Alloy steel and stainless steel are not the same thing, but stainless steel is a type of alloy steel. “Alloy steel” is a term that covers any steel that has at least one more element added to it to give it extra perks, like more strength or durability and change its overall properties. We’ve written up a whole guide on alloy steel if you’d like to know more about it. Basic steel, without any alloying elements, usually consists of iron and some carbon. Aside from these, you might find some chromium, which is added to make it corrosion-resistant, but stainless steel has at least 10.5% chromium.
Stainless steel is extremely popular among Xometry customers, but there are many different grades of it, all with different strengths (and maybe also some weaknesses). Keep reading for more on the different types of alloys and stainless steel and how stainless steel fares compared to the other types of alloys.
Types of Alloy Steel
Alloy steels are available in various broad categories. We break these down in the table below.
| Type | Description |
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Low-alloy
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Only a small amount of additional elements are added to this type of steel to enhance some of its properties, like strength, hardness, or toughness. These could be chromium, nickel, and/or manganese. It’s used when the strength-to-weight ratio is important, like for construction and mining equipment.
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High-alloy
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These have larger amounts of alloying elements to greatly improve the steel’s performance. These include chromium, vanadium, and nickel, which are particularly helpful in ramping up the steel’s hardness and strength.
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Tool
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Tool steels are used for making tools, and will usually have many other elements added to make them extra hard and wear-resistant, even at high temperatures.
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Maraging
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These types of steel are impressively strong and tough. They’re often used in circumstances that require serious strength like aerospace and the military.
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