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1. Hot-Rolled Steel Grades

   April 6, 2022 6:12 am Leave a Comment

   According to the World Steel Association, there are more than 3,500 different steel grades, each of which has unique physical and chemical properties. This broad variety makes steel suitable for a wide range of applications.

   Hot-rolled steel is one of the most frequently used types of steel; its excellent formability enables it to be manufactured into bars, sheets, tubes, and various other components. It is available in numerous grades, which find use in various applications.

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   Overview of Hot-Rolled Steel

   Hot-rolled steel is carbon steel that has been heated to above its recrystallization point (typically at or above 1,700° F), flattened to the desired size and thickness by high-speed rollers, and worked into the necessary form (e.g., bar, plate, sheet). It can be low-carbon (containing up to 0.3% carbon), medium-carbon (containing 0.3–0.6% carbon), or high-carbon (containing more than 0.6% carbon). The processed material exhibits excellent mechanical properties at a lower cost than cold-rolled steel, which makes it an appropriate choice for many applications, including construction, railroad tracks, and sheet metal. However, since the process can cause scaled surface textures and/or material shrinkage, the material is best suited for applications that do not have tight tolerances or strict surface finishing requirements.

   What Is the Steel Hot Rolling Process?

   The process of making hot-rolled steel is as follows:

   1. Heating the steel to above its optimal rolling temperature
   2. Forming and rolling the steel into a large rectangular piece
   3. Feeding the piece through a series of roll mills to form and stretch it into a thin strip
   4. Water cooling the strip at the rate needed to achieve the desired metallurgical properties
   5. Winding it into a coil (if needed)

   Common Hot-Rolled Steel Grades

   Hot-rolled steel is available in many grades or standards set by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) or the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Some of the most widely used are:

   • A36: This is one of the most popular hot-rolled steel grades as it is weldable and machine washable and has excellent mechanical properties.
   • C1010 and C1018: These hot-rolled steel grades