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This document describes the processing and fabrication of carbon and alloy steels. The basic steelmaking process including iron ore reduction, the uses of fluxes, and the various melting furnaces are briefly described. The various types of steels: killed, rimmed, semikilled, and capped are described in terms of their melting and microstructural differences and their end product use. This document also provides a list of the commonly specified elements used to alloy elemental iron into steel. Each element's structural benefits and effects are also included. A list of the AISI Steel Products Manuals is included and describes the various finished shapes in which steel is produced.

This SAE Information Report summarizes the characteristics of carburized steels and factors involved in controlling hardness, microstructure, and residual stress. Methods of determining case hardenability are reviewed, as well as methods to test for freedom from non-martensitic structures in the carburized case. Factors influencing case hardenability are also reviewed. Methods of predicting case hardenability are included, with examples of calculations for several standard carburizing steels. A bibliography is included in 2.2. The references provide more detailed information on the topics discussed in this document.

This SAE Information Report describes the processing and fabrication of carbon and alloy steels. The basic steelmaking process including iron ore reduction, the uses of fluxes, and the various melting furnaces are briefly described. The various types of steels: killed, rimmed, semikilled, and capped are described in terms of their melting and microstructural differences and their end product use. This document also provides a list of the commonly specified elements used to alloy elemental iron into steel. Each element’s structural benefits and effects are also included. A list of the AISI Steel Products Manuals is included and describes the various finished shapes in which steel is produced.

In 1941, the SAE Iron and Steel Division, in collaboration with the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), made a major change in the method of expressing composition ranges for the SAE steels. The plan, as now applied, is based in general on narrower cast or heat analysis ranges plus certain product analysis allowances on individual samples, in place of the fixed ranges and limits without tolerances formerly provided for carbon and other elements in SAE steels. For years the variety of chemical compositions of steel has been a matter of concern in the steel industry. It was recognized that production of fewer grades of steel could result in improved deliveries and provide a better opportunity to achieve advances in technology, manufacturing practices, and quality, and thus develop more fully the possibilities of application inherent in those grades.

This SAE Information Report provides a list of those SAE steels which, because of decreased usage, have been deleted from the standard SAE Handbook listings. Included are alloy steels from SAE J778 deleted since 1936, carbon steels from SAE J118 deleted since 1952, and all EX-steels deleted from SAE J1081. Information concerning SAE steels prior to these dates may be obtained from the SAE office on request. With the issuance of this report, SAE J778, Formerly Standard SAE Alloy Steels, and SAE J118, Formerly Standard SAE Carbon Steels, will be retired since they are now combined in SAE J1249. In the future, new assignments to SAE J1081, Chemical Compositions of SAE Experimental Steels, will be given "PS" (Potential Standard) numbers rather than "EX" numbers. The steels listed in Tables 1 and 2 are no longer considered as standard steels. Producers should be contacted concerning availability. The last column lists the date a steel was last listed as standard in the SAE Handbook.

This SAE Information Report provides a list of those SAE steels which, because of decreased usage, have been deleted from the standard SAE Handbook listings. Included are alloy steels from SAE J778 deleted since 1936, carbon steels from SAE J118 deleted since 1952, and all EX-steels deleted from SAE J1081. Information concerning SAE steels prior to these dates may be obtained from the SAE office on request. With the issuance of this report, SAE J778, Formerly Standard SAE Alloy Steels, and SAE J118, Formerly Standard SAE Carbon Steels, will be retired since they are now combined in SAE J1249. In the future, new assignments to SAE J1081, Chemical Compositions of SAE Experimental Steels, will be given “PS” (Potential Standard) numbers rather than “EX” numbers. The steels listed in Tables 1 and 2 are no longer considered as standard steels. Producers should be contacted concerning availability.

The information and data contained in this report are intended as a guide in the selection of steel types and grades for various purposes. Consideration of the individual types of steel is preceded by a discussion of the factors affecting steel properties and characteristics. SAE steels are generally purchased on the basis of chemical composition requirements (SAE J403, J404 and J405). In many instances, as in the case of steels listed in SAE J1268 and J1868, hardenability is also a specification requirement. This information report can be used as a reference for determining the general characteristics and applications of commonly used SAE steels. The use of the typical heat treatments listed in Tables 1 through 7 is recommended. These and other heat treatments commonly used on steel are briefly described at the end of this section.

H steels and their corresponding minimum and maximum hardenability limits are shown for all of the carbon and alloy steels for which there are sufficient hardenability data and for grades that can use the standard end quench test. As hardenability data are accumulated for other grades, this SAE Standard will be revised to include such grades.