Steel categories — all 49 groups of the catalogue
Browse 49 steel categories — each with the number of grades it actually holds: structural, tool, stainless, heat-resistant and cast alloys.
Unalloyed structural steels
Unalloyed structural steels include all low-carbon steels in which the iron companions do not exceed specified minimum values. The yield strength, formability and weldability are the decisive factors for their use. They are soft, pliable, tough and stretchy, but cannot be hardened by heat treatment.
Case hardening steels
Case hardening steels are steels designed to develop a hard, wear-resistant surface while retaining a tough and ductile core. They are used for components such as gears, shafts and other machine parts exposed to contact wear and cyclic loading.
Phosphorus alloyed steels
Phosphorus-alloyed steels are steels in which phosphorus is used as a deliberate alloying element. They are characterised by phosphorus-assisted strength and machinability, and are used for components where these properties support efficient manufacturing and service performance.
Heat-resistant structural steels
Heat-resistant structural steels are structural steels designed to retain useful strength and dimensional stability at elevated temperatures. They are used for load-bearing components in hot-service equipment where mechanical performance must be maintained during heating.
Bake hardening steels
Bake hardening steels are sheet steels designed to develop additional strength during the paint-baking cycle after forming. They combine good formability during pressing with improved resistance to dents in finished automotive body panels and other formed sheet components.
Quenched and tempered steels
Quenched and tempered steels are heat-treated steels designed to combine high strength with useful toughness and ductility. They are used for heavily loaded components such as shafts, gears, fasteners and structural machine parts where resistance to mechanical stress is required.
Aging resistant steels
Aging-resistant steel is formulated to limit changes in its mechanical properties during storage and service. Its stable behavior over time makes it suitable for structural and formed components where consistent performance is important.
Fine-grain structural steels
Fine-grain structural steel is a name for structural steels whose properties are particularly suitable for welding. They have a higher yield strength than comparable steels. Due to the negative influence of carbon on the weldability of a material, the maximum carbon content in fine-grained structural steels is less than 0.2%. These properties are achieved in steelmaking by the addition of oxygen and nitrogen-binding elements. The fine grain in the metallurgical structure is achieved by alloying elements whose nitrides and carbides only dissolve at higher temperatures. With the same composition, they are stronger and tougher than coarse-grained steels. Fine-grained structural steels are used above all in reinforced concrete structures such as bridges, in the construction of cranes, hydraulic cylinders or other welded structures due to their special welding suitability and in the offshore area.
Microalloyed steels
Microalloyed steels are low-carbon structural steels strengthened and refined by small additions of elements such as titanium, niobium or aluminium. Their measured carbon contents are up to 0.1 percent, with yield strengths from 235 to 355 N/mm², making them suitable for load-bearing fabricated components where strength, toughness and weldability are required.
Sheet metal and slit strip
Sheet metal and slit strip are flat, thin metal products supplied as sheets or narrow longitudinal strips for fabrication. They are characterised by controlled thickness, width and formability, making them suitable for panels, enclosures, formed parts and other manufactured components.
Spring steels
Spring steels are alloy steels designed to store and release elastic energy repeatedly without permanent deformation. They are characterised by a combination of strength, hardness and resilience, making them suitable for springs, clips, washers and other components subjected to repeated flexing or shock.
Free cutting steels
Free-cutting steels are steels formulated to machine readily and produce manageable chips during cutting. Their machinability makes them suitable for turned, drilled and threaded components produced in high volumes, including small precision parts and fasteners.
Higher strength steels
Higher strength steels are structural materials designed to carry greater loads than conventional structural steels while retaining useful ductility. They are used for load-bearing structures and components where higher strength can support efficient material use and durable fabricated designs.
Dual phase steels
Dual phase steels are steels with a ferritic matrix containing a dispersed martensitic phase. This combination provides a balance of strength, ductility and formability, making them suitable for formed structural and safety components, especially in vehicle bodies.
Fine-grain steels for cold forming
Fine-grain steels for cold forming are steels with a refined grain structure, combining strength with the ductility needed for deformation at low temperatures. They are used for formed components where reliable shaping and consistent mechanical performance are required.
Complex phase steels
Complex phase steels are advanced high-strength steels with a finely engineered multiphase microstructure. They combine high strength with useful formability and are used for lightweight automotive structural and safety components where resistance to deformation is important.
