| alloy steel |
Steel that contains added materials that change the property of the metal. Common alloy elements include chromium, manganese, molybdenum, and nickel. |
| annealing |
The steady heating of a metal at a certain temperature followed by a gradual cooling process. Annealing can be done to restore ductility. |
| basic oxygen furnace |
A type of furnace used during the steelmaking process that injects pure oxygen into a batch of pig iron and other materials to burn the contents and produce steel. |
| big-end down mold |
A type of ingot mold that is wider at the base and narrower at the top. This shape makes it easier to remove the ingot once it cools. |
| billet |
A small, semi-finished piece of metal that is rectangular, circular, or square in shape. Billets are smaller than blooms. |
| blast furnace |
A tall furnace built with steel and brick that is used to produce pig iron from the original iron ore. |
| bloom |
A semi-finished piece of metal that is rectangular or square in shape. Blooms are larger than billets. |
| carburizing |
A surface hardening method that heats a metal within a carbon-rich environment to increase carbon levels on the metal surface. |
| cast |
To pour a molten metal into a mold. |
| charge |
The mix of material that is placed in a furnace. |
| coke |
A carbon-based fuel used to heat the contents of a blast furnace. |
| cold drawing |
A cold-working process that pulls a piece of metal through a smaller opening to compress and lengthen the metal. Cold drawing removes the scale that develops from hot working and creates accurate stock sizes. |
| cold rolling |
A cold-working squeezing process that passes a flat piece of metal between two rolls to flatten and lengthen the metal. |
| cold working |
The shaping of metal at temperatures much lower than the metal's molten state. Steel is often cold worked at room temperature. |
| continuous casting |
The process of pouring molten metal into a mold that creates a long, continuous slab of metal, which is then separated into pieces at the end of the casting process. |
| die |
A component with specific dimensions used to shape metal that is forced through or against it. |
| ductility |
The ability of a metal to be drawn, stretched, or formed without breaking. |
| electric arc furnace |
A type of furnace used during the steelmaking process that shoots electric arcs between electrodes to burn a combination of pig iron and other materials to produce steel. |
| electrical arc |
A strong and sudden bolt of electricity. |
| hot rolling |
A process that passes metal heated at elevated temperatures between two rolls to flatten and lengthen the metal. Hot rolling leaves a tough scale on the metal. |
| hot working |
The shaping of metal at temperatures close to the metal's molten state. Steel is typically hot worked at temperatures approximately 1300°F (700°C). |
| impurities |
An unwanted substance that reduces the quality of a material. |
| ingot |
The first solidified piece of steel from which other parts are made. |
| ingot casting |
The process of pouring molten metal into separate molds until the metal solidifies into ingots. |
| ingot mold |
A container in which molten steel is poured that is designed to hold the steel until it solidifies. |
| iron ore |
The natural form of iron, which is a combination of iron metal with other minerals and rocks. |
| limestone |
A sedimentary rock that is used in blast furnaces to remove impurities from iron ore. |
| machinability |
The ability of a metal to be shaped by machine processes such as milling, grinding, turning, or drilling. |
| manufacturing |
The process of producing and shaping a product on a large scale, often through the use of large machinery. |
| molten |
A metal in its liquid state. |
| pickling |
The soaking of metal in an acid to remove the hardened scale that develops from hot working. Steel is often pickled before it is cold worked. |
| pig iron |
The processed iron that is poured from a blast furnace. Pig iron still contains impurities. |
| raw material |
An unprocessed material that has not been manufactured. |
| slab |
a flat, semi-finished piece of metal that is at least twice as wide as it is thick. |
| slag |
The rock-like waste that separates from pig iron and is removed from a blast furnace. |
| solidify |
To change from a liquid to a solid. |
| stainless steel |
An alloy steel that is designed to resist corrosion. |
| steel |
A metal consisting of iron and carbon, usually with small amounts of manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, and silicon as well. |
| steelmaking process |
The process used to make steel from pig iron and other materials. |
| stock |
The raw material from which products are made through manufacturing. |
| strand casting |
Another term for continuous casting. |
| tolerance |
The unwanted but acceptable deviation from the desired dimension. Accurate dimensions require tighter tolerances. |
| tool steel |
A type of steel designed with high wear resistance, toughness, and strength. Tool steels are used to make cutting tools, dies, and fixtures. |
| tundish |
The device located at the top of a continuous caster that regulates the flow of molten steel. |