We’ve explored the different types of steel that you may source from China in this blog post before, but once you have sourced it, how do you check the properties of steel to make sure that it reaches your specifications? Testing. That’s how…

Which tests should we perform to check the properties of steel?

There are many reasons why you may want to make sure of the properties of steel. Here are a few examples related to safety:

• It will be made into the ropes of a suspension bridge.
• It will be formed and bolted into the wings of an aircraft.
• It will be rolled and welded into a pressure vessel.

There are many other, more mundane applications for which using the right alloy, which went through the right treatments (if needed), is quite important. (There are more than 3,000 such grades.)

Stories about large steel makers lying about the properties of their material are not unheard of.

If you need to confirm some of the most important physical properties (namely, tensile strength, hardness, toughness, and its resistance to corrosion), these videos will be useful.

This series of videos from our lead engineer Paul over on Sofeast.com will explain some of the common steel tests that you may come across.

1. Steel Tensile Strength Testing

Tensile strength is a measure of the force required before a material, in this case, steel, breaks or fails. The video covers:

• Why steel tensile strength is so important
• How to check the tensile strength of steel (following the ASTM A370 testing standard for mechanical testing and procedures of steel products)
• How to examine the tensile test results and what the data means
• The formula used to determine the steel’s tensile strength

Watch the video about steel tensile strength testing here.

2. Brinell & Vickers Steel Hardness Tests

Steel’s hardness indicates how well it will resist abrasion or damage through friction. There are two tests for this, and the video shows:

• What the Brinell hardness test is (equipment, test method, and formula from ASTM E10)
• Which types of steel products need the Brinell hardness test
• What the Vickers hardness test is (equipment, test method, and formula EN ISO 6507)
• How to apply HV values to steel
• Which test is more accurate

Watch the video about Brinell & Vickers hardness testing here.

3. Rockwell Steel Hardness Test

Another hardness test that can help you determine how well a particular steel grade will resist abrasion and friction. This video explores:

• What the Rockwell hardness test is
• The scales used in this type of testing
• The operation steps for when performing the test
• How to use the Rockwell hardness equation to calculate the steel’s hardness (HRC)
• An example of the test setup
• Some common Rockwell hardness values for steel products you may be familiar with along with their HRCs

Watch the video about steel Rockwell hardness tests here.

4. Steel Toughness Testing

Steel’s toughness demonstrates its ability to resist fracturing under force, for instance, if it can bend or take a hammer blow and retain its integrity then it is tough. We cover:

• The difference between steel toughness and steel strength
• How to calculate steel toughness using a Charpy V-notch test (CVN) with the energy required measured in Joules
• The effects of temperature on impact toughness and strength

Watch the video about steel toughness testing here.

5. Steel Corrosion Testing

Steel is often used in applications where it will come into contact with water, such as in a building’s foundations, perhaps. In these cases, corrosion resistance is a key quality to test for. The video explores:

• What the ‘salt spray test’ (ASTM B117 or ISO 9227) is and an overview of its process
• How to check an item’s corrosion resistance following the test
• The effects of corrosion to look out for

Watch the video about steel corrosion testing here.

Conclusion

We trust that these videos give you a helpful introduction to how to check the properties of steel. By the way, we are gathering all these videos about production materials and processes in a library on our commercial website, Sofeast.com.

What other processes or materials do you often work with? Do you have any questions about steel testing? Let me know by commenting, please.

P.S.

If you’d like to learn even more about steel alloys, take a look at these videos that explore the different types of steel, steel alloys, their uses, etc.