High-strength multi-phase steels
High-strength multi-phase steels are iron-based materials with multiple microstructural constituents designed to provide high strength with useful ductility. They are used for load-bearing and crash-relevant components where weight reduction, structural performance and energy absorption are important.
Cold extrusion steels
Cold extrusion steels are engineering materials designed to be shaped into components by cold forming and extrusion. They combine the ductility needed for substantial plastic deformation with the strength and toughness required in cold-formed fasteners, automotive parts and other precision components.
Low-temperature structural steels
Low-temperature structural steels are structural steels designed to retain toughness and reliable load-bearing performance in cold service. Their resistance to brittle fracture at low temperatures makes them suitable for structures, pressure-containing equipment and other components exposed to severe cold.
Steels for surface hardening
Steels for surface hardening are steels designed to develop a hard, wear-resistant surface while retaining a tougher interior. They are used for gears, shafts and other machine parts where resistance to surface wear is needed together with resistance to impact and bending.
Unalloyed bearing steels
Rolling bearing steels are characterized by a high degree of hardness, service life, wear resistance and dimensional stability. Due to these good properties, these alloys are used for components subject to wear in mechanical engineering and in the automotive industry. They find their use e.g. B. as ball, roller and needle bearings and in wear-stressed components such as pump shafts.
Unalloyed tool steels / carbon steels
Unalloyed tool steels are carbon steels whose working properties are developed primarily through carbon content and heat treatment. They are characterised by high attainable hardness and wear resistance, and are used for cutting tools, punches, dies, gauges and other tooling where edge retention and resistance to deformation are important.
Tool steels for cold work
Cold-work tool steels are high-strength tool materials designed for shaping, cutting and forming operations carried out without significant heating of the workpiece. They are characterised by high hardness, wear resistance and the ability to retain a sharp or precise working edge, making them suitable for dies, punches, cutting tools and other tooling exposed to repeated mechanical contact.
Tool steels for hot work
Tool steels for hot work are alloy steels designed for tooling that operates in contact with heated metal. They are characterised by hot hardness, wear resistance, toughness and resistance to thermal fatigue, making them suitable for dies, moulds, punches and other forging, extrusion and die-casting tools.
High-speed steels
High-speed steels are alloyed tool steels designed to retain hardness and cutting ability when tools heat up during high-speed machining. Their hot hardness and wear resistance make them suitable for cutting tools such as drills, milling cutters, taps and broaches.
Bearing steels
Bearing steels are high-carbon steels designed for rolling-element bearings and other components exposed to repeated contact loading. They are characterised by high hardness, wear resistance and resistance to rolling-contact fatigue after suitable heat treatment. They are used for bearing rings, races and rolling elements where reliable operation under cyclic loads is required.
Non-magnetic steels
Non-magnetic steels are alloy steels designed to have very low magnetic response while retaining useful mechanical strength and ductility. They are used for components and structures where magnetic interference must be minimised, including specialised electrical, laboratory and mechanical equipment.
Controlled-expansion nickel-iron alloys
Controlled-expansion nickel-iron alloys are materials formulated to provide predictable thermal expansion and good dimensional stability. They are used for glass-to-metal seals, electronic packages and precision instruments where limiting thermal mismatch is important.
Stainless steels
Stainless steels are corrosion-resistant alloy steels whose chromium content promotes a protective passive surface film. They are used for equipment, structures and components exposed to moisture, chemicals or hygienic service, with different alloy compositions selected for corrosion resistance, strength, formability or weldability.
Special steels for aviation and aerospace
Special steels for aviation and aerospace are engineered steels designed to provide controlled mechanical properties and reliable performance in demanding service. Their alloying and heat-treatment capabilities support components that require a combination of strength, toughness and fatigue resistance, including aircraft structures and engine parts.
Cast stainless steels
Cast stainless steels are stainless-steel materials produced by casting, combining corrosion resistance with the ability to form complex component shapes. Their composition and mechanical behaviour vary by grade, and they are used for corrosion-resistant cast components such as pumps, valves and process equipment.
Heat resistant steels
Heat resistant steels are alloyed materials designed to retain useful mechanical properties and resist oxidation or scaling during service at elevated temperatures. They are used for components in furnaces, boilers, heat exchangers and power-generation equipment exposed to hot gases or sustained heat.
