Steel is one of the most widely used materials used in the construction of buildings and manufacturing of machinery in addition to being used for various other purposes. Although there are many types and grades of steel available in the world, the most common form of steel is Carbon Steel. Having qualities, unique to its composition, carbon steel is used in almost all of the equipment you use in your everyday life.

This specific form of steel has many advantages, which is why it is the most widely used metal all over the world.

Types of Carbon Steel

There are various types of steel, which are differentiated based on their composition. Depending on the carbon content present in a particular type of steel, it can be divided into three categories, namely: low or mild steel, medium steel and high steel; which also consists of ultra high steel.

Low or Mild Steel

Steel is considered to be low or mild in nature when it consists of carbon, up to 0.16 – 0.29%. This particular type of steel has a lot of applications due to the fact that it is quite cheap as compared to others. This reasonably priced metal offers lower durability and is not as strong as its counterparts because of the low amount of carbon content present in it. Usually, this form of steel is used for construction as it is manufactured in larger quantities for mass production.

Medium Steel

This type of steel contains carbon to the extent of 0.3 % – 0.6%. Because of the high density of carbon present in the metal, products built from the use of this metal are usually strong and free from wear and tear. Medium steel is usually used in the production of automotive parts which makes up the end product’s durability and the ability to last long.

High Carbon Steel

High carbon steel is very strong since 0.8% of carbon is present in it. This type of steel is extremely strong and usually used to manufacture wires and strings. A sub category of this type of steel is ultra high steel which is quite hard. This is the reason why ultra high steel is used for purposes outside the industrial area, because they are prone to break quickly due to their hardness. Axles, knives and other types of hard materials, which are used daily, are made by utilizing ultra hard steel which makes up for their durability and strength.

As you can see, steel is divided into three basic categories, all of which have different functions and are used to meet different requirements.