Steel materials are used in many industries for different applications. Additionally, you will find that steel is also an ideal material for custom prototypes. This is possible through the use of metal fabrication techniques such as precision, CNC steel and metal machining.
In this steel guide, we explore the types and properties of steel materials for custom prototypes. We will also guide you through factors to consider when selecting appropriate steel materials for custom parts and common procedures for custom steel prototypes.
Types of Steel Materials Used for Custom Prototyping
In general, there are more than 3,500 different types of steel. This is because alloy steel components contain varying amounts of metals other than iron.
Modifying these additives changes the properties of the steel. This creates different types of steel with different physical properties. These variations go a long way in meeting the growing demands of the industry.
However, all types of steel can be divided into four broad categories: carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel and tool steel.
Check out the steel materials used for custom prototypes below:
1. Carbon steel
Carbon steel contains 0.05 to 2.1 percent carbon by weight. It also contains varying amounts of other alloying elements. You will find that carbon makes up about 90% of all steel production. The carbon content of this type of steel determines its properties, giving rise to the different types:
- Mild carbon steel
- Medium carbon steel
- Carbon steel
In short, steels with higher carbon content have lower melting points. As the carbon content increases, the steel becomes harder and stronger. However, regardless of heat treatment, they become less malleable and weldable.
Carbon steel is used in many applications, particularly in cutting tools such as chisels, knives and milling machines. This type of steel is the most suitable, as it gives the blade good edge retention.
2. Alloy steel
This type of steel contains iron with certain alloying elements in varying amounts. These include aluminum, silicon, chromium, manganese, titanium and copper. Other alloying elements include vanadium, nickel, silicon, molybdenum, etc.
Alloy steel is versatile and used for lightweight, durable construction materials. Silicon has magnetic properties that make it suitable for large machines. Most alloy steel additives have unique compositions that are modified. This creates the diverse properties of alloy steel. Common desired properties include weldability, durability, corrosion and heat resistance, hardness, etc.
Furthermore, alloy steel can be divided into two additional categories:
- Light alloy steel
- High alloy steel
In addition to iron, low alloy contains 1 to 5% alloying elements, while high alloy consists of iron with about 5 to 50% alloying elements.
Alloy steel is used in the manufacture of containers, automotive components and cutting tools.
3. Stainless steel
This type of steel is most suitable for CNC steel machining. Stainless steel materials are widely used in CNC machining because of their resistance to corrosion and many other chemical reactions. For example, 304 stainless steel versus 306 stainless steel.
CNC stainless steel contains a high percentage of chromium, around 11% and sometimes up to 20% for certain applications. It also contains other elements such as carbon, non-metals and metals.
The effective chromium content makes this type of steel unique. This is due to the passive coating that forms on the surface of stainless steel materials. Therefore, this film helps resist the oxidation that causes most metal objects to rust.
In addition to this feature, stainless steel has high tensile strength and good luxury quality.
There are four types of stainless steel:
- Martensitic
- Ferritic
- Austenitic
- Duplex
You probably know that stainless steel is used in the manufacture of many household items, especially kitchen utensils. In addition, stainless steel is also used in various construction materials and storage containers for hazardous substances.
4. Tool steel
Tool steel contains carbon and various proportions of metal alloys, including molybdenum, vanadium, cobalt and tungsten. These metallic elements contribute to the heat resistance, hardness, and durability of this type of steel during steel production. However, this type of steel is difficult to weld.
Different types of tool steel are required to make different tools. Therefore, the quantity and type of metal alloys added to tool steel determine the quality and application of the tool after manufacturing. This makes tool steel suitable for precision machining.
Tool steel is used by manufacturers for a variety of impact, cutting, and drilling tools. Furthermore, this type of steel plays a central role in injection molds for precision steel parts and pressing tools.
There are different types of tool steel:
- Shockproof steel
- Special steel
- Water hardening steel
- Air hardened steel
- High speed steel
- Cold work steel
- Tool Steel Mold
They all largely contain different amounts of different alloying elements.
Steel material properties for customer-specific manufacturing
Steel has several properties that must be considered before custom manufacturing. Below are the properties of steel materials:
1. Chemical properties
The majority of steel's components are iron, while the other main component is carbon. However, the carbon content of steel does not exceed 2%. In addition to carbon, steel contains varying amounts of other metallic elements.
These include phosphorus, manganese, silicon, nickel, tin, sulfur and other alloying elements. These elements are also called trace or residual elements. In large quantities, these elements are useful for alloying steel. As a result, different properties emerge.
