Steels can be categorized using various systems based on the following factors:
- Composition: This includes considerations like carbon content, whether it’s low-alloy or stainless steel.
- Manufacturing Methods: These encompass the processes employed during production, such as open hearth, basic oxygen, or electric furnace methods.
- Finishing Methods: This pertains to the final treatments, such as hot rolling or cold rolling.
- Product Form: It relates to the shape and format of the steel, which can include bar, plate, sheet, strip, tubing, or structural shapes.
- Deoxidation Practice: This involves how the steel is deoxidized and may include methods like killed, semi-killed, capped, or rimmed steel.
- Microstructure: This considers the internal structure of the steel, categorizing it as ferritic, pearlitic, martensitic, etc.
- Required Strength Level: As specified in ASTM standards, this determines the steel’s strength characteristics.
- Heat Treatment: This encompasses processes like annealing, quenching and tempering, and thermomechanical processing that can alter the steel’s properties.
- Quality Descriptors: These provide information about the quality of the steel, including categories like forging quality and commercial quality.