Valve steels
Valve steels are alloy steels developed for valve components exposed to heat, pressure, wear, and corrosive service conditions. They are characterised by combinations of strength, hardness, toughness, and resistance to oxidation or corrosion suited to the operating environment. Typical uses include engine valves and industrial valve parts where reliable performance and dimensional stability are required.
Heat-resistant cast steels
Heat-resistant cast steels are cast ferrous alloys formulated for service at elevated temperatures, where resistance to softening and thermal degradation is important. They are used for furnace components, heat-treatment equipment and other high-temperature plant parts that require cast shapes and dependable mechanical performance during heating.
Resistance heating alloys
Resistance heating alloys are metallic alloys designed to generate heat when an electric current passes through them. They combine electrical resistance with stability during prolonged heating, making them suitable for heating elements in furnaces, ovens and industrial equipment.
High-temperature steels
High-temperature steels are steels designed to retain useful strength and structural stability during exposure to elevated temperatures. Their alloying systems provide resistance to oxidation, creep and loss of mechanical properties during prolonged heating, making them suitable for furnace components, heat exchangers, boilers and other hot-service equipment.
High-temperature steels / aviation variant
High-temperature aviation steels are heat-resistant materials designed to retain strength and structural stability during prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures. Their alloying provides resistance to creep, oxidation, and thermal degradation, making them suitable for aircraft engine and other hot-section components.
High-strength steels
High-strength steels are steels designed to carry high loads while resisting deformation. They are used for load-bearing structures, vehicles and machinery where strength, durability and reduced material weight are important.
Precipitation hardening steels
Precipitation hardening steels are alloy steels strengthened by forming fine precipitates during a controlled heat-treatment process. They are used for components that require high strength and hardness together with useful toughness and dimensional stability.
Special steels for defense technology
Special steels for defense technology are alloy steels developed for demanding defense applications. They are characterised by controlled additions of elements such as nickel, chromium, molybdenum and vanadium, supporting combinations of strength, toughness, hardenability and wear resistance. They are used for heavily loaded structural, mechanical and protective components where dependable performance is required.
Low-temperature steels
Low-temperature steels are steels designed to retain toughness and resist brittle fracture at low service temperatures. They are used for equipment and structures exposed to cold or cryogenic conditions, where reliable impact resistance is important.
Boron-alloyed case hardening steels
Boron-alloyed case hardening steels are low-carbon alloy steels designed to develop a hard surface with a tougher core after case hardening. Their boron addition improves hardenability, while the alloying composition supports the production of durable gears, shafts and other wear-prone components.
Hydrogen resistant steels
Hydrogen resistant steels are steels designed to withstand hydrogen-related damage, including hydrogen embrittlement and hydrogen attack. They are used for pressure vessels, piping and process equipment exposed to hydrogen-containing environments, where resistance to hydrogen ingress and loss of toughness is important.
Nitriding steels
Nitriding steels are alloy steels designed for nitriding, a surface-hardening treatment that produces a hard, wear-resistant surface while retaining a tough supporting core. They are used for gears, shafts, dies and other components requiring resistance to wear, repeated loading and dimensional change in service.
Weathering steels
Weathering steels are structural steels designed to develop a protective patina when exposed to the atmosphere. This characteristic helps limit further corrosion and makes them suitable for bridges, building facades, rail vehicles and other outdoor structures where reduced coating maintenance is desirable.
Nickel and cobalt alloys
Nickel and cobalt alloys are metallic materials whose properties are developed through nickel-, cobalt-, or combined alloying systems. They are characterised by strong resistance to corrosion, oxidation, wear, and loss of strength at elevated temperatures, making them suitable for turbine components, chemical-processing equipment, and other demanding high-temperature applications.
Cast iron
Cast iron is an iron-based casting alloy whose properties depend on its composition and microstructure. It is characterised by good castability and a range of hardness, strength, and ductility, making it suitable for machine bases, housings, pipes, engine components, and wear-resistant parts.
Cast steel
Cast steel is a ferrous material produced by pouring steel into moulds to form components. It combines the shape-making flexibility of casting with the strength and toughness associated with steel, making it suitable for complex, heavily loaded parts such as machinery components, structural castings and industrial equipment.
Not assigned to a specific category
Others
These are miscellaneous metallic alloys that do not fit a more specific material family and may be based on iron, nickel, cobalt, copper or other alloy systems. They are selected for applications requiring particular combinations of strength, hardness, toughness, wear resistance or resistance to demanding service conditions.