Manufacturing Process: Machining vs. Fabrication
May 1, 2022
The Fourth Industrial Revolution
July 1, 2022
Custom laser cutting by AMS
Every day, we use a laser cutter to produce custom-designed panels using mild steel. We are available to assist our customers with their designs, prototypes, and production volumes.
What is Mild Steel?
Mild steel, commonly known as “low carbon steel,” is a form of carbon steel having a low carbon content. Although values vary depending on the source, mild steel normally has a carbon concentration of 0.05 percent to 0.25 percent by weight, whereas higher carbon steels typically have a carbon content of 0.30 percent to 2.0 percent. If any more carbon is added, the steel will be categorized as cast iron.
Mild steel sheet is a thin, flat piece of steel with many applications. It is measured by its thickness (gauge) and is often used in general fabrication where the finish is not critical.
Mild steel has less carbon than other steel, making it more ductile, machinable, and weldable. It is difficult to harden and strengthen by heating and quenching. Because it has less carbon and other alloying elements to prevent dislocations in its crystal structure, this results in lower tensile strength than high carbon and alloy steels. Mild steel is magnetic due to its high iron and ferrite content.
Because mild steel lacks alloying components like those found in stainless steel, the iron in it is susceptible to oxidation (rust) if not adequately coated. However, the small amount of alloying elements in mild steel allows it to be more affordable than other steel. The price, weldability, and machinability of this steel make it a popular customer option.
Facts About Mild Steel
Mild steel has ferromagnetic properties. This makes it ideal for the manufacture of electrical devices and motor parts.
Mild steel is the cheapest and most versatile form of commercially available steel used as sheet metal, bar, rod, and sections.
It can be machined and shaped easily due to its inherent flexibility. It can be hardened with carburizing, making it the ideal material for producing a range of consumer products.
- High tensile strength
- High impact strength
- Good ductility and weldability
- A magnetic metal due to its ferrite content
- Good malleability with cold-forming possibilities
- Not suitable for heat treatment to improve properties
Working with Mild Steel Panels
It’s simple to fill a complete sheet of metal when laser-cutting bespoke panels. The entire sheet may be filled with the cut-outs once a single panel has been programmed, which takes only a few minutes.
These panels may be made without the requirement for any post-laser cutting-edge deburring and can be powder coated and packaged for shipping.
We make sheet metal blanks mostly by laser cutting customized panels and CNC punching. We can make a wide range of sub-contract parts by feeding these unique blanks through our CNC press brakes.
Work with AMS
Give us a call if you have a sheet metal product that has to be manufactured. Whether it’s hundreds or thousands of pieces or just a few, we will evaluate which procedure is most appropriate for your project.
