Carbon Steel
Carbon steel is an alloy of iron and carbon with a carbon content of less than 2%.
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The carbon steel also generally contains small amounts of silicon, manganese, sulphur, and phosphorus.
Carbon steel is generally subdivided into the following categories
- carbon tool steel
- carbon structural steel
- free cutting structural steel
- high carbon steels
Carbon structural steel is itself two different types, building structural steel and machine-made structural steel.
According to how much carbon is used, carbon steel can also be divided into low, medium, and high carbon steel. Which classification is which depends on the phosphorus and sulphur content.
The three divisions of this are:
- Ordinary carbon steel (high in phosphorus and sulphur)
- High-quality carbon steel (low in phosphorus and sulphur)
- High-quality steel (low in phosphorus and sulphur).
The iron content in carbon steel, unlike that in stainless steel, isn't resistant to rust regardless of carbon content, but the more carbon there is, the more it naturally improves corrosion resistance because of greater overall strength.
High Carbon Steel
Any steel with a carbon element in excess of 0.55% is known as ‘high carbon steel’.
Once the carbon content passes 2% however, the resulting material becomes highly brittle and its uses are limited.
High carbon steels have some fantastic properties including very high strength, extreme hardness, moderate ductility and substantial wear resistance.
Predominantly high carbon steels are used for implements such as cutting tools as they can keep an exceptionally sharp edge under pressure. For the same reason, it is an ideal choice for masonry nails needed for pounding into rock and other exceptionally demanding projects where extreme hardness is essential.
Carbon ‘Tool’ Steel
Steels with a carbon content exceeding 0.8% as known as Carbon tool steels.
These steels are exceptionally hard and as such are used for punch awls, shearing blades, springs, and a multitude of cutting implements, razors and knives.
Another downside of carbon tool steels is that they have poor ‘red hardness’ meaning they struggle to hold their structural integrity in high-temperature environments.
They are also much more difficult to harden when used for larger components and prone to cracking and integral faults.
Low Alloy Steel
Ordinary low alloy steels are popular alloy steel containing only small amounts of alloying elements.
Usually, low alloy steels will be a mix of 0.5 to 1% molybdenum for creep strength, and chromium between 0.5 and 9% to improve its corrosion resistance, ductility, and graphitisation resistance.
The strength of this special steel is relatively high, the overall performance is good, and it has reasonable resistance to corrosion, wear, and low temperatures.
It is also a great choice for cutting and welding operations.
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Low alloy steels have good longevity and a far greater range of commercial applications than carbon steels.
Alloy ‘Structural’ Steel
Alloy steel is a broad class of steel that unites carbon and a wide range of many other elements.
Among the more common of these elements are manganese, boron, vanadium, silicon, chromium, nickel and molybdenum.
And the rarely used are aluminium, copper, cobalt, cerium, zinc, tin, niobium, zirconium and sometimes lead.
Alloy steels are commonly used in engineering and for building structural components, such as parts for railways and geological oil drilling.
These steels are also ideal for environments requiring very high wear resistance, and those where very high strength coupled with weldability are key factors.
Specialty steels – also referred to as alloy steel – contain additional alloyed materials that deliver special properties to the final product. Specialty steels are engineered to provide superior performance under specific conditions. For bearings such as roller bearings and ball bearings, specialty steels would be selected versus other bearing materials to deliver properties that can best withstand the operating conditions the bearings will be exposed to.
Various stainless steel alloys are included among common specialty steels. Typically, standard bearings are fabricated using chrome steel, which can be heat-treated and ground to deliver durability and high load capacity, allowing the bearings to perform well in broad applications.
Depending on the operating conditions of the ball bearing or roller bearing, other specialty stainless steels may offer better performance. For specific applications, alloy steels can deliver a range of beneficial properties.
Benefits of Specialty Steels
Specialty steels offer a variety of enhanced characteristics, making them a preferred choice for ball bearings and roller bearings depending on the application. The benefits of specialty steels include:
• High corrosion resistance
• Targeted resistance to high and/or low temperatures
• Easily fabricated
• Dimensional stability and strength
• Non-magnetic
• Sterile and hygienic
• Well suited for special applications
• Lighter weight
• Grease-free use
Applications of Specialty Steels
In the fabrication of bearings such as ball bearings or roller bearings, the enhanced properties offered by specialty steels make them well-suited for sensitive applications, such as:
• Food and Beverage
Specialty steels – such as AISI 4440C stainless steel – are used in bearings for food processing equipment because they can be easily cleaned and offer high corrosion resistance while maintaining durability at high and low temperatures. TC2 grease-free bearings may also be used if a lubricant-free product is more suitable for the application.
• Chemical Industry
AISI 304 stainless steel is selected for bearings used in chemical processing due to its ability to resist acids, such as chlorine gas, dry chlorine, ammonium sulfate, caustic soda, and others. This specialty steel can be used in acidic or alkaline environments.
• Severe Environments
Due to the high corrosion resistance, superior stability, high strength, and resistance at high and low temperatures, specialty steels are well suited for bearings used in many types of severe environments. Where standard bearings may fail, the properties of specialty steels offer high performance.
Specialty Steel Bearings from Emerson Bearing
Emerson Bearing works with myriad alloy steels to craft bearings that can meet the demands of nearly any industrial environment. Specialty steels offer unmatched performance in a variety of applications thanks to their enhanced properties.
If you’re looking for more information on bearings suitable for use in severe environments, download our free eBook for more information.
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