TABLE OF CONTENTS Most stampings are made of steel. Carbon content varies from AISI-SAE 1010 to AISI-SAE 1030 and, therefore, most blanks are in the machine or cold-rolled steel range. Stampings are also made from these other materials:
Aluminum
Brass
Bronze
Copper
Stainless steel
Silicon steel
Fiber
Plastic sheet, etc.
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. Carbon must be present to the extent of about 0.05 percent by weight in order for the material to be known as "steel" rather than commercial iron. The composition and processing of steels are controlled in a manner that makes them suitable for numerous applications. They are available in various basic product shapes: sheet, strip, sheet, and plate.
Hot-rolled sheets are formed easily. Low-carbon sheets are used for tanks, barrels, pails, farm implements, lockers, cabinets, truck bodies, and other applications where scale and discoloration are not objectionable because surfaces are painted after forming. Hot-rolled sheets are readily available in thicknesses ranging from #30 gage (0.012 in. or 0.3 mm) to #7 gage (0.1875 in. or 4.8 mm).
Pickling, or the immersing of hot-rolled sheets in acid solution, results in smooth, clean, scale-free surfaces having a uniform gray color. Oiling protects the surfaces against rust.
These sheets are readily stamped or welded. Long-lasting painting or enameling is possible because of the absence of scale. Pickled and oiled sheets are used for household appliances, automotive parts, toys, and the like.
Copper-bearing sheets...