2. Physical properties
Steel has a high melting point of 1371 to 1540 °C. Unlike pure metals, steel contains several metallic elements that contribute to its relatively high melting point.
Additionally, steel is very dense. Depending on the type of steel, the density of steel is between 7.84 and 8.04 g/cm3, about eight times that of water. Steel is also light. You will find that the strength to weight ratio is lower than any other building material.
3. Mechanical properties
Steel has different mechanical properties, which largely depend on the type of steel. That includes:
- toughness
- yield strength, fatigue strength, tensile strength,
- renovation
- toughness
- Corrosion resistance
- fragility
- Malleability
- Drag
Factors in Choosing the Right Steel Material for Custom Parts
Today, many different materials are produced in the steel industry. Therefore, selecting the right steel materials to produce custom steel parts can be challenging. Furthermore, with recent technological developments and innovations in metalworking, it is necessary to keep up with the growing trend by making an informed selection of steel materials that adapt to your needs.
Therefore, we highlight below some important factors that must be considered when selecting the appropriate steel material for customized parts:
1. Possible uses of the product
By first having a clear picture of the potential purpose or use of your steel product, you can choose the right steel materials. You also need to consider the other components that interact with your steel prototypes. Also consider the likely operating conditions of the steel prototypes.
In the long run, using the correct steel material will extend the life of your custom steel parts.
2. Prototype Size
You need to check the size of your steel prototype, especially the length. This is because each manufacturing technique, from forming to casting, can only produce a certain length of metal. For example, profiling allows you to create custom steel parts up to 53 feet long.
Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the prototype size to choose the right material and manufacturing process.
3. Costs
Maybe you want to make a lot of steel prototypes. Then you should check the cost of the required steel material. This will also help you think about available steel material alternatives that fit your budget.
4.Features
Additionally, you should check the required properties of your custom steel parts before manufacturing. Therefore, it is important to select the type of steel with suitable physical, chemical and mechanical properties.
When selecting the appropriate steel material for manufacturing custom parts, hardness and strength are among the most important criteria.
Common Machining Processes for Steel Materials
Due to its numerous benefits, custom machining is more popular than ever. Furthermore, current trends suggest that this increase will continue. Below we look at some common machining processes for steel materials.
1. CNC Turning
The main purpose of CNC turning is to reduce the diameter of the steel material to the desired size. This manufacturing process requires steel rods to be fixed in one position and rotated at high speed. At the same time, a tool is brought to the workpiece and material is removed until the desired shape is created.
Turning is common to all types of steel and allows the rapid production of complex, high-precision prototypes. Experts apply this process to steel materials with holes, grooves, threads, steps, and contoured surfaces. In practice, this process allows the production of bolts, bearings, fasteners, screws, pins, threaded rods, accessories, etc.
2. Ties
During CNC grinding, a grinding wheel is moved in a plane. The disc contacts the workpiece and removes material to create a flat surface of precise thickness.
Experts often use this process for steel prototypes that require a high tolerance (0.002 mm) and a diameter between 10 and 400 mm. Therefore, it is widely used in automotive and mechanical parts, shafts, gears, needle tubes, valves, etc.
3. Electronic discharge machines
Electrical discharge machining, also called electrical discharge machining, is a general metal fabrication process used in the production of custom steel prototypes. This thermal process allows steel materials to be manufactured into the desired shape using spark erosion.
This CNC process is often used to produce steel parts with premium, burr-free surfaces and tight tolerances. Because the tool and part do not touch, this process allows for the production of delicate, geometrically complex, customer-specific steel prototypes.
Concluding
Steel materials are still essential in most engineering and construction industries today. Before manufacturing, design and manufacturing engineers must, among other things, evaluate the quality of the steel. Furthermore, the need for special parts and high-quality steel prototypes cannot be ignored.
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Common questions
In which industries are steel materials used?
Steel materials are used in countless industries. The most important include energy, automobile manufacturing, construction, packaging and mechanical engineering.
What type of steel is used in steel production?
Carbon steel is the predominant steel material in steel production. Therefore, it accounts for 90% of total steel production. Carbon steels have a wide range of applications in various sectors, from construction to mechanical engineering.
How are alloy steels made?
Alloy steels are made by adding one or more alloying elements to carbon steel. These elements are nickel, titanium, copper, chromium, manganese, aluminum and silicon. The main reason for combining these metals is to create certain properties that regular carbon steel lacks.
