Mar 2022
In the world of steel casting, several alloying elements are used. Carbon is the main one to be used in precise carbon steel casting.
Depending on the manufacturing process, the production rate of carbon steel casting has touched 11-12 million tons per year. This gives the idea that how many factories and alloy industries are working on the yield of cast carbon steel.
Moreover, producing precise components is the demand of modern industries. Yet carbon steel casting is the one helping them out.
So, let’s pitch into the main topic of discussion.
Before I draw your attention to the production process, you should have the basic know-how of carbon steel. What are different steel alloys and how carbon steel is used in casting?
Based on the research, one of the main alloys of steel is carbon. It is developed to work under required conditions- pressure, resistance, strength, and toughness.
However, what’s important here is the used percentage of carbon while making alloys. It simply depends on your needs. A high carbon percentage will alternatively make the alloy much more tough and strong. This results in the hardenability of the product.
So, based on the content, carbon steel is further divided into three different types:-
As the name indicates, low carbon steel casting will have a low carbon content in it- usually less than 0.20%.
As compared to other steels, low-carbon steel is softer and it’s pretty easy to shape. Thus, it has low strength and cannot provide surface hardness to alloy. To give a hard texture to the alloy, an alternative, carburizing is used.
Following are some low carbon steels that you can use in carbon steel casting and construction industries:
Likewise, carbon steel which contains a moderate level of carbon- 0.20 to 0.50% is medium carbon steel.
Best of all, this type is known for its good wear resistance quality. As if it’s not enough, mild carbon steel casting is harder than low carbon steel and can be hardened by heat treatment.
Due to its ductility and hardness, medium carbon steel is used in different engine works and other defense applications.
Here’s a list of some moderate carbon steels:
Till now, you have garb the concept of two different carbon steel castings. But, none of the above is perfect for high-quality and precise carbon steel casting.
No wonder, both low and medium carbons are used in casting but high carbon steel is on another level among all. With more than 0.50% carbon composition, high carbon steel provides extra strength, shape, and durability.
Furthermore, this alloy steel is the first choice of most steel manufacturers. This is because of its usage in a wide range of applications including heavy-duty as well.
Enlisted below are some high carbon steel alloys:
This doesn’t end here.
Carbon steel casting is way more than just using the above-discussed steel alloys. It involves a step-by-step mechanism through which carbon steel cast is prepared.
So, to discuss the production method, let’s jump to the other part of the story.
As mentioned above, three different types of carbon alloys are used in the production of precise carbon steel casting.
Around 75 different alloys are taken into consideration by the investment cast companies like Dongying vast precision casting company. Out of which, carbon steel alloy is the major industrial element to be used by almost all modern industries.
But, how are these casting parts utilized to produce carbon steel cast?
Let’s discuss this carbon steel casting process in the following two steps:-
For those who have high demands on carbon steel casting, this method is a perfect fit for them. Silica sol casting, also known as lost wax casting, is the most used method for the carbon steel process.
Why?
The reason lies in its high quality and increased production cost. The silica sol method not only provides a smooth surface finish but also controls the casting process with CT5-6 tolerance.
So, this is the best choice if you want deviation less, geometrical, and better surface products with high corrosion resistance. Because this is the key to precision casting.
With CT7-CT8 tolerance and low production cost, this method is the best for customers looking for a budget-friendly casting.
The unique feature of water glass casting is its low cost. More than 75% of casting manufacturers and carbon steel casting foundries use this process.
Water glass casting, a process of lost wax casting, can produce casting products as it has the following features:
With these features in hand, customers can easily use the water glass casting method to produce their desired steel cast products.
Still, confused about the use of carbon steel casting?
Relax, as below are some benefits of carbon steel casting enlisted for your ease:-
To wrap it up, the carbon steel industry is a huge industry of manufacturers and customers demanding their desired products.
Nevertheless, thousands of new alloys are available and can be used but they cannot replace carbon. The importance of carbon in carbon steel casting can be estimated by looking at its unique qualities.
The ductility, strength, ferromagnetic properties, and high structural integrity make the carbon alloy one of the major alloys in the world of steel castings.