There are different types of steel in the manufacturing industries. And mild steel is one of them. Also, it is well-known for its vast applications and uses. Hence, though Mild steel provides many advantages, it has some demerits too.
You have to know the various aspects of Mild steel before using it for your work. Plus, you should consider its advantages and disadvantages before selecting the material.
Accordingly, we have brought up a detailed study in this article about the pros and cons of mild steel.
Let’s begin.
First of all, let us know what mild steel is.
What is Mild Steel
Mild steel is the type of ferrous metal that has carbon along with the base material of iron. Besides, it has suitable properties that make it a better material than iron for several engineering applications.
To define, Mild steel is a type of carbon steel that has a low amount of carbon in the weight proportion of the material. Hence, the carbon amount is 0.05% to 0.25% which is very low subject to other carbon steel types. You will often hear carbon steel called “low carbon steel”.
Furthermore, mild steel is a good fit for various industrial applications such as nail making, wire, welding, the furniture industry, etc.
Read More: Difference Between Mild Steel Vs Stainless Steel
How is low-carbon steel made?
Low carbon steel or mild steel is made using a heat treatment process. You can make mild steel following the same process as other carbon steels. For this, you need to follow some steps as follows-
- The first step is primary steel making which is heating the iron and melting it in a gigantic furnace. Oxygen is used to blow through the metal molted to reduce its carbon content.
- The next step is secondary steel making, done to reduce carbon further to ensure low carbon content in the material. This step is a similar heating process in the furnace, but the conditions like temperature, cooling, etc., are changed according to needs.
- Finally, a further casting and forming process is done to prepare the final finished material.
Chemical Properties of Mild Steel
The chemical properties can be percentage weight. Thereby, % of the weight of Mild steel is given below-
| Carbon | 0.15% maximum |
| Silicon | 0.25-0.75% |
| Sulphur | 0.03% maximum |
| Aluminium | 0.015-0.06% |
| Copper | 0.24-0.55% |
| Iron | Balance |
Physical Properties of Mild Steel
You will find good magnetic properties in mild steel due to its higher iron content in the metal. Other physical properties are-
- High impact and tensile strength
- Very good weldability
- Ductility
- Not suitable for heat treatment.
Advantages and Disadvantages of mild steel
The advantages of using mild steel can be many. On the contrary, there are some disadvantages of mild steel that you should keep in mind.
Mild Steel advantages
The advantages of mild steel are given below-
- Mild steel is lightweight. As a result, it becomes easy for you to work with.
- It is the most affordable type of steel for its low cost.
- Mild steel is ductile in nature. Thus, it becomes easy for you to bend into different shapes.
- Another considerable advantage is the weldability of mild steel. In addition, you can weld with mild steel, which is suitable for all sorts of basic welding operations.
- It provides high machinability and is suitable for drilling and cutting operations.
Mild Steel disadvantages
You have already known about the huge advantages. After all, everything has its demerits too. Therefore, this fact can lead you to the question, what are the disadvantages of Mild steel?
Well, mild steel also has some disadvantages. Here are some main disadvantages given below.
- Heat treatment cannot be done in mild steel. You cannot use mild steel for heat treatment to enhance the qualities, such as making it harder. If you subject mild steel to heat treatment, there will be no significant change after the process.
- Mild steel lacks strength compared to other steel categories. This is why it becomes useful in low-stressed applications. You cannot use them in high-stress or heavy applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may need to cut mild steel to make it suitable for applications. Mild steel cutting can be done using gas or flame cutting techniques.
No, mild steel is not corrosion-resistant. In fact, you may choose stainless steel for this purpose.
Conclusion
Mild steel has some huge benefits and can be machined easily. This makes it a great choice for manufacturers. Identically, its weldability gives it one of the best selections for welding purposes.
In contrast, mild steel does have some disadvantages as it cannot be heat treated or used for heavy applications.
Though it has some disadvantages, mild steel is yet a very good choice for manufacturing different products. To conclude, you should consider both the pros and cons before using mild steel to make the best choice for your work.