Steel is an alloy made by combining iron and another element, usually carbon. When carbon is used, its content in the steel is between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Other alloying elements sometimes used are manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten. Carbon and other elements act as a hardening agent, preventing dislocations in the iron atom crystal lattice from sliding past one another. Varying the amount of alloying elements and the form of their presence in the steel (solute elements, precipitated phase) controls qualities such as the hardness, ductility, and tensile strength of the resulting steel. Steel with increased carbon content can be made harder and stronger than iron, but such steel is also less ductile than iron.

Alloys with a higher than 2.1% carbon content are known as cast iron because of their lower melting point and good castability. Steel is also distinguishable from wrought iron, which can contain a small amount of carbon, but it is included in the form of slag inclusions. Two distinguishing factors are steel's increased rust resistance and better weldability.

Though steel had been produced by various inefficient methods long before the Renaissance, its use became more common after more efficient production methods were devised in the 17th century. With the invention of the Bessemer process in the mid-19th century, steel became an inexpensive mass-produced material. Further refinements in the process, such as basic oxygen steelmaking (BOS), lowered the cost of production while increasing the quality of the metal. Today, steel is one of the most common materials in the world, with more than 1.3 billion tons produced annually. It is a major component in buildings, infrastructure, tools, ships, automobiles, machines, appliances, and weapons. Modern steel is generally identified by various grades defined by assorted standards organizations.

Noun

steel m. (plural stelen, diminutive steeltje)

1. stem (of a plant)
2. handle (of a broom, a pan)

Synonyms

• (stem): stengel

Grade a Steel @ GradeASteel.com
An informational site about Grade a Steel. ... ASTM A570 Steel, grade 45 - Online Materials Information Resource ... ASTM A570 Steel, grade 45 ...
www.gradeasteel.com

---

Steel Grade (Steel Grades, Grades, Crni, Original) @ GradeASteel.com
Business: Materials: Metals: Distributors Jan 2, 2007 ... ... Damascus Steel; Grade a Steel; Sae Steel Grade s; Steel; Steel Casing Pipe ... "Grade A Steel" [
www.gradeasteel.com/steel_grade

---

Steel Grade Web (Stainless Steel Grade, Steel Grades, Crni ...
Steel Grades :: KEY to METALS Classification of steel grades has ... An informational site about Grade a Steel ... www.reference.com/motif/Business/steel-grade-chart
www.gradeasteel.com/steel_grade/web.htm

---

Grade Stainless Steel (Filter Grade Stainless Steel Wire ...
The primary materials used in the clock are marine grade 316 stainless steel ... Grade a Steel Definition. Includes Grade of Steel, Metal ... Business: Business Services ...
www.gradeasteel.com/grade_stainless_steel

	New Location:
city:
state/region:
country:

• Forgings (8)
• Heads (3)
• Pipe and Tube (33)
• Plate, Sheet, Strip (85)
• Wire, Rod, and Bar (14)

---

• Import and Export (3)
• Tools and Equipment (1)

• AK Steel Holding Corporation
  aksteel.com
  Produces high strength, low carbon flat-rolled steel and aluminum coated stainless steel for the automotive, appliance, construction and manufacturing markets. Profiles the company, its facilities, operations, and products; employment opportunities and investor information.
• LakeView Metals,Inc.
  lvmetals.com
  JIT provider of prime, certified, cold-rolled , hot-rolled and electrical steels.
• Sandvik Steel
  steel.sandvik.com
  Producers of tube, strip, wire and bar products made of stainless steels and of special alloys. Includes a technical data section.