Plain carbon Steel: (Description 2 Marks, Application 2 Marks)

Plain-carbon steel or Carbon steel is a metal alloy. It is a combination of two elements, iron and carbon. Other elements are present in quantities too small to affect its properties. The only other elements allowed in plain-carbon steel are: manganese (1.65% max), silicon (0.60% max), and copper (0.60% max). Steel with low carbon content has the same properties as iron, soft but easily formed. With more carbon the metal gains hardness and strength but becomes less ductile and more difficult to weld. Higher carbon content lowers steel's melting point and its temperature resistance.

Applications of Plain Carbon steel (any four 1⁄2 mark each)

Building bars, grills, beams, angles, channels, bolts, axles, lock washers, large forging dies, springs, wires, wheel spokes, hammers, rods, turbine rotors, crank pins, cylinder liners, railway rails ,forging dies, punches, hammers, chisels, vice jaws, shear blades, drills, knives, razor blades, balls and races for ball bearings, mandrels, cutters, files, wire drawing dies, reamers, and metal cutting saws, etc.