JAMITO,DANIELLE KAYE TIMBER AND STEEL DESIGN

8/24/16
BS ARCH
ENGR. C.D. FUENTES

STEEL IDENTIFICATION
GENERAL
The numerical index system for the classification of metals and their alloys has been
generally adopted by industry for use on drawings and specifications. In this system, the
class to which the metal belongs, the predominant alloying agent, and the average
carbon content percentage are given.
STANDARD DESIGNATION SYSTEM FOR STEEL
a. Numbers are used to designate different chemical compositions. A four-digit number
series designates carbon and alloying steels according to the types and classes shown in
table 7-8. This system has been expanded, and in some cases five digits are used to
designate certain alloy steels.

b. Two letters are often used as a prefix to the numerals. The letter C indicates basic
open hearth carbon steels, and E indicates electric furnace carbon and alloy steels. The

letter H is sometimes used as a suffix to denote steels manufactured to meet

hardenability limits.
c. The first two digits indicate the major alloying metals in a steel, such as manganese,
nickel-chromium, and chrome-molybdenum.
d. The last digits indicate the approximate middle of the carbon content range in percent.
For example, 0.21 indicates a range of 0.18 to 0.23 percent carbon. In a few cases, the
system deviates from this rule, and some carbon ranges relate to the ranges of
manganese, sulfur, phosphorous, chromium, and other elements.
e. The system designates the major elements of a steel and the approximate carbon
range of the steel. It also indicates the manufacturing process used to produce the steel.
The complete designation system is shown in table 7-9.

f. The number 2340 by this system indicates a nickel steel with approximately 3 percent
nickel and 0.40 percent carbon. The number 4340 indicates a nickel-chromemolybdenum metal with 0.40 percent carbon.
S. A. E. Steel Specifications
The following numerical system for identifying carbon and alloy steels of various
specifications has been adopted by the Society of Automotive Engineers.
COMPARISION
A.I.S.I.--S.A.E. Steel Specifications
The ever-growing variety of chemical compositions and quality requirements of steel
specifications have resulted in several thousand different combinations of chemical
elements being specified to meet individual demands of purchasers of steel products.
The S.A.E. developed a system of nomenclature for identification of various chemical
compositions which symbolize certain standards as to machining, heat treating, and
carburizing performance. The American Iron and Steel Institute has now gone further in
this regard with a new standardization setup with similar nomenclature, but with
restricted carbon ranges and combinations of other elements which have been accepted
as standard by all manufacturers of bar steel in the steel industry. The Society of
Automotive Engineers have, as a result, revised most of their specifications to coincide
with those set up by the American Iron and Steel Institute.
PREFIX LETTERS
No prefix for basin open-hearth alloy steel.
(B) Indicates acid Bessemer carbon steel.

