ABSTRACT
Steel is essentially an alloy of iron and carbon but, despite this apparent simplicity, it is one of the more complex and interesting ofall materials. In this chapter the manufacturing process is described briefly. This will enable steel to be distinguished from its close relatives - wrought iron, cast iron and cast steel - and also explain some terms found in specifications. Note that the descriptions are based upon traditional steelmaking practice - nowadays there are many variations. The chem'istry, however, remains the same.
