Steel is the backbone for heavy equipment, household items and tools. It plays a crucial role in the manufacturing and construction. However not all steels are created equal; the kind of steel you pick for a project can significantly impact its strength and durability.

The amount of impurities or additions determines the classification. This is what makes each type distinctive for specific uses.

Low-carbon steels, which are available in various forms, are the most used steels by metal fabricators. They can be found in pipes, beams, and other structural elements. They’re also great for welding fabrications due to their ability to be easily shaped and formed without compromising strength or quality.

The medium-carbon steels are renowned for their toughness and have an average carbon content of less than 1.75%. They’re the most popular choice for cookware, knife blades and other tools that last. They are also employed to create parts for cars and other mechanical equipment.

High-carbon steels have websites more than 1.7 percent carbon and are often used for parts for machines that require extreme strength and resistance to corrosion. These include anchor bolts, rods, and tools.

Alloy steels possess a broad variety of properties that can be altered to suit the needs of the specific application. For instance, tungsten can increase the strength at high temperatures and wear resistance of high-strength steels. Chromium increases the resistance to heat of stainless steels, and increases their ductility. Molybdenum on the other hand, increases the toughness and hardness of alloy steels.