(C) Indicates basic open-hearth carbon steel

(E) Indicates electric furnace steel.
NUMBER DESIGNATIONS
(10XX series) Basic open-hearth and acid Bessemer carbon steel grades,
non-sulfurized and non-phosphorized.
(11XX series) Basic open-hearth and acid Bessemer carbon steel grades,
sulfurized but not phosphorized.
(1300 series) Manganese 1.60 to 1.90%
(23XX series) Nickel 3.50%
(25XX series) Nickel 5.0%
(31XX series) Nickel 1.25%-chromium 0.60%
(33XX series) Nickel 3.50%-chromium 1.60%
(40XX series) Molybdenum
(41XX series) Chromium molybdenum
(43XX series) Nickel-chromium-molybdenum
(46XX series) Nickel 1.65%-molybdenum 0.25%
(48XX series) Nickel 3.25%-molybdenum 0.25%
(51XX series) Chromium
(52XX series) Chromium and high carbon
(61XX series) Chromium vanadium
(86XX series) Chrome nickel molybdenum
(87XX series) Chrome nickel molybdenum
(92XX series) Silicon 2.0%-chromium
(93XX series) Nickel 3.0%-chromium-molybdenum
(94XX series) Nickel-chromium-molybdenum
(97XX series) Nickel-chromium-molybdenum
(98XX series) Nickel-chromium-molybdenum
STANDARD DESIGNATION SYSTEM FOR ALUMINUM AND ALUMINUM ALLOYS
a. Currently, there is no standard designation system for aluminum castings. Wrought
aluminum and aluminum alloys have a standard four-digit numbering system.
b. The first digit represents the major alloying element.
c. The second digit identifies alloy modifications (a zero means the original alloy).
d. The last two digits seine only to identify different aluminum alloys which are in
common commercial use, except in the 1XXX class. In the 1XXX class, the last two digits
indicate the aluminum content above 99 percent, in hundredths of one percent.
e. In number 1017, the 1 indicates a minimum aluminum composition of 99 percent; the
0 indicates it is the original composition; and the 17 indicates the hundredths of one
percent of aluminum above the 99 percent minimum composition. In this example, the
aluminum content is 99.17 percent.
f. In number 3217, the 3 indicates a manganese aluminum alloy; the 2 indicates the
second modification of this particular alloy; and the 17 indicates a commonly used
commercial alloy.
g. The various classes of aluminum and aluminum alloys are identified by numbers as
shown in table 7-10.

STANDARD DESIGNATION SYSTEM FOR MAGNESIUM AND MAGNESIUM ALLOYS

a. Wrought magnesium and magnesium alloys are identified by a combination of letters
and numbers. The letters identify which alloying elements were used in the magnesium
alloy (table 7-11). Numbers, which may follow the letters, designate the percentage of
the elements in the magnesium alloy. There may be an additional letter following the
percentage designators which indicates the alloy modifications. For example, the letter A
means 1; B means 2; and C means 3.

b. In the identification number AZ93C, the A indicates aluminum; the Z indicates zinc;
the 9 indicates there is 9 percent aluminum in the alloy; the 3 indicates there is 3
percent zinc in the alloy; and the C indicates the third modification to the alloy. The first
digit, 9 in this example, always indicates the percentage of the first letter, A in this
example. The second digit gives the percentage of the second letter (table 7-12).

c. Temper designations may be added to the basic magnesium designation, the two being
separated by a dash. The temper designations are the same as those used for aluminum.
STANDARD DESIGNATION SYSTEM FOR COPPER AND COPPER ALLOYS
a. There are over 300 different wrought copper and copper alloys commercially available.
The Copper Development Association, Inc., has established an alloy designation system
that is widely accepted in North America. It is not a specification system but rather a
method of identifying and grouping different coppers and copper alloys. This system has
been updated so that it now fits the unified numbering system (UNS). It provides one
unified numbering ring system which includes all of the commercially available metals
and alloys. The UNS designation consists of the prefix letter C followed by a space, three
digits, another space, and, finally, two zeros.
b. The information shown by table 7-13 is a grouping of these copper alloys by common
names which normally include the constituent alloys. Welding information for those alloy
groupings is provided. There may be those alloys within a grouping that may have a
composition sufficiently different to create welding problems. These are the exception,
however, and the data presented will provide starting point guidelines. There are two
categories, wrought materials and cast materials. The welding information is the same
whether the material is cast or rolled.

STANDARD DESIGNATION SYSTEM FOR TITANIUM

There is no recognized standard designation system for titanium and titanium alloys.
However, these compositions are generally designated by using the chemical symbol for
titanium, Ti, followed by the percentage number(s) and the chemical symbols(s) of the
alloying element(s). For example, Ti-5 A1-2.5 Sn would indicate that 5 percent aluminum
and 2-1/2 percent tin alloying elements are present in the titanium metal.

