Steelmaking is an essential metric of the modern age. It is at once the basis of material strength and lightness in construction, the basis of much of the electrical grid and transportation, and the basis of multiple types of weapons for both defense and offense. In other words, steel is at the very heart of industrial civilization in the 21st century.
Steelmaking is a complex process involving several stages of heating and cooling cycles, pressure treatment, and a variety of chemical treatments. It begins with a process called iron-making. Heating iron ore, usually in the form of a fine dust, at very high temperatures in a large cylinder-shaped furnace is the first step in steel-making. This process is sometimes referred to as smelting.
The resulting product is a crude iron product, referred to as iron or pig iron. This material is relatively difficult to shape and use. The next stage of steel-making is referred to as refining, and involves a variety of processes to convert this crude iron into a more widely-useable form.
Among the most common refining processes are oxidation, which removes sulfur and phosphorus from the product, and decarburization, which removes excess Carbon from the product. This is accomplished by a variety of activities, including electrical current pulses (or even electric arc furnaces), and various additive treatments.
The next step in steel-making is alloying. Alloying introduces various chemical elements to the refined steel material to impart strength, ductility, hardness, and other desirable qualities. The most common elements added during alloying are manganese, silicon, chromium, nickel, and molybdenum.
The final step in steel-making is the cooling process. Depending on the desired final product, steel may be cooled in various ways. This can involve letting the steel cool at room temperature, or with various cooling liquids or gases (such as water, oil, brine, or argon).
Successful steel-making involves a great degree of precision and knowledge to achieve desired products with desired properties. Steel products have a variety of usages, from electric vehicle frames to steel tools and cooking surfaces. The successful creation of the material depends on factors ranging from temperature, pressure, and duration of treatments to chemical addition. But mastering these techniques can result in a product that is a cornerstone of modern construction and industry.
