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IS 7598 (1990): Classification of steels [MTD 4: Wrought

Steel Products]

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“Invent a New India Using Knowledge”

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है”
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 IS 7598 : 1990
( Reaffirmed 2003 )

Indian Standard
CLASSIFICATION OF STEELS
( First Revision >

First Reprint AUGUST 1996

UDC 669.14.001.3

QBIS 1990

BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS

MANAK BHAVAN, 9 BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG
NEW DELHI 110002

Price Group 2
General Metallurgical Standards Sectional Committee, MTD 1

FOREWORD

This Indian Standard was adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards on 22 January 1990, after the
draft finalized by the General Metallurgical Standards Sectional Committee had been approved by
the Metallurgical Engineering Division Council.

This standard was first published in 1974. This revision has been done keeping in view the manu-
facturing and trade practices followed in this field.

In the preparation of this standard assistance has been derived from:

IS0 4948/l : 1982 Steels - Classification - Part 1 : Classification of steels into unalloyed and
alloy steels based on chemical composition
IS0 4948/2 : 1981 Steels - Classification - Part 2 : Classification of unalloyed and alloy steels
according to main quality classes and main property or application characteristics.

For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this standard is complied with, the
final value, observed or calculated expressing the result of a test or analysis, shall be rounded off in
accordance with IS 2 : 1960 ‘Rules for rounding off numerical values ( revised )‘. The number of
significant places retained in the rounded off value should be the same as that of the specified value
in this standard.
 IS 7598 : w90

Indian Standard
CLASSIFICATIONOF STEELS
(First Revision )
1 SCOPE NOTE - Limits specified in the table for the following
elements shall not be considered for custom tariff pur-
poses for demarcating unalloyed and alloy steels,
1.1 This standard covers the classification of unless otherwise agreed to:
steels on the basis of chemical composition but
provision is also made for subdivision according a) bismuth;
to specific characteristics or use. b) lead;
c) selenium;
2 DEFINlTION OP STEEL
d) tellurium; and
2.1 For the purpose of classification, steel is an e) lanthanides and other specified elements ( except
iron base alloy generally suitable for working to S, P, C and N ).
the required shape in the solid state having a
carbon content generally less than 1’5 percent and 3.2.1 For determining whether the steel is unalloy-
containing v;rymi amounts of other elements. A ed or alloyed, the composition given in the stand-
limited number of high alloyed steels may have ard or specification or order shall be considered.
more than 2 percent carbon but 2 percent is the This usually refers to ladle analysis. In the
usual dividing line between steel and qast iron. absence of a standard or specification or ordered
composition, the classification shall be based on
3 CLASSIFICATiON ON THE BASIS OF the ladle analysis reported by the manufacturer.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
It may be necessary to certify the chemical com-
3.1 Steel shall be classified as follows: position of the material being supplied by analysis
a) Unalloyed steels, and of the product. In such cases, the number of
samples taken, the location of such samples, the
b) Alloy steels. meThods of analysis used and the permissible
deviation from the specified range of chemical
3.2 Unalloyed Steels composition shall be in accordance with the
product specification to which material is being
Unalloyed steels are those steels in which specified supplied.
content of any element is less than that indicated
below: Where the elements are defined by a range or by
a minimum value, the minimum value of that
Constitueiit Percentage range or the minimum specified shall determine
Aluminiurn 0’10 the class of the steel.
Boron 0’000 8
Bismuth 0’10 Where the elements are defined only by maximum
Chromium 0’30 values, 70 percent of these maximum values shall
Cobalt 0’10 determine the class of the steel.
Copper 0’40
Manganese l-65* 3.3 Alloy Steels
Molybdenum 0’08
Nickel 0’30 Alloy steels are those steels where specified content
Niobium 0’06 of any element is equal to or greater than that
Lead 0’40 indicated in 3.1.
Selenium 0’ 10
Silicon 0’50 Depending on the alloy content ( exclusive of
Tellurium 0’10 S, P, C and N ), alloy steels shall be subdivided
Titanium 0’05 as follows:
Tungsten 0’10
Vanadium 0’ 10 Subdivision Total Alloying Elements,
Zirconium 0’05 Percent
Lanthanides ( each ) 0’05 Up to and including 5
Low alloy steels
Other specified elements
( except S, P, C and N) 0’05 Medium alloy steels More than 5 but up to
and including 10
*If only a maximum is specitied for the manganese
content of the steel the boundary shall be at 1’80 percent. High alloy steels -More than 10
IS 7598: I990

