Benefits of carbon steel for metal spinning projects
The metal spinning can incorporate a wide range of materials for shaping into specific designs. As a cold forming process, metal spinning can make use of hard and durable materials without having to generate excessive heat. This saves on costs whilst also allowing part to be made to a high degree of precision. This piece examines carbon steel as an example of a material that’s ideal for metal spinning projects for a wide range of reasons.
What is carbon steel?
As suggested by the name, carbon steel is a type of steel that contains a higher percentage of carbon in its makeup than regular steel. Most other types of steel have between 0.05% and 0.3% carbon content, whereas carbon steel can have up to 2.5%. Creating carbon steel is made by either mixing recycled steel and iron with alloying elements, or extruding the molten metal. In the case of the former, impurities must be removed before the alloy elements are added.
While the overall carbon percentage of this material might seem insignificant, it changes the properties of the steel in the following ways:
- Increased strength.
- Ductile.
- Greater toughness.
- Easy to treat through carburising.
Carbon steel can be distinguished by the amount of the carbon content within it. This means low-carbon steel, medium-carbon steel, and high-carbon steel have slightly different properties as well. If you’re interested in material applications, you can read about the ‘Benefits of using 304 stainless steel in your metal spinning projects’.
How carbon steel can benefit metal spinning projects
The main downside of carbon steel is that it can be hard to work with due to its strength compared to traditional steel. This is not an issue with the metal spinning due to the steady rotational force applied to the workpiece. Instead, all the beneficial qualities of carbon steel can be utilised for a range of industries, including renewable energy, air movement, and others. These benefits include:
Bars and discs made from carbon steel can be easily moulded into a variety of shapes using cold forming methods such as metal spinning.
Carbon steel is a popular choice in construction projects and other weight-bearing applications due to its high strength.
Carbon steel is able to conduct both heat and electricity well. This makes it ideal for parts that need to draw heat away from other areas or components where electricity needs to be conducted.
Types of steel like carbon steel are readily available and therefore usually inexpensive compared to other metals. Use of the metal spinning process also allows production costs to be minimised.
In addition to being an eco-friendly material, carbon steel bars can be easily reused in other manufacturing projects.
Metal spinning for various industry applications
At Tanfield Metal Spinners, we are proud to support UK manufacturers in a wide range of sectors and technical industries through quality metal spun parts. Our metal spinning UK services are provided by experienced professionals with a wealth of material knowledge. This allows us to give quotes and recommendations with the best project outcomes in mind. Contact us if you have any questions.