It often happens that you need to study a large layer of information, and time, as usual, a little. In such a situation, articles such as this one are very helpful: informative and concise. For example, in this short review all the most necessary information is collected regarding the grade of C235 steel: its composition, properties, analogues, decoding and scope. Having studied it, anyone can easily find the grade of metal he needs, if necessary.
Steel grade
Let's start with what this steel is called. After all, its symbol can tell a lot of useful information. So a professional who knows how to “read” alloy grades will immediately understand that C235 is construction steel, structural low alloy steel. This is evidenced by its marking, in which the letter “C” denotes its direct purpose - use in building structures, and the addition of numbers is the yield strength of the alloy, expressed in units of measurement - megapascals. This characteristic of steel is very important for industrial alloys, since it helps to calculate what maximum load can be applied to parts made of one or another metal without the risk of further critical deformation and, as a consequence, breakage.
The chemical composition of the alloy
The fact that C235 steel is low alloy does not mean that it does not contain any chemical impurities and additives that would give the material any outstanding properties. Yes, of course, the list of additives as a whole is not so extensive, when compared with more specific grades of steel, but chemical additives are still present in the composition of C235 steel. GOST - confirmation of this. This document, certified by all authorities, provides a list of alloying elements:
- Carbon (0.2%). Steel belongs to the class of low-carbon and has low hardness characteristics, which reduces the final strength, but significantly increases ductility and facilitates machining.
- Silicon (0.05%) is a natural deoxidizer, with this dosage slightly increasing the strength of steel, its heat resistance and ductility.
- Manganese (0.6%) - improves the structure of steel, endowing it with strength, however, it has little effect on its other indicators.
- Nickel, chrome and copper (0.3% each). The action of impurities is generally identical and is aimed at increasing corrosion resistance, heat resistance and overall strength.
- Phosphorus, sulfur (up to 0.05%) - harmful impurities that adversely affect the structure of the alloy. However, their content as a whole is negligible.
Alloy characteristics
Now that the chemical composition of the steel has been studied, the following points can be put forward regarding the characteristics of C235 steel:
- Plastic. The alloy does not have high hardness due to the low carbon content in the composition, as well as due to some additives that give the metal even greater ductility. Due to this, firstly, the facilitation of machining is achieved: shaping the C235 steel sheet by bending without preheating, straightening with a special tool, cold pressing, etc. Secondly, the risk of defects in the part when it is loaded is reduced.
- Weldability. The construction of building structures is difficult to implement without the participation of a welding machine, and therefore the material from which they will be made must have good weldability. And the steel grade C235 fits perfectly. After all, it can be welded without preliminary heating in any way and not be afraid that cracks will form at the seam.
- Corrosion Resistance The resistance of steel to oxidation and rust is very important. Indeed, it depends on this indicator how soon this or that design will become worthless. Steel C235 has medium resistance to corrosion, which allows you to work with it in normal humidity without the formation of rust.
Analogs and steel substitutes
The metal rolling market is really vast and therefore for the same operation you can easily find at least a couple of steels with a similar composition and characteristics. However, you need to know what exactly to look for. For C235 steel, the list of substitute alloys is as follows:
Knowing the list of these steel grades, any buyer at least threefold increases his chance of acquiring building materials for his needs. Although, with a high degree of probability, a good consultant will be able to point out the analogues of a particular alloy for free.