Steel is also known as a commodity product. Although recognized as a material with an array of uses, the breadth of various end-uses is often not well understood. Within the article that follows, the article author discusses some typical end-uses of steel that illustrate the breath of different applications for which this product is often used.
Flat products
Within flat steel products, a number of different product groups could be identified. Some examples are:
Plate, commonly used in shipbuilding, for producing large diameter pipe (e.g for oil and gas transport) and also for military applications like armoured plate (tanks, personnel carriers).
Hot rolled coil and sheet, where important uses may include low pressure tanks, heavy ducts and channels, gas and water pipes, roll-formed sections to use in construction, machine parts, and a few auto chassis components.
Cold rolled coil and sheet, where typical uses include roofing products, enamel coated kitchen utensils, packaging (including strapping), non-exposed elements of white goods for example fridges and freezers, brackets for construction and machinery.
Coated steel products - meaning mainly zinc coated and tin coated steels - where key uses include motorway crash barriers, air conditioner ventilation shafts, lockers, cabinets, metal boxes, non-exposed car parts of the body, railway wagons, drums, vessels, roofing products, PVC window assemblies - as well as the best end from the quality spectrum for exposed auto body panels, white goods panels, sandwich panels for construction applications; and tinplate for packaging uses (food and beverage).
Long products
Within long products, a number of different product groups may be identified. Included in this are:
Heavy sections, typically employed to make bridges, or as construction elements (beams) as load support structures in buildings. Tank wagon will also be a vital end utilization of heavy steel sections.
Light sections, which can include merchant bar products [meaning round, square, hexagonal, rectangular, flat and other shapes used as support structures for building, construction and machinery], reinforcing bar (that is utilized to reinforce concrete - both horizontally and vertically) and also engineering steel products (employed for producing crank shafts, gearbox gears, suspension arms, automotive springs and hydraulic components).
Wire products, employed for tyre cord, mechanical springs (including bedding), steel rope, along with fasteners (nuts, bolts, screws) and also wire mesh, nails and fencing products.
Within tube, further products may be distinguished. Included in this are:
Seamless tube, in which the thinnest applications include syringe needles and precision tube; and larger diameters find uses in oil and gas exploration also in high temperature and pressure applications including uses in highly corrosive environments.
Welded tube, which includes small, medium and huge pipe, with uses starting from furniture, gas and water piping, in addition to construction elements. The particular largest diameter pipes are used for cross-country, sub-sea along with intercontinental transport of oil and gas.
Whilst typically referred to as a commodity product, it is clear how the uses of steel are very varied indeed. Lots of the applications of steel can also be highly specialised - especially in the matter of:
high-speed steels, utilized for metal cutting.
tool steels, useful for the creation of tools (including stamping dies, shear blades, and hand tools like wrenches and machine tool-bit holders).
steel forgings (with very broad industrial applications including components and machinery).
With certain sub-groups of steel (including stainless steels) themselves having further quite unique sets of applications (jewellery, surgical instruments, kitchen surfaces and tools).
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