Outline of the unified numbering system for metals

TOOL STEELS

Water-hardening group
W-group tool steel gets its name from its defining property of having to be
water quenched. W-grade steel is essentially high carbon plain-carbon
steel. This group of tool steel is the most commonly used tool steel
because of its low cost compared to others. They work well for small parts
and applications where high temperatures are not encountered; above
150 C (302 F) it begins to soften to a noticeable degree.
Its hardenability is low, so W-group tool steels must be subjected to a rapid
quenching, requiring the use of water. These steels can attain high
hardness (above HRC 66) and are rather brittle compared to other tool
steels. W-steels are still sold, especially for springs, but are much less
widely used than they were in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This is
partly because W-steels warp and crack much more during quench than
oil-quenched or air hardening steels.
The toughness of W-group tool steels are increased by alloying with
manganese, silicon and molybdenum. Up to 0.20% of vanadium is used to
retain fine grain sizes during heat treating.
Typical applications for various carbon compositions are for W-steels:

0.600.75% carbon: machine parts, chisels, setscrews; properties

include medium hardness with good toughness and shock resistance.
0.760.90% carbon: forging dies, hammers, and sledges.

0.911.10% carbon: general purpose tooling applications that

require a good balance of wear resistance and toughness, such as
rasps, drills, cutters, and shear blades.

1.111.30% carbon: files, small drills, lathe tools, razor blades, and
other light-duty applications where more wear resistance is required
without great toughness. Steel of about 0.8% C gets as hard as steel
with more carbon, but the free iron carbide particles in 1% or 1.25%
carbon steel make it hold an edge better. However, the fine edge
probably rusts off faster than it wears off, if it is used to cut acidic or
salty materials.

Cold-work group
The cold-work tool steels include the O-series (oil-hardening), the A-series
(air-hardening), and the D-series (high carbon-chromium). These are steels
used to cut or form materials that are at low temperatures. This group
possesses high hardenability and wear resistance, and average toughness
and heat softening resistance. They are used in production of larger parts
or parts that require minimal distortion during hardening. The use of oil
quenching and air-hardening helps reduce distortion, avoiding the higher
stresses caused by the quicker water quenching. More alloying elements

are used in these steels, as compared to the water-hardening class. These

alloys increase the steels' hardenability, and thus require a less severe
quenching process and as a result are less likely to crack. They have high
surface hardness and are often used to make knife blades. The
machinability of the oil hardening grades is high but for the high carbonchromium types is low.

Oil-hardening: the O-series

This series originally included an O2 type and an O7 type, but only O1
remains in production.
Grad
e

O1

Composition

Notes

0.90% C, 1.0
It is a cold work steel used for gauges, cutting
1.4% Mn, 0.50% Cr, tools, woodworking tools and knives. It can be
0.50%W
hardened to about 64-65 HRC.

Air-hardening: the A-series]

The first air-hardening grade tool steel was mushet steel, which was
known as air-hardening steel at the time.
Modern air-hardening steels are characterized by low distortion during
heat treatment because of their high-chromium content. Their
machinability is good and they have a balance of wear resistance and
toughness (i.e. between the D- and shock-resistant grades).[
Grad
e

A2

Composition

1.0% C, 1.0% Mn,

5.0% Cr, 0.3% Ni,
1.0% Mo, 0.15
0.50% V

A3
1.25% C, 0.5% Mn,
5.0% Cr, 0.3% Ni,
0.91.4% Mo, 0.8

Notes
A common general purpose tool steel; it is the
most commonly used variety of air-hardening
steel. It is commonly used for blanking and
forming punches, trimming dies, thread rolling
dies, and injection molding dies.

1.4% V

A4

A6

A7[

A8[

A9[

1.0% C, 2.0% Mn,

1.0% Cr, 0.3% Ni,
0.91.4% Mo

0.7% C, 1.82.5%
Mn, 0.91.2% Cr,
0.3% Ni, 0.91.4%
Mo

This type of tool steel air-hardens at a relatively

low temperature (approximately the same
temperature as oil-hardening types) and is
dimensionally stable. Therefore, it is commonly
used for dies, forming tools, and gauges that do
not require extreme wear resistance but do need
high stability.

