Steel has become one of the main materials in various industries, mainly due to its characteristics, which make it ideal for creating instruments and objects that come into contact with food or need a high level of hygiene. As with all materials, there is a wide variety of types of this metal; however, the most commonly used in various manufacturing processes are stainless steel and carbon alloy. Although both are excellent materials, it is important to know how to differentiate them to choose the one that is best for your specific needs.
To better differentiate these alloys, the first thing is to understand the concepts of these alloys and their main characteristics, because although both are derived from steel, each one has its applications and manufacturing objectives.
Characteristics of Stainless Steel
This type of metal is an alloy of iron, chromium, carbon and with a nickel complement. The element that gives it the characteristic of stainless is chromium. When there is an oxidizing medium present, such as air, Cr acts effectively by forming a very thin and compact oxide layer. This isolates the material from corrosive attacks.
Now, this type of metal is classified according to the relative amounts and functions of the elements that make up its composition. Generally, it is divided into four basic families: martensitic, ferritic, austenitic and duplex. However, there may be an additional group based on the material that is hardened by precipitation.
To learn more about stainless steel, you can read our article: What are stainless steels?
How is Carbon Steel Made?
This alloy is mainly composed of steel containing carbon in most of its composition. This material is known for its flexibility to easily acquire any shape. The manufacturing process is quite special, as when this metal is raw, it is subjected to a special thermal treatment to give it the required qualities according to the industry or use it will be given.
According to the carbon content of this material, it is divided. Mainly, there are three large families: low carbon percentage steels (with less than 0.3% of this element), medium carbon percentage (contains between 0.3 and 0.5%) and high carbon percentage (more than 0.5%).
The main uses of carbon steel are:
- For the creation and manufacture of car bodies
- In machine assembly
- In various structures within a construction
- In the manufacture of pipes
- For the assembly of helmets on ships
- Various machinery parts
- Small items such as nails and needles
- In elements like locks
- Engine assembly
- Manufacture of large means of transport such as railways
Methods to Identify Stainless Steel and Carbon Steel
One of the most common mistakes during the multiple manufacturing and installation processes of a project, where materials such as carbon steel and stainless steel are used, is that there may be some confusion between these metals. This can happen because the identification of each one was lost or there was some oversight. One of the simplest solutions we can apply is done using a magnet. The test consists of bringing this item close to the surface of the metal, if we notice that it does not stick, we can deduce that we are dealing with stainless steel.
However, the magnet test is not 100% effective, as it is not always useful for all groups of stainless steels; however, there are other methods to know what type of metal it is. Another test is with copper sulfate, which also serves to detect if the stainless steel is contaminated by iron particles, which will allow us to know if we are working with the ideal material for our purposes.
This procedure consists of adding one or more drops of a copper sulfate solution to the surface of the material to be checked. It should be noted that this test reveals the difference between stainless steels and carbon, but does not reveal the type of stainless steel it may be. In addition, it is only effective in metals whose chromium percentage is equal to or greater than 16. Percentages lower than this number can give confusing results.
At Ulbrinox we know the importance of steel, that's why we are one of the main distributors of this material in Mexico and Latin America. Approach the experts! We provide you with the best materials and the highest quality in the product you need. Make a quote on our website or contact us at our online chat for more information.
