility and ductility, while cold forming produces brittleness. Therefore, the manufacturing type is also one of the primary factors that determine the grade of steel castings.
d. Application of steel castings
The last and most critical factor that determines the type of steel casting is its application. For example, food processing requires highly corrosion-resistant steel, while construction applications require high-strength steel castings.
Tenfaye has 18 years of experience in steel casting production, with advanced production equipment and a professional team of engineers. All steel castings can be customized according to the drawings provided by customers. Welcome new and regular customers to inquire. Email: mischa.wang@tenfaye.com