4 MAIN CLASSES OF UNALLOYED STEELS 4.2.3 Unulloyed Quality Steel

4.2.3.1 General description

4.1 The main classes of unalloyed steels are
characterized by: The term ‘unalloyed quality steel’, applies to those
unalloyed steels which require special care during
a) the main quality class ( see 4.2 ), and
production ( for example, by grain size control,
b) the main characteristic ( see 4.3 ) of the decrease of sulphur and phosphorus content, im-
steel. provement of surface finish or increased production
control, etc ) to achieve, in comparison with base
4.2 Main Quality Classes steels, special quality characteristics such as improv-
ed resistance against brittle fracture, improved
4.2.1 Subdivision cold-forming properties, etc. However, require-
Unalloyed steels are subdivided into the following ments concerning careful production of these
main quality classes: steels are less stringent than those for classical
unalloyed special steels, that is, steels with con-
a) Base steel ( see 4.2.2 ), trolled hardcnability.
b) Unalloyed quality steel ( see 4.2.3 ), and
4.2.3.2 Dejinition
c) Unalloyed special steel ( see 4.2.4 ).
Unalloyed quality steels are those steels
4.2.2 Buse* Steel which are covered neither by the definition given
in, 4.2.2 for base steels nor by that given in 4.2.4
4.2.2.1 General description
for unalloyed special steels.
The term ‘base steel’ applies to all steels for which
no quality requirement, which would necessitate 4.2.4 Unalloyed Special Steel
special care during steel production, is specified.
4.2.4.1 General description
4.2.2.2 Definition
The term ‘unalloyed special steel’ applies to those
Base steels are steels which simultaneously meet steels the production of which requires special
the following four conditions: care comparable in extent with the care necessary
for the production of the classical special steels,
4 The steel is unalloyed. that is, unalloyed steels with controlled ( special )
b) No heat treatment? is specified. hardenability requirements.
4 The characteristics, if specified in product
In view of their special manufacturing conditions,
standards or specifications, are as follows:
special steels are generally cleaner-especially from
Minimum tensile strength <690 N/mm2 the point of view of inclusions-than quality steels.
Minimum yield strength < 360 N/mm2
Minimum elongation on < 26 percent 4.2.4.2 Dejinition
( Lo = 5 do )
Minimum diameter of > 1 x thickness The following unalloyed steels are special steels:
bending mandrel of test piece
Minimum energy absorb- a) All unalloyed steels ( including unalloyed
ed at 20°C ( on V- free-cutting steels and tool steels ) destined
notch test piece taken for heat treatment for which specific
longitudinally ) <2l,J requirements for at least one of the follow-
Maximum Rockwell ” ing characteristics are to be o_bserved:
Hardness HRB ~60 1) Requirements concerning the impact
Maximum carbon content > 0’ 10 percent properties in the quenched and tempered
Maximum phosphorus or simulated case-hardened condition.
content > 0’050 percent 2) Requirements concerning the hardening
Maximum sulphur depth or surface hardness after hardening
content > 0’050 percent or hardening and tempering.
Maximum nitrogen
content > 0’007 percent 3) Requirements concerning limitation of
surface discontinuities.
NOTE - The indicated mechanical characteristics
correspond to the range of thicknesses from 3 to 16 mm 4) Requirements concerning limitation of
and apply to test pieces taken in the longitudinal or the non-metallic inclusion content and/
transverse direction in accordance with the require- or the internal homogeneity.
;nents of the relevant standard or specification.
b) All unalloyed steels not destined for heat
d) No other quality requirement is specified. treatment for which at least one of the
following requirements is to be observed:
*Other terms used until now are regular steels, com-
mercial or merchant steel. 1) Requirements concering limitation of
the non-metallic inclusion content and/or
tAnnealing ( for example, stress-relieving treatment,
softening, annealing or normalizing ) is not to be con- the internal homogeneity, for example,
sidered as heat treatment. plates resistant to lamellar tearing.
 IS 7598 : 1990

2) The maximum phosphorus and/or 4 Unalloyed free cutting steels ( percent

sulphur content is limited as follows: sulphur minimum, cast > 0’070 percent
and/or additions of Pb, Bi, Te, Se or P).
i) For ladle analysis : <0’020 percent
4 Unalloyed tool steels.
ii) For product analysis : X0.025 percent
f) Unalloyed steels with particular specifica-
Examples: tions for magnetic or electrical properties
Certain steels for welding wire, steel ( Examples: Magnetic sheet and strip, steel
for wire for tyres. with permeability requirements for trans-
mitters, telephone wire, etc. ).
3) The contents of the following residual
elements are simultaneously restricted d Other unalloyed steels.
as follows:
Cu Max, cast <O’lO percent 5 -MAIN CLASSES OF ALLOY STEELS

Co Max, cast LO’05 percent 5.1The main classes of alloy steels are charac-
V Max, cast <O-O5 percent terized by:

4) The requirements for the surface quality a) the main quality class ( see 5.2 ), and
are more stringent than those specified b) the main characteristic (see 5.3) of the
in IS0 4954 for cold-heading and. cold- steel.
extruding steels.
* Examples: 5.2 Main Quality Classes
Certain cold-forging, cold-drawing
and plating qualities. 5.2.1 Alloyed Quality Steel

c) Steels with a specified electrical con- 5.2.1.1 General description

ductivity > 9 S/m or with specified magnetic
properties, e_xcepting magnetic sheet and The term ‘alloyed quality steel’ applies to steels
strip for which only the maximum magnetie with low alloy contents which are manufactured
losses and the minimum magnetic induction, in relatively large quantities and according to
and not, for example, the permeability, is quality requirements which are, in comparison
specified. with those for alloyed special steels, relatively
easy to fulfil.
4.3 Main Characteristics
5.2.1.2 Definition
For the purpose of this standard. main charac-
teristics are considered to be those characteristics The following alloy steels are quality steels.
which are applied with a certain priority, for
example, in designation systems or for classifica- 5.2.1.2.1 Structural weldable fine grain steels with
tion of steels. high yield strength, which simultaneoulsy meet
the following conditions:
4.3.1 For unalloyed steels, the classification 4 The specified minimum yield strength is
according to main characteristics used is as less than 420 N/mm2 (for thicknesses
follows: < 16 mm ).
a) Unalloyed steels with Re maximum, Rm
maximum, or HB maximum (or maximum b) The alloy contents, defined by a minimum
value or the lower value of a range, are
diameter of bending mandrel, etc) as the less than the values given in Table 1.
main characteristic. ( Example : Soft sheet
for cold-forming ).
If the alloying elements is defined by a maximum
b) Unalloyed steels with Re minimum or Rm value only the class to which it belongs is given
minimum, as the main characteristic. by the value corresponding to 70 percent of this
(Examples : Structural steels including maximum value.
steels for ships, pipelines, pressure purposes
and unalloyed steels with improved weather 5.2.1.2.2 Steels which are only alloyed with
resistance ). *copper and having a specified minimum capper
c) Unalloyed steels with the carbon content content greater than or equal to 0’40 percent but
as the main characteristic, with the excep less than 0’50 percent, or, if no minimum value si
tion of the steels indicated under (d) and specified, a specified maximum copper content
(e). (Examples: Steels for wire rod, steel greater than or equal to 0’57 percent but less
for quenching and tempering, etc. ). than 0’70 percent.
IS 7598:1990
Table 1 High Yield Strengh Alloyed 5.2.1.2.3 Alloys steels for rails
steels - Limiting Contents of Alloying
Elements for Alloyed Quality Steels 5.2.1,2.4 Silica-manganese steels for springs or
[ CIuu.w 5.2.1.2.1 (b) I parts resistant to abrasion with P and S > 0’035
percent. h
Alloying Element Limiting Contents,
Percent
5.2.1.2.5 Steels for sheets and strips containing
Chromium* 0’50 only Si and/or Al as alloying element and with
Copper’ 0’50 requirements for magnetic losses and for the
Lanthanides 0’06 minimum values for magnetic induction only
Manganese 1’80 (which means, for example, no requirements for
0’10
permeability ).
Molybdenum+
Nickel* 0’50
Niobium? 0’08 5.2.2 AIfoyed Special Steel
Titanium+ 0’12
Vanadium? 0’12
All alloy steels, excluding those indicated in 5.2.1
0’12
are special steels.
Zirconium*
Other elements not mentioned -
5.3 Main Characteristics
*When two, three or four of these elements are
specified together in the steel under consideration, it
is necessary to consider simultaneously: The general description given in 4.3.1, for the
-the limiting contents for each one of these elements;
main characteristics of unalloyed steels applies
also for alloy steels.
-the limiting content for mall these elements which
should be taken as equal to 70 percent of the sum
of the limiting contents indicated for each one of
the two, three or four-elements in question. . 5.3.1 The criteria used f&r the main characteri-
stics of alloy steels are characteristic applications,
tThe rule in for (+) is also applicable in these elements. properties andfor alloy contents.
Bureau of Indian Standards

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Review of Indian Standards

Amendments are issued to standards as the need arises on the basis of comments. Standards are also reviewed
periodically; a standard along with amendments is reaffirmed when such review indicates that no changes are
needed; if the review indicates that changes are needed, it is taken up-for revision. Users of Indian Standards
should ascertain that they are inpossession of the latest amendments or edition by referring to the latest issue
of ‘BIS Handbook’ and ‘Standards : Monthly Additions’.

This Indian Standard has been developed from Dot : No. MTD 1 ( 3479 ).

Amendments Issued Since Publication

Amend No. Date of Issue Text Affected

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