2.002.85% C, 0.8%
Mn, 5.005.75% Cr,
0.3% Ni, 0.91.4%
Mo, 3.95.15% V,
0.51.5 W

0.50.6% C, 0.5%
Mn, 4.755.50% Cr,
0.3% Ni, 1.15
1.65% Mo, 1.01.5
W

0.5% C, 0.5% Mn,

0.951.15% Si,
4.755.00% Cr,
1.251.75% Ni, 1.3
1.8% Mo, 0.81.4%
V

1.251.50% C, 1.6
A10 2.1% Mn, 1.01.5%
Si, 1.552.05% Ni,
1.251.75% Mo

This grade contains a uniform distribution

of graphite particles to increase machinability
and provide self-lubricating properties. It is
commonly used for gauges, arbors, shears, and
punches.[

High carbon-chromium: the D-series

The D-series of the cold-work class of tool steels, which originally included
types D2, D3,D6, and D7, contains between 10% and 13% chromium
(which is unusually high). These steels retain their hardness up to a
temperature of 425 C (797 F). Common applications for these tool steels
include forging dies, die-casting die blocks, and drawing dies. Due to their
high chromium content, certain D-type tool steels are often
considered stainless or semi-stainless, however their corrosion resistance
is very limited due to the precipitation of the majority of their chromium
and carbon constituents as carbides.
Grad
e

D2

Composition

Notes

D2 is very wear resistant but not as tough as

1.5% C, 11.0
lower alloyed steels. The mechanical
13.0% Cr; additionally properties of D2 are very sensitive to heat
0.45%Mn, 0.030% P, treatment. It is widely used for the production
0.030% S, 1.0% V,
of shear blades, planer blades and industrial
0.9% Mo, 0.30% Si
cutting tools; sometimes used for knife
blades.

1.2767 type
ISO 1.2767, also known as DIN X 45 NiCrMo 4, AISI 6F7, and BS EN 20 B, is
an air-hardening tool steel with a primary alloying element of nickel. It
possesses good toughness, stable grains, and is highly polishable. It is
primarily used for dies in plastic injection molding application that involve
high stresses. Other applications include blanking dies,forging dies, and
industrial blades.[13]
Shock-resisting group
The high shock resistance and good hardenability are provided by
chromium-tungsten, silicon-molybdenum, silicon-manganese alloying.
Shock-resisting group tool steels (S) are designed to resist shock at both
low and high temperatures. A low carbon content is required for the
necessary toughness (approximately 0.5% carbon). Carbide-forming alloys
provide the necessary abrasion resistance, hardenability, and hot-work
characteristics. This family of steels displays very high impact toughness
and relatively low abrasion resistance and can attain relatively high
hardness (HRC 58/60). In the US, toughness usually derives from 1 to 2%
silicon and 0.5-1% molybdenum content. In Europe, shock steels often
contain 0.5-0.6 % carbon and around 3% nickel. 1.75% to 2.75% nickel is

still used in some shock resisting and high strength low alloy steels
(HSLA), such as L6, 4340, and Swedish saw steel, but it is relatively
expensive. An example of its use is in the production of jackhammer bits.
High speed group
It is often used in power-saw blades and drill bits. It is superior to the older highcarbon steel tools used extensively through the 1940s in that it can withstand higher
temperatures without losing its temper (hardness). This property allows HSS to cut
faster than high carbon steel, hence the name high-speed steel.

Hot-working group
Hot-working steels are a group of steel used to cut or shape material at
high temperatures. H-group tool steels were developed for strength and
hardness during prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures. These tool
steels are low carbon and moderate to high alloy that provide good hot
hardness and toughness and fair wear resistance due to a substantial
amount of carbide.[1] H1 to H19 are based on a chromium content of 5%;
H20 to H39 are based on a tungsten content of 9-18% and a chromium
content of 34%; H40 to H59 are molybdenum based.
Special purpose groupP-type tool steel is short for plastic mold steels.
They are designed to meet the requirements of zinc die casting and
plastic injection molding dies.

L-type tool steel is short for low alloy special purpose tool steel. L6 is
extremely tough.
F-type tool steel is water hardened and substantially more wear
resistant than W-type tool steel.

Comparison
AISI-SAE tool steel grades

Defining
property

AISI-SAE
grade

Waterhardening

Cold-working

Significant
characteristics

Oil-hardening

Air-hardening; medium

alloy

Shock
resisting

High carbon; high

chromium

Tungsten base

High speed
M

Hot-working

Plastic mold

Molybdenum base

H1H19: chromium base

H20H39: tungsten base
H40H59: molybdenum
base

Low alloy

Special
purpose
F

Carbon tungsten

Stainless steel
Stainless steel does not readily corrode, rust or stain with water as
ordinary steel does. However, it is not fully stain-proof in low-oxygen, highsalinity, or poor air-circulation environments.[2] There are different grades
and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment the alloy
must endure. Stainless steel is used where both the properties of steel and
corrosion resistance are required.
Stainless steels are in general grouped into
martensitic stainless steels

ferritic stainless steels

austenitic stainless steels
duplex (ferritic-austenitic) stainless steels
precipitation-hardening stainless steels

Iron metal has been used since ancient times, although copper alloys,

which have lower melting temperatures, were used even earlier in human
history. Pure iron is relatively soft, but is unobtainable by smelting because
it is significantly hardened and strengthened by impurities, in particular
carbon, from the smelting process. A certain proportion of carbon
(between 0.002% and 2.1%) produces steel, which may be up to 1000
times harder than pure iron.

Types:
Pig Iron and its properties:
Pig Iron is a basic raw material for all irons and produced from blast furnace.

It contains Carbon Percentage equal to 3-4%

Pig Iron from ore contains three basic forms of Iron

1. Cast iron (Made from Cupola furnace)
2. Wrought Iron (Made from Pudding furnace)
3. Steel (Made from Bessemer converter)

Wrought Iron and its properties:

Wrought Iron is a mechanical mixture of pure iron and silicate slag

Its Carbon Percentage is 0.02% to 0.03%

Wrought Iron is never cast

Wrought Iron is having high ductile, corrosion resistant, fatigue resistant

It is having Tensile strength: 3380-3500 kg per square centimeter and 2530-2670 kg per square
centimeter in transverse direction

Wrought Iron's melting point: 1510 degree C, Weight 7680 kg per meter cube.

Wrought Iron's Poisson's ratio: 0.3

Malleable Cast Iron and its properties:

Malleable Cast Iron is obtained from hard &brittle white iron., through a controlled heat
treatment conversion process.

Malleable Cast Iron is having Carbon % : 2 to 3 %

Malleable Cast Iron having material properties like High yield strength, ease of machinability,
corrosion resistance and high young modulus

It is having Low coefficient of thermal expansion and high wear resistance & damping vibration.

Shrinkage Allowance for this Iron is 1.5 mm / 100mm

Malleable Cast Iron is used to make Crank-shaft, rail road, universal joint etc.

Nodular cast iron (Ductile cast iron) and its properties:

Nodular cast Iron contains Carbon % : 3.2 % & 4.2 %

Nodular cast Iron is having damping capacity intermediate between cast iron & steel.

This iron is also having high wear resistance

Application: Pump compressor, valve, i.c engines, pipe, paper industry, earth moving
machinery.

Grey cast iron and its properties:

Grey cast iron can also be produced from pig iron.

Grey Cast Iron is an alloy of Carbon & silicon with iron.

Carbon percentage of Grey Cast Iron: 2.5 to 3.8 %

Grey cast iron is having Self damping, good antifriction properties and also having lowest
melting point. This is the reason why grey cast iron is mostly used in machining bed to reduce
and absorb the vibration due to self damping properties.

Applications of Grey Cast Iron : Machine tool structure, manhole covers , piston rings, rolling
mill. Water pipes.

White cast iron and its properties:

Carbon Percentage of White Cast Iron : 1.8 % to 3.6 %

White cast Iron is not machinable

Shrinkage allowance for this type of Cast Iron is 1 mm/ 100 mm.