Steel, an alloy of iron, is the most popularly used in construction worldwide. The durability and flexibility of steel make it the most versatile alloy, and it has a  wide range of applications like manufacturing tools, types of equipment, the automobile industry etc. The production of steel became a mainstream industry in the early 19th century. Before that, traditional methods were used in manufacturing steel. India is one of the five predominant manufacturers of steel. Contact steel dealers to enquire about the best steel in India.

History Of Revolution In Steel

The modern methods of steel production use a process called the Bessemer process. Many of you do not know what the Bessemer process is, but this is the cause of the industrial revolution which led to the mass production of steel. This method is the first inexpensive method to manufacture steel.

Bessemer process: 

In simple terms, when air is injected into molten pig iron (crude iron), impurities present in iron oxidise and separate. The oxygen in the air helps in removing the impurities like manganese, silicon, and carbon. Thus, the iron is converted into molten steel, which can be poured into moulds.

Process Of Manufacturing Steel:

There are 6 steps in making Steel. Stay with us to know them in detail.

Step 1:

Iron Making: 

This is the first step in which raw materials like iron ore, limestone and coal are put through a blast furnace. This results in a molten iron which still consists of impurities.

Step 2: 

Primary Steel Making: 

There are two types of producing steel: the BOS method (basic oxygen steelmaking) and the EAF method (electric arc furnace).

BOS Method: 

The impure molten iron ore, along with scrapped steel, is put into a furnace, and the temperature is raised. Now, oxygen is injected into the furnace resulting in oxidising of impurities.

EAF Method (electric arc furnace): 

A high-power electric arc melts the scrap steel and results in pure steel.

The steel obtained at the end of the above-mentioned process is called raw steel. Reach out to steel suppliers to know more about raw steel.

Step 3:

Secondary Steelmaking: 

The raw steel is processed to get different grades. You can add or remove specific elements at controlled temperatures to achieve different steel compositions. It involves stirring, temperature alteration, ladle injections, removal of gas and CAS-OB (Composition Adjustment by Sealed Argon Bubbling with Oxygen Blowing).

Step 4:

Casting: 

In this step, the molten steel is poured into pre-cooled moulds. The steel is removed from the mould when hot and allowed to harden. Then they are cut into desired sizes depending on the application which can be converted into MS chequered plate or other steel product. 

Step 5:

Primary Forming: 

In this step, using the hot rolling technique, steel is cut into the desired shape. Many types of products at the desired shapes are converted here. 

Step 6:

Secondary Forming: 

Various techniques, like welding, tempering, drilling etc., are used to give the required shape and structure.

The extensive application of steel has gained them an important place in the security and economy of any country. The flexibility of steel paves the way for many innovations. Undoubtedly, steel is the king of the construction industry and is used in manufacturing many tools from rebars to angles. Bharat Steels, is one of the best JSW steel dealers in Chennai, that offers high-quality TMT rebars, M.S. Angles, M.S. Channels, etc.