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High Strength SteelHigh strength steel commonly refers to all steel other than mild low-carbon steel. It is known for its structural integrity, high carbon and lighter weight. This steel is often used in the automotive, manufacturing and transportation industries to produce parts used in the construction of cars, trains, subway cars and heavy machinery. When high strength steel is produced with the newest manufacturing techniques, it offers reduced weight, enhanced crash performance, manufacturing process consolidation and a reduction in costs. The difference between high strength steel and low-carbon mild steels is the higher carbon and manganese levels, which increases strength. Processed by cold rolling and post-cold rolling procedures such as quenching, high strength steel is often alloyed with copper, silicon, nickel chromium and phosphorus for greater resistance to corrosion, zirconium and calcium for shape control, and columbium, copper, vanadium and titanium for strengthening. Advanced and ultra high strength steels have been developed over the past 2 decades in the steel industry, and are stronger and lighter weight than ever before. But with increased hardness and tensile strength comes a common problem—tooling materials that aren’t sturdy enough to handle the steel, which results in wear resistance, chipping and cracking of the machinery. So before these new stronger high strength steels hit other markets, such as the appliance industry, leveling, slitting and shearing machines will require much improvement.
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