As one of the most prominent steels used today, mild steel is known for being highly machinable and reasonably priced. It’s also ductile and weldable, which is why it’s a hit in many industries, like construction and automotive. Let’s learn more about this useful metal.
What is Mild Steel?
Also known as low-carbon steel, mild steel is an iron with a carbon content of up to 0.2%. It might have other alloying elements in it, but carbon is the main one here. There are different grades of this steel type, and each one has a different carbon content—the more carbon a grade has, the stronger it will be, but it will sacrifice some of its ductility. Manufacturers also like to play around with other properties like tensile strength, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance by throwing other elements in the mix, like manganese, for example.
You can recognize mild steel by its four-digit AISI (American Iron and Steel Institute) classification codes because they usually start with a 10 and end with two numbers that are less than 20, which shows roughly how much carbon it contains in hundredths. Most of these types of steel have low quantities of phosphorus and sulfur—usually under one percent—but they’re considered impurities, so keeping them low is a must. It’s used to make things like auto bodies, furniture, wire, rebar, and fasteners, and stronger versions are often made into structures and storage tank plating. Here’s an example of some bars made from this material:
ANSI Classification | Equivalent (approx) | Description |
---|---|---|
ANSI Classification 1008 | Equivalent (approx) DIN 1.0204 | Description Excellent cold formability |
ANSI Classification 1010 | Equivalent (approx) DIN 1.0301 | Description Low strength, used for magnet cores |
ANSI Classification 1015 | Equivalent (approx) DIN 1.0401 | Description Wear-resistant, good machinability |
ANSI Classification 1018 | Equivalent (approx) DIN 1.0419 | Description Great for carburizing applications, good machinability |
ANSI Classification 1020 | Equivalent (approx) DIN 1.0044 | Description Good mix of strength and ductility |
Grades of Mild Steel
The following image shows some plates made from mild steel:
Type | Composition in addition to Iron (Fe) | Modulus of Elasticity (GPa) | Brinell Hardness | Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa) | Yield Strength (MPa) | Elongation at Break | Steel Density (kg/m3) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type AISI 1008 | Composition in addition to Iron (Fe) <0.1 C, 0.3 to 0.5 Mn; 0.04 P; 0.05 S | Modulus of Elasticity (GPa) 200 | Brinell Hardness $95 | Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa) 340 | Yield Strength (MPa) 285 | Elongation at Break 20% | Steel Density (kg/m3) 7.87 |
Type AISI 1010 | Composition in addition to Iron (Fe) 0.08 to 0.13 C, 0.3 to 0.6 Mn; 0.04 P; 0.05 S | Modulus of Elasticity (GPa) 205 | Brinell Hardness $105 | Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa) 365 | Yield Strength (MPa) 305 | Elongation at Break 20% | Steel Density (kg/m3) 7.87 |
Type AISI 1015 | Composition in addition to Iron (Fe) 0.13 to 0.18 C, 0.3 to 0.6 Mn; 0.04 P; 0.05 S | Modulus of Elasticity (GPa) 205 | Brinell Hardness 111 | Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa) 385 | Yield Strength (MPa) 325 | Elongation at Break 18% | Steel Density (kg/m3) 7.87 |
Type AISI 1018 | Composition in addition to Iron (Fe) 0.14 to 0.2 C, 0.6 to 0.9 Mn; 0.04 P; 0.05 S | Modulus of Elasticity (GPa) 205 | Brinell Hardness 126 | Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa) 440 | Yield Strength (MPa) 370 | Elongation at Break 15% | Steel Density (kg/m3) 7.87 |
Type AISI 1020 | Composition in addition to Iron (Fe) 0.17 to 0.23 C, 0.3 to 0.6 Mn; 0.04 P; 0.05 S | Modulus of Elasticity (GPa) 186 | Brinell Hardness $121 | Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa) 420 | Yield Strength (MPa) 350 | Elongation at Break 15% | Steel Density (kg/m3) 7.87 |
Type S275 J0 | Composition in addition to Iron (Fe) 0.18 C, 1.5 Mn; 0.030 P; 0.030 S; 0.012 N; 0.55 Cu | Modulus of Elasticity (GPa) 205 | Brinell Hardness 121 | Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa) 430–580 | Yield Strength (MPa) 275 | Elongation at Break 21% | Steel Density (kg/m3) 7.85 |
Type S355 J0 | Composition in addition to Iron (Fe) 0.2 C, 1.6 Mn; 0.030 P; 0.030 S; 0.012 N; 0.55 Cu | Modulus of Elasticity (GPa) 210 | Brinell Hardness 146 | Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa) 510–680 | Yield Strength (MPa) 355 | Elongation at Break 20% | Steel Density (kg/m3) 7.8 |
Mild Steel Properties. Table Credit: http://matweb.com
Frequently Asked Questions on Mild Steel
What are the environmental impacts of mild steel?
It’s recyclable, so it’s environmentally friendly. The steel industry in general, is working hard to adopt sustainable practices, like reducing greenhouse gas emissions during production. The main things that continue to negatively impact the environment as of yet are the extraction of raw materials like iron ore and the energy-intensive manufacturing processes.
Which grade is the strongest?
The strongest grade is 1020. This grade also has the highest carbon content, which aside from making it very strong, makes it much less ductile.
What is mild steel’s melting point?
This will vary based on the carbon and alloy content in any given grade, but generally speaking, the temperature at which mild steel becomes completely liquid ranges between 1450–1530°C.
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