Steel facts - Do you realy know everything there is to know about metal?

INFORMATION QUICK AND EASY

Here we show you allthe surprising, fun and facinating facts about steel and aluminium that will bring you an understanding of the diverse and inspiringaspects of these materials. Immerse yourself in the world of the small and large wonders of our materials and be inspired by their versatile applications and fascinating properties. We not only provide you with interesting information but also an entertaining way to learn more about metal processing.

GENERAL

Modern ships are made of around 90% steel. The largest container ship in the world, the MSC Gülsün, weighs over 21.000 tons and can transport more than 23.000 containers.

Steel makes global shipping stable and durable.

The longest steel cables in the world - in lifts, cable cars and bridges - can carry several thousand tons of weight.

A single steel cable, such as that of the Zugspitze cable car in Germany, is up to 30 kilometres long and extremely resilient.

At 508 metres, Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world for a long time. 36.000 tons of steel were used in its construction!

Thanks to flexible yet incredibly strong steel frames, skyscrapers can even withstand earthquakes and storms.

Spacecrafts such as the Saturn V rocket, which took astronauts to the moon, used special high-strength steels.

The rocket contained around 270 tons of steel that could withstand the enormous forces during launch.

Without steel, there would be no manned space travel.

Every tonne of recycled steel saves around 1.400 kilograms of iron ore, 630 kilograms of coal and 55 kilograms of limestone.

This saves more than 1,5 billion tonnes of raw materials every year - making steel the absolute recycling champion among materials!

The Titanic was built with around 50.000 tonnes of steel.

Even today, ships are still largely made of steel, as only this material can withstand the enormous stresses and corrosion risks in salt water in the long term.

Steel is everywhere in our everyday lives. Every year, 1.9 billion tones of steel are produced worldwide, and stainless steel alone accounts for around 50 million tones.

In the kitchen, 90% of cutlery contains stainless steel, as do many household appliances.

The Eiffel Tower is made of 7,300 tones of iron, which at the time was produced using a special forging technique similar to today‘s structural steel.

In modern structures, steel can support buildings over 800 metres high, such as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest skyscraper in the world.

The first skyscrapers, such as the Home Insurance Building in Chicago (1885), has reached a height of 42 metres with the help of steel frames.

Today, modern steel structures can make buildings such as the Shanghai Tower, with a height of 632 metres, possible. Without steel, this type of construction would be unthinkable!

Over 50% of the weight of a modern car is made of steel. Around 900kg of steel is used per car, including the high-strength steel for safety systems.

In trains, steel wheels carry more than 16 billion tones of freight worldwide every year.

Every year, around 2 million tons of stainless steel are used for medical applications.

A surgical scalpel can be made of stainless steel that is just 0.1 millimetres thick, ideal for precision cuts.

In addition, around 20 million steel implants are used worldwide every year.

In aeroplanes, high-strength steel provides the necessary stability for turbines and engines.

An Airbus A380 contains around 50 tons of steel to cope with the immense load during take-offs and landings.

Without steel, commercial aviation would not be possible!

ALLOYS

Which alloying elements are there and how do they influence steel?

NICKEL improves the toughness, and also the hardenability, tensile strength, yield strength, corrosion resistance and heat resistance of the steel.

It is an important alloying element in austenitic stainless steels with a nickel content of between 8 and 26 %. In duplex steel, it is between 2 and 7 %.

COBALT blue, also called Thénard blue, has long been used to colour glass and ceramics. Cobalt also increases corrosion resistance in hard metals, e.g. in turbines or cutting tools.

PREMIUM 1.2709 ESU AISI / SAE 1.2709 ESR - an ultra-high strength tool steel alloyed with cobalt, with excellent toughness and high tensile strength.

TUNGSTEN, with the highest melting point, and chromium, for corrosion resistance, improve the performance of steel.

In our ABRAMS precision steel, they ensure hardness, toughness and wear resistance - perfect for industrial applications!

Adding SILICON increases the strength, wear resistance and scale resistance.

PREMIUM 1.2344 AISI / SAE H13 is a hot work steel with a high silicon content and is suitable for forging tools, dies and hot shear knives among other things.

MANGANESE improves the forgeability, weldability, strength and wear resistance of the steel. In high-alloy steels, it has a ferrite-stabilising effect. It promotes austenite formation, which is important for stainless steels, and increases hardenability.

One example is our PREMIUM 1.7131 AISI / SAE 5115 case-hardening steel, which combines wear-resistant surfaces with a tough core.

MOLYBDENUM is found on earth as hexamolybdenum, an alloy of molybdenum, iridium, iron, osmium and ruthenium. It is also found in foods such as spinach and eggs.

It improves the hardness, tensile strength and wear resistance of steel. Our PREMIUM 1.7225+QT AISI / SAE 4140+QT, a molybdenum-rich steel, is often used in vehicle construction due to its high strength and toughness.

MATERIAL GRADES

Technical properties, guide values and applications for ABRAMS PREMIUM STEEL

Standard values:
• Chemical designation: 90MnCrV8 / 100MnCrW4 • Working hardness: 57-62 HRC • Delivery condition: maximum 229 HB

Technical features:
• High wear resistance
• Good hardenability & dimensional stability

Standard values:
• Chemical designation: 90MnCrV8 / 100MnCrW4
• Working hardness: 57-62 HRC
• Delivery condition: maximum 229 HB

Technical features:
• High wear resistance
• Good hardenability
• Good dimensional stability

Reference values:
• Delivery hardness (annealed / tempered): max. 215 HB
• Tensile strength (deliv. cond.): approx. 690 N/mm2
• Working hardness: max. <20 HRC

Technical properties:
• Excellent corrosion resistance
• High temperature resistance
• Good weldability

Reference values:
• Delivery hardness (annealed / tempered): max. 270 HB
• Tensile strength (deliv. cond.): approx. 920 N/mm2
• Working hardness: max. 65 HRC

Technical properties:
• High wear resistance
• High toughness
• Good compression strength

Reference values:
• Delivery hardness (annealed / tempered): max. 241 HB
• Tensile strength (deliv. cond.): ca. 815 N/mm2
• Working hardness: max. 55 HRC

Technical properties:
• Corrosion-resistant
• Good machinability
• Can be hardened and polished

Reference values:
• Delivery hardness (annealed / tempered): max. 418 HB
• Tensile strength (deliv. cond.): ca. 1420 N/mm²
• Working hardness: max. 45 HRC

Technical properties:
• High-impact toughness
• Good dimensional and shape stability
• Easily polishable and weldable

APPLICATIONS

How and what is steel used for?

Cymbals made of 1.4305 / AISI / SAE 303 deliver the clear, sharp ‘crash’ that drummers need for their signature sound.

This steel offers the right balance between hardness and resonance to create impressive, long-lasting sounds - ideal for drummers looking for the perfect beat!

Edison invented the engraving tool. O'Reilly turned it into the tattoo machine in 1891 - and its needles? Made of stainless steel!

PREMIUM 1.2099 / AISI / SAE 1.2099 is perfect for this: corrosion-resistant, durable and strong - ideal for precise and hygienic applications such as tattoo needles and other surgical instruments.

1.2738 / AISI / SAE P20+Ni is the key to the precise and durable production of filling systems for beverage cans.

From classic cola cans to energy drinks - this steel ensures that the moulds remain resistant and dimensionally stable in order to produce millions of identical cans of the highest quality. Perfect for mass production in the beverage industry!

Robotic arms in car workshops that assemble, weld and move components benefit from the enormous strength of 1.2709 ESR.

This ultra-high-strength steel can withstand extreme loads and ensures precision and reliability in every application. Perfect for demanding automotive workshops that prioritise efficiency and durability!

Razor blades made from 1.2436 AISI / SAE D6 offer exceptional sharpness and durability.

This high-strength steel ensures that the barber's blades remain precise and sharp even after many uses - perfect for the clean, smooth cut that professionals appreciate!

Safety pins made from 1.2067 AISI / SAE L3 offer high strength and stability. This steel ensures that the needles close reliably and last a long time, no matter how often they are used.

An indispensable tool in the sewing box - robust, durable and safe!

Filter holders and steam nozzles in espresso and coffee machines are often made of 1.4301 AISI / SAE 304.

This corrosion-resistant and robust steel ensures that important components remain durable and hygienic so that your morning coffee is always perfect - reliably and in barista quality!

Horseshoe nails made from 1.7131 / AISI / SAE 5115 provide the strength and resistance required to securely fasten horseshoes to the hoof.

This steel ensures a long-lasting, reliable connection between horse and shoe - perfect for robust performance on any terrain!

Juggling clubs with handles made of 1.8550 offer ideal stability and durability without sacrificing lightness.

This high-strength steel ensures that the clubs sit comfortably in the hand even with intensive use and are extremely durable - perfect for demanding jugglers!

Dart tips made from 1.2363 / AISI / SAE A2 guarantee first-class sharpness and durability.

Thanks to its high wear resistance, each tip remains sharp and accurate even with intensive use, so you always hit the bullseye.

Perfect for professionals who prioritise tournament quality!

Moulds made from 1.2085 / AISI / SAE 420 FM guarantee the precise production of LEGO bricks.

Thanks to its polishability and durability, this steel enables smooth surfaces and long-lasting moulds that produce perfect bricks even after countless uses. Ideal for the production of the iconic, perfectly fitting LEGO bricks!

Bottle openers made of 1.4404 AISI / SAE 316L are stainless, highly polished and extremely durable - just right for tough and continuous use in bars.

This steel not only looks cool, but also remains reliable and corrosion-resistant even with intensive use. Perfect for hip locations where function meets style!

Guitar strings made from 1.4301 / AISI / SAE 304 offer excellent corrosion resistance and durability.

This steel ensures a clear, brilliant sound and maintains its quality for a long time, even with intensive playing. Perfect for musicians who want long-lasting strings without compromising on sound!

Pinball balls made from 1.2367 guarantee a smooth playing experience.

Thanks to its exceptional hardness and toughness, the ball remains scratch-free and can withstand intensive use. This steel ensures that the ball rolls through the machines with lightning speed and precision for years - without losing any of its quality!

1.2067 / AISI / SAE L3 brings the perfect combination of hardness and flexibility to katana blades. This high-strength carbon steel ensures extreme sharpness and stability, ideal for precise cuts and long-lasting blades.

Exactly what you would expect from a traditional samurai sword - strong, sharp and dimensionally stable!

If the Golden Gate Bridge were built today, it could be constructed with significantly less steel. Thanks to modern high-strength steels, which are lighter and more resilient, less material would be required without compromising stability.

In addition, construction costs would be lower, resource utilisation more sustainable and the service life longer.

The famous yellow bath ducks owe their perfect shape to the precision of 1.2311 AISI / SAE P20.

This material is used for the
injection moulds,
which ensure long-lasting and detailed results.

Ideal for moulds that often and reliably produce squeaky classics such as rubber ducks!

Lasha Talakhadze from Georgia lifted a total weight of 488 kg and has made history with it.

A barbell bar is made of steel that is alloyed and hardened to withstand the stresses, just like our PREMIUM 1.4305 AISI / SAE 303, a corrosion-resistant austenitic chromium-nickel steel.

Once made of bone, now made of high-quality steel - the key to fast and manoeuvrable ice skating lies in the blades.

PREMIUM 1.4034 stainless steel offers just that: corrosion-resistance, full hardenability and high wear resistance - ideal for long-lasting and high-performance skates!

Chocolate moulds made from 1.2312 AISI / SAE P20+S are the secret behind perfectly shaped Easter bunnies and Father Christmases.

In the confectionery industry, this polished steel ensures precise and durable moulds that reproduce even the finest details.

Diver‘s watches made from 1.4404 AISI / SAE 316L offer outstanding corrosion resistance and durability, even in the harshest underwater conditions.

This stainless steel protects the case from salt water and ensures reliability at any depth - ideal for precise, robust timepieces that work just as well under water as they do on land!

Steel facts - Do you realy know everything there is to know about metal?

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Steel facts - Do you realy know everything there is to know about metal?

INFORMATION QUICK AND EASY

GENERAL

ALLOYS

MATERIAL GRADES

APPLICATIONS

Our catalogues for download

Steel

Aluminium

Taps

About us

Please visit us on:

ABRAMS STEEL GUIDE®:

Select Your Country / Language

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