What Is Mild Steel & its Types

What Is Mild Steel?

Mild steel, also known as low carbon steel, is a type of carbon steel with low carbon content, typically less than 0.20% carbon by weight.

It is a versatile material that is widely used in various industries due to its good formability, weldability, and machinability.

Mild steel has a relatively low tensile strength compared to other types of steel, but it is relatively cheap and easy to shape, making it a common choice for construction and manufacturing applications where strength is not a primary concern.

Mild Steel Chemical Compositions

The chemical composition of mild steel can vary slightly depending on the specific grade and intended application, but in general, it is composed of the following elements:

• Iron (Fe): This is the main component of mild steel and typically makes up more than 98% of the total composition.
• Carbon (C): Mild steel typically contains less than 0.05-0.20% carbon by weight. The carbon content influences the strength and hardness of the steel.
• Manganese (Mn): Manganese is a strengthening element that is added in small amounts to improve the hardness and strength of the steel. It typically makes up between 0.6% and 1.2% of the total composition.
• Silicon (Si): Silicon is often present in small amounts in mild steel, typically in the range of 0.15% to 0.30% by weight. Silicon improves fluidity and works as oxidizer.
• Sulfur (S) and Phosphorus (P): These elements are usually present in trace amounts (less than 0.05%) and are added to improve the machinability of the steel.

It’s worth noting that there are many different grades of mild steel, each with a slightly different composition, depending on the intended application.

For example, mild steel used in the automotive industry may have a different composition compared to mild steel used in construction or manufacturing.

Mild Steel Material Grades Example

There are many different grades of mild steel, each with a slightly different chemical composition and set of properties.

Some examples of commonly used mild steel grades include:

1. SAE Mild Steel Grades: SAE 1018, SAE 1020 & SAE 1045.
2. ASTM Mild Steel Grades: A36, A53, A106, A142, A193, and A252.
3. EN Mild Steel Grades: S235JR, S275JR, and S355JR, EN24T, EN8.
4. ISO Mild Steel Grades: Gr. B, X42, and X52.

How is Mild Steel Made?

Mild steel is made through a process called steelmaking, which involves the production of iron from iron ore and the subsequent addition of carbon and other elements to form steel. The process of making mild steel can be broken down into the following steps:

1. Mining: Iron ore (e.g., Hematite (Fe2O3), Magnetite (Fe3O4), Limonite (Fe2O3.H2O), Siderite (FeCO3) etc.) is mined from the earth and transported to a processing plant.
2. Crushing and Grinding: The iron ore is crushed and ground into a fine powder.
3. Beneficiation: The iron ore is processed to remove impurities such as silica, alumina, and phosphorus.
4. Smelting: The iron ore is smelted in a blast furnace to produce pig iron, which contains high levels of carbon.
5. Steelmaking: The pig iron is processed in a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) or an electric arc furnace (EAF) to produce steel. In the BOF process, pig iron is combined with scrap steel and alloying elements, such as manganese, chromium, and nickel, to produce a molten steel mixture. In the EAF process, the steel is made from 100% scrap steel.
6. Refining: The steel is refined to remove impurities and to control the carbon content. The carbon content in mild steel typically ranges from 0.15% to 0.30% by weight.
7. Casting: The steel is poured into molds to form the desired shape.
8. Rolling: The steel is rolled into sheets or other forms, such as beams, pipes, and rods.
9. Heat Treatment: The steel may be heat treated to improve its mechanical properties, such as hardness, toughness, and strength.

This process is complex and requires precise control over a number of variables, such as the temperature, chemical composition, and processing conditions, to produce high-quality mild steel with the desired properties.

Mild Steel Properties

Physical Properties of Mild steel:

• Mild steel is a dense (7.86 gm/cm³), strong, and durable steel.
• It has a grayish-silver appearance.
• It is a good conductor of heat and electricity.

Chemical Properties:

• Mild steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, with a low carbon content (0.05-0.25%).
• It also contains small amounts of other elements, such as manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, and silicon.
• Mild steel is susceptible to rust and corrosion, although its resistance to corrosion can be improved through surface treatments such as painting or coating.

Mechanical Properties:

• Mild steel has good ductility and formability, which means it can be easily bent, shaped, and molded into various forms.
• It has good weldability, allowing it to be easily joined to other metal parts.
• Its strength-to-weight ratio is good, making it a popular choice for construction and manufacturing applications where weight is a concern.
• Mild steel has a tensile strength of around 300-500 N/mm², which is relatively low compared to other types of steel.

Common Applications of Mild Steel

Mild steel is a versatile material that is widely used in a variety of applications due to its combination of strength, ductility, and affordability.

Some common applications of mild steel include:

1. Construction: Mild steel is used in the construction of buildings, bridges, and other structures due to its strength and durability.
2. Automotive: Mild steel is used in the production of various components for the automotive industry, such as body panels, engine blocks, and suspension systems.
3. Manufacturing: Mild steel is used in the manufacture of a wide range of products, including pipes, wires, rods, and sheets.
4. Agriculture: Mild steel is used in the production of farming equipment, such as plows, harrows, and cultivators.
5. Mining: Mild steel is used in the construction of mining equipment, such as conveyor systems, crushers, and hoppers.
6. Electrical: Mild steel is used in the manufacture of electrical equipment, such as transformers, generators, and switchgear.
7. Consumer Goods: Mild steel is used in the production of various consumer goods, such as furniture, appliances, and tools.
8. Energy Generation: Mild steel is used in the construction of wind turbines, as well as in the production of boilers and pressure vessels for power plants.

Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Materials

Ferrous materials are metals that contain iron and are magnetic.

They are generally stronger and harder than non-ferrous materials and are used in construction and manufacturing applications.

Examples of ferrous materials include mild steel, cast iron, and stainless steel.

Read more: Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Metals Guide.

Non-ferrous materials are metals that do not contain iron and are not magnetic.

They are used for a variety of applications because of their unique properties, such as low weight, resistance to corrosion, and high conductivity.

Examples of non-ferrous materials include aluminum, copper, brass, and titanium.