Glossary of Steel Terms
Whether you’re new to the steel industry or a seasoned professional, understanding common steel terminology is key to making informed decisions. At Steel Icon Stainless, we’ve compiled this glossary to help you decode industry-specific words, processes, and material properties used in steel manufacturing, fabrication, and supply.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Angle | A steel product shaped like an “L” used in structural frameworks, bracing, and support applications. |
| Annealing | A heat treatment process used to soften steel, improve ductility, and relieve internal stresses. |
| Beam | A long, strong piece of steel used to support loads in buildings and bridges, often I-beam or H-beam shaped. |
| Billet | A semi-finished steel product, typically square or round, used for further rolling or forging into finished items. |
| Blast Furnace | A large structure used for smelting iron ore with coke and limestone to produce molten iron, the primary material for making steel. |
| Carbon Steel | A type of steel made primarily of iron and carbon, widely used in construction and manufacturing due to its strength and affordability. |
| Cold Rolled Steel | Steel that is rolled at room temperature, producing a smoother surface finish and tighter tolerances than hot rolled steel. |
| Coil | A long, continuous sheet of steel that’s rolled into a coil for storage or transportation. |
| Deformation | A change in the shape or size of steel due to applied stress or load. |
| Ductility | The ability of steel to be stretched or drawn into a wire without breaking. |
| Flat Bar | A rectangular section of steel commonly used in fabrication, frames, and general construction. |
| Flange | The flat rim or edge on a steel beam or pipe, used to connect or strengthen components. |
| Galvanized Steel | Steel that is coated with a layer of zinc to prevent rust and corrosion. |
| Gauge | The thickness of sheet or plate steel. Lower numbers indicate thicker material. |
| Hardness | The measure of a steel’s resistance to indentation, wear, or abrasion. |
| Heat Treatment | A group of industrial processes used to alter the physical (and sometimes chemical) properties of steel to achieve desired mechanical characteristics. |
| Hot Rolled Steel | Steel rolled at high temperatures, which makes it easier to shape and form, often used in structural components. |
| I-Beam | A structural steel beam shaped like the letter “I”, used in construction for support and load-bearing. |
| Length Tolerance | The allowable variation in the length of steel products as defined by industry standards. |
| Mild Steel | A low-carbon steel known for its ductility, weldability, and versatility in various applications. |
| Pickling | A chemical process used to clean steel by removing surface impurities like rust or scale using an acid solution. |
| Plate | A thick, flat steel product used in heavy machinery, shipbuilding, and structural applications. |
| Galvanizing | A process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel to prevent rusting. It is commonly used for outdoor applications like fencing, roofing, and structural supports. |
| Rebar (Reinforcing Bar) | A steel bar used in concrete structures to provide tensile strength and prevent cracking. |
| Section | A specific shape or profile of steel (e.g., angle, channel, I-beam) used for structural purposes. |
| Sheet Steel | Thin flat steel, typically less than 6mm thick, used in construction, automotive, and appliances. |
| Slab | A semi-finished piece of steel that is further processed into plates or coils. |
| Structural Steel | Steel that is used in the construction of buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure due to its high strength and load-bearing capacity. |
| Tensile Strength | The maximum stress steel can withstand while being pulled before it breaks. |
| Tolerance | The allowable deviation in dimensions or physical properties in steel products. |
| Yield Strength | The stress at which steel begins to deform permanently. Crucial in determining its load-carrying capacity. |
Angle
A steel product shaped like an “L” used in structural frameworks, bracing, and support applications.
Annealing
A heat treatment process used to soften steel, improve ductility, and relieve internal stresses.
Beam
A long, strong piece of steel used to support loads in buildings and bridges, often I-beam or H-beam shaped.
Billet
A semi-finished steel product, typically square or round, used for further rolling or forging into finished items.
Blast Furnace
A large structure used for smelting iron ore with coke and limestone to produce molten iron, the primary material for making steel.
Carbon Steel
A type of steel made primarily of iron and carbon, widely used in construction and manufacturing due to its strength and affordability.
Cold Rolled Steel
Steel that is rolled at room temperature, producing a smoother surface finish and tighter tolerances than hot rolled steel.
Coil
A long, continuous sheet of steel that’s rolled into a coil for storage or transportation.
Deformation
A change in the shape or size of steel due to applied stress or load.
Ductility
The ability of steel to be stretched or drawn into a wire without breaking.
Flat Bar
A rectangular section of steel commonly used in fabrication, frames, and general construction.
Flange
The flat rim or edge on a steel beam or pipe, used to connect or strengthen components.
Galvanized Steel
Steel that is coated with a layer of zinc to prevent rust and corrosion.
Gauge
The thickness of sheet or plate steel. Lower numbers indicate thicker material.
Hardness
The measure of a steel’s resistance to indentation, wear, or abrasion.
Heat Treatment
A group of industrial processes used to alter the physical (and sometimes chemical) properties of steel to achieve desired mechanical characteristics.
Hot Rolled Steel
Steel rolled at high temperatures, which makes it easier to shape and form, often used in structural components.
I-Beam
A structural steel beam shaped like the letter “I”, used in construction for support and load-bearing.
Length Tolerance
The allowable variation in the length of steel products as defined by industry standards.
Mild Steel
A low-carbon steel known for its ductility, weldability, and versatility in various applications.
Pickling
A chemical process used to clean steel by removing surface impurities like rust or scale using an acid solution.
Plate
A thick, flat steel product used in heavy machinery, shipbuilding, and structural applications.
Galvanizing
A process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel to prevent rusting. It is commonly used for outdoor applications like fencing, roofing, and structural supports.
Rebar (Reinforcing Bar)
A steel bar used in concrete structures to provide tensile strength and prevent cracking.
Section
A specific shape or profile of steel (e.g., angle, channel, I-beam) used for structural purposes.
Sheet Steel
Thin flat steel, typically less than 6mm thick, used in construction, automotive, and appliances.
Slab
A semi-finished piece of steel that is further processed into plates or coils.
Structural Steel
Steel that is used in the construction of buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure due to its high strength and load-bearing capacity.
Tensile Strength
The maximum stress steel can withstand while being pulled before it breaks.
Tolerance
The allowable deviation in dimensions or physical properties in steel products.
Yield Strength
The stress at which steel begins to deform permanently. Crucial in determining its load-carrying capacity.
