How Stainless Steel Is Made

From car engines and bicycles to hammers, screwdrivers and industrial machinery, countless products are made from stainless sTeel. Over the last century, stainless steel has become increasingly common. You can now find it almost everywhere. But despite its unparalleled popularity, many people don't know how it's made. If you're wondering how stainless steel is made, read on to find out more about this common and popular steel alloy, including how it's produced.

What is stainless steel?

Stainless steel, also known as inox steel or simply 'inox', is an alloy consisting mainly of iron, chromium and carbon. Technically, steel isn't a metal. It's an alloy of iron. Stainless steel consists mainly of iron, but also contains chromium and carbon. While the exact Proportions of these compounds can vary, it's not uncommon for steel to contain 11% chromium and 1.2% carbon, with the rest being iron.

A defining characteristic of stainless steel is the presence of chromium. Chromium, even in small amounts, provides protection against rust and corrosion. When applied to the surface of stainless steel, chromium prolongs its life by protecting against rust and corrosion. Without chromium, oxygen and moisture will cause oxidation with the iron in stainless steel, resulting in the gradual deterioration of the metal.

The steps in making stainless steel

So how exactly is stainless steel made? While different companies use different methods to produce stainless steel, most use a similar process that involves melting materials in a large furnace and then forming the molten materials into stainless steel.

So how exactly is stainless steel made? While different companies use different methods to make stainless steel, most use a similar process that involves melting materials in a large furnace and then forming the molten materials into stainless steel.

To make stainless steel, a company will first put iron, chromium and carbon into a large furnace where they are heated. The molten materials are then cast into ingots, billets or blocks. They are then further processed, usually by hot rolling, which manipulates the materials into the desired shape and size.

After processing, the stainless steel is descaled. Descaling is necessary because scale forms on the metal during the previous steps. Descaling is a process that lives up to its name by removing the scale.

This is just a basic overview of the steel making process. Steel can be made in countless other ways, some of which are quicker, some of which are longer and more tedious. However, all stainless steel is made by melting a combination of iron, carbon and chromium, the latter being responsible for protecting against rust and corrosion. Without chromium, it wouldn't be stainless steel. It would be ordinary steel.