World Steel Numbering System for Quenched and Tempered Alloy Structural Steel
Steels with a higher strength or hardness than low or medium carbon steels are normally created through a process of quenching and tempering. Quenched and tempered alloy structural steels are used in a variety of industries, from construction to fabrication, engineering and automotive. The primary use of these materials is to provide higher strength and durability in load bearing components.
Steelmakers classify steels for use in different alloys and strength groups. The World Steel Numbering System (WSN) is used as a way to organize and identify different quenched and tempered alloy structural steels. It is a system of seven-digit coding developed by the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) and is the international standard generally used to gain a further understanding of the composition of the material.
The World Steel Numbering System is based on the AISI-SAE-ASTM classification system and is divided into five segments. The first three digits represent the type of steel, while the fourth and fifth digits represent the specific alloy and the strength group. The last two digits are used to identify the trace elements present in the steel.
The first digit of the WSN classifies the type of steel in the following way:
1: Carbon Steels
2: Alloy Steels
3: Tool Steels
4: Stainless Steels
5: Heat Resistant Steels
6: High-Strength Low-Alloy Steels
7: Non-Age-Hardening Low-Alloy Steels
8: Nickel Steels
9: Non-Heat Resistant Low-Alloy Steels
The second two digits of the WSN classify the grade, alloy, and strength group into nine categories:
11: Mild Steels
12: Medium Carbon Steels
13: High Carbon Steels
21: Alloy Steels
22: Cr-Mo Alloy Steels
23: Nickel Chrome Steel
31: Tool Steels
32: High Speed Tool Steels
33: Cold Work Tool Steels
The second two digits of the WSN also identify specific alloy elements, such as chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, and other trace elements. These digits may be followed by an additional two digits, which indicate the specifics of the trace elements.
For example, an alloy quenched and tempered steel with a WSN of 414023 would represent a Cr-Mo alloy steel with 0.24% – 0.33% carbon, 0.55% – 0.9% manganese, 0.17% – 0.37% silicon, 0.4% – 0.7% chromium, 0.8% – 1.1% molybdenum, and 0.25% – 0.35% vanadium.
The WSN is used to classify steel components by their strength and hardness. In general, the higher the WSN (the higher the strength and hardness), the better the performance of the component.
Understanding the WSN system is essential for specifying the correct type of quenched and tempered alloy steel for any given application. By understanding these numbers, engineers can better match the steel grade to its use in a given situation, based on its alloy composition and strength group. Different types of quenched and tempered alloy steels are used for a variety of applications for a variety of components, and the WSN system is the best way to ensure that the correct grade of steel is chosen.