Steel was first developed about 4,000 years ago by mixing iron and carbon. Over the centuries, engineers have found more uses for steel. Today, mild steel sheet metal is one of the most commonly used alloys in manufacturingbridges, weapons, vehicles and machines.
The strength of mild steel plates
Plain steel usually has onetensile strengthbetween 50,800 psi (350 MPa) and 60,900 psi (420 MPa). This level of tensile strength allows steel tosupport the weighttraffic passing over a bridge or people and equipment in a building.
In the United States, structural steel with a tensile strength of 58,000 psi is known as A36 steel. This particular type of structural steel is usually sold in forms used to create buildings and infrastructure, including:
- Bars
- Dossier
- Ray
- Angle iron
Manufacturers can control the tensile strength of steel by changing the amount of iron and carbon in the alloy. Using more intense heat during production can also give the steel more strength.
Other properties of ordinary steel
Steel is valued for more than its strength. For example, steel with a high carbon content is often used as decoration. Though too brittle to use as structural support, the dark-colored steel has a unique, attractive aesthetic.
Steel is also onerelatively bad conductorof electricity, making the alloy useful for building buildings and other objectsprotect people from electric shock.
The price of ordinary steel
The price of steel hasgrown in recent years. In July 2016, a pound of steel was priced at about $2,500. In July 2018, the price was just over $4,180.
Several economic factors influence the price of steel. During 2017 and 2018,the tariffs have had the largest impact on metal prices. Steel prices in the US soared after President Donald Trump's administration announced that this would happenimpose obligationson steel imported from Canada, Mexico and the EU.
Tariffs impose an additional percentage on the cost of importing metals into the country. Free trade often allows companies based in other countries to sell steel at lower prices than US companies. Adding tariffs raises the price of imported steel to encourage American manufacturers to choose U.S.-forged steel.
Steel: still the backbone of the nation!
Despite price issues, steel's many uses today make it an important metal around the world.
At Blackstone Advanced Technologies, we specialize in custom fabricating steel plates to meet the needs of multiple industries, including construction and the military.
For more information on other popular materials in sheet metal fabrication, check out these companion articles:
- Stainless steel plates: everything you need to know
- Galvanized steel sheet: everything you need to know
