Modern steel production technologies in wide use
In the present time, steel is an incredibly important raw material for construction, manufacturing, and daily life activities, not only in Vietnam but also worldwide. Given its crucial role, the steel industry is a focus of investment, quality improvement, and continuous technological advancements by numerous corporations, enterprises, and governments around the world. So, what are the modern steel production technologies in wide use nowadays? Let’s explore this with RX Tradex in the following article.
1. Overview of steel manufacturing industry.
1.1. What is steel?
What is Steel? Steel is an alloy primarily composed of iron (Fe), melted together with carbon (C) and various other chemical elements (Si, Mn, P, S, Cr, Ni, Mo, Mg, Cu, etc.). Adjusting the ratio of these elements during the melting process influences the properties of the final steel alloy, including hardness, elasticity, ductility, oxidation resistance, and strength.
1.2. Roles and applications of steel nowadays.
At present, there are more than 3,000 types of steel used worldwide across various fields such as healthcare, construction, consumer goods, transportation, and so on. Additionally, due to its ease of shaping, high strength, steel is a primary material in industries like mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, and automobile assembly. In the present era, steel is irreplaceable, offering a wide range of applications in both everyday life and the manufacturing industry.
2. Top 5 wide use steel production technologies today.
2.1. Carbon steel production technology.
What is carbon steel production technology? This method produces steel by removing impurities and creating steel with low carbon content. Specifically, carbon steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, with carbon content typically not exceeding 2.1%. There are no specific requirements for the minimum content of other alloying elements in this type of steel. Based on the carbon content, carbon steel can be categorized into three groups:
- Low carbon steel: Carbon content equal to or less than 0.25%.
- Medium carbon steel: Carbon content ranging from 0.25 to 0.6%.
- High carbon steel: Carbon content ranging from 0.6 to 2.1%.
Today, carbon steel manufacturing technique has a wide range of significant uses in several industries, typically:
- Rolled into thin sheets to make: Engine covers, mechanical parts with low durability requirements, containers, furnace bodies, etc.
- Mainly used to produce moving parts that require high durability: pump pistons, steam turbine blades, gears, crankshafts, machine tool spindles, rollers, etc.
- Used to make parts with small cross-sections, including: Springs, wear parts, tools requiring high hardness, etc.
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2.2. Alloy steel production technology.
What is alloy steel production technology? This is the process of producing steel by combining different chemical elements to create steel alloys with special mechanical and chemical properties that meet market demands. Various alloying elements like Cr, Ni, Ti, Cu, V, Co, Mn, Si, etc., in specific proportions, are introduced during the manufacturing process to alter the structure and properties of the steel. Alloy steel is primarily classified into two types:
- High alloy steel: Elements added account for more than 10% of the total steel mass.
- Low alloy steel: The most commonly used type, with elements like Chromium, Silicon, Manganese, and Boron added during production, typically not exceeding 10% in composition.
At the moment, alloy steel is a material that is often utilized in practice, with typical fields like:
- Applied in the field of: Mechanical casting for machine manufacturing, automotive components, ship equipment, etc.
- Leveraged to manufacture all kinds of machinery parts such as: Engine shafts, light and medium load shafts, gears, etc.
- Become the main material in the production of machine parts: Rollers, bolts, cutting boards, cranks, …
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2.3. Stainless steel production technology.
What is stainless steel production technology? This steel production technology is resistant to rust and oxidation. Stainless steel is typically made from iron alloyed with elements such as Nickel, Chromium, and Molybdenum to enhance its corrosion resistance. Stainless steel is commonly divided into three product lines:
- Austenitic stainless steel: Comprising a high proportion of Chromium, Nickel, and Molybdenum, making up about 70%.
- Ferritic stainless steel: Contains very low Nickel and high Carbon content.
- Martensitic stainless steel: Contains Nickel and higher Carbon content than other types, offering greater strength but lower corrosion resistance.
Stainless steel is currently used in a wide range of production sectors, often for the following purposes:
- Austenitic steel is used in the production of household appliances: Tanks, industrial pipes, ships, construction, etc.
- Ferritic steel is often used in manufacturing: Boilers, washing machines, etc.
- Martensitic steel is often used in manufacturing: turbine blades, blades, ….
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2.4. Blast furnace steel production technology.
What is blast furnace steel production technology? A blast furnace is a type of furnace used in metallurgy to melt raw materials like iron ore and recycled steel, resulting in the production of pig iron. The pig iron is further processed to produce finished steel products.
In Vietnam, Hoa Phat is a pioneering company in adopting this steel production technology. It uses imported equipment from Germany and the Netherlands to produce high-quality steel, meeting the strictest export standards of Europe, the United States, and Japan. [1] Typical applications of blast furnace steel production include:
- Leveraged to manufacture important structures serving the construction industry such as: Frames, columns, beams, construction materials,…
- Used in the production of industrial machinery and components, including: Gears, shafts, load-bearing parts, etc.
- Become a production material in the energy industry: Fuel pipes and parts related to oil, gas and electricity.
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2.5. Electric arc furnace steel production technology.
What is electric arc furnace steel production technology? This is the most commonly used steel production method in Vietnam today. Enterprises typically use electric arc furnaces to melt iron ore or used steel, creating new products or recycling old materials.
Currently, electric arc furnace steel production technology is a trend pursued by many corporations and businesses. According to Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, Executive Chairman of GFG Alliance – the company that owns Liberty Steel, one of the world’s largest steel “empires”, said electric arc furnaces will pave the way for “green” steel to be available. can be exported around the world. At the same time, this technology not only helps decarbonize industrial production but also helps ensure the operation of the “green” steel supply chain globally. [2] The following are some typical applications of arc furnace steel production technology:
- Support businesses in saving energy for steel production activities up to 20-30%.
- Reduce operating costs.
- Reduce emissions to the environment.
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3. Summary.
With this list of Top5 Wide Use Steel Production Technologies Today provided above, RX Tradex hopes that it could offer essential information for businesses regarding the typical applications of various steel production methods in the current era. Furthermore, in the present year, businesses interested in exploring the latest production technologies can participate in the Vietnam Manufacturing Expo, organized by RX Tradex Vietnam. Additionally, in this year, RX Tradex will host premier regional exhibitions such as NEPCON Vietnam, METALEX Vietnam, and Waste and Recycling Vietnam, scheduled for 2024.
Note:
[1]: Ưu việt của thép Hòa Phát áp dụng công nghệ luyện từ quặng chất lượng cao
