Metal Supermarkets, Inc.

United States

Alloy steel is a steel that has had small amounts of one or more alloying elements (other than carbon) such as such as manganese, silicon, nickel, titanium, copper, chromium and aluminum added. This produces specific properties that are not found in regular carbon steel. Alloy steels are workhorses of industry because of their economical cost, wide availability, ease of processing, and good mechanical properties. Alloy steels are generally more responsive to heat and mechanical treatments than carbon steels. The heat-treated type is available in both Annealed and Normalized. To learn more about Annealing and Normalizing, visit our Metal Glossary Alloy Steel can be purchased online and at any Metal Supermarkets location. It can be cut to your exact specifications. Click on a metal shape below to see types and sizes available.

Cold Rolled Steel is steel which has been rolled at room temperature, below its recrystallization temperature. This increases its strength and hardness and decreases its ductility. In addition to improvement of mechanical properties, cold rolling results in more control over the shape and dimensions of the finished product. Cold Rolled steel has an improved surface finish and tighter tolerances compared to hot rolled steel. It is commonly used for parts requiring cold forming, such as crimping, swaging or bending. It can also be used for Shafts, machinery parts, bolts, pinions, gears, as well as in the creation of furniture, appliances and other consumer goods. Cold Rolled Steel can be purchased online and at any Metal Supermarkets location. It can be cut to your exact specifications. Click on a metal shape below to see types and sizes available.

Stainless steel is a steel alloy with increased corrosion resistance compared to carbonalloy steel. Common alloying ingredients include chromium (usually at least 11%), nickel, or molybdenum. Alloy content often is on the order of 15-30%. Common applications include food handlingprocessing, medical instruments, hardware, appliances, and structuralarchitectural uses. For more information about the difference between Stainless and Aluminum, click here. Stainless Steel can be purchased online and at any Metal Supermarkets location. It is available in a wide variety of shapes such as bar stock, channel, beam, angle and more. It can be cut to your exact specifications. Click on a metal shape below to see types and sizes available.

Hot-dip galvanizing is the process of coating iron or steel with a thin zinc layer, by passing the steel through a molten bath of zinc at a temperature of around 860 F (460 C). When exposed to the atmosphere, pure zinc reacts with oxygen to form zinc oxide, which further reacts with carbon dioxide to form zinc carbonate, a dull grey, fairly strong material that stops further corrosion in many circumstances, protecting the steel below from the elements. Galvanized steel is widely used in applications where rust resistance is needed, and can be identified by the crystallization patterning on the surface (often called a spangle). The process of hot-dip galvanizing results in a metallurgical bond between zinc and steel with a series of distinct iron-zinc alloys. The resulting coated steel can be used in much the same way as uncoated. Galvanized steel can be welded; however, one must exercise caution around the resulting zinc fumes. Galvanized steel is suitable for high-temperature applications of up to 392 F (200 C). Use at temperatures above this level will result in peeling of the zinc at the intermetallic layer. Galvanized sheet steel is commonly used in automotive manufacture to enhance corrosion performance of exterior body panels of some models.

Tool steel is a term used for a variety of high-hardness, abrasion resistant steels. Specific tool applications are dies (stamping or extrusion), cutting, moldmaking, or impact applications like hammers (personal or industrial). It is also a common material used to make knives. Tool Steels are extremely hard and are quite often used to form other metal products. Tool Steel is available in a wide variety of shapes including round bar, flat bar, square bar and more. It can be purchased online and at any Metal Supermarkets location. It can be cut to your exact specifications. Click on a metal shape below to see types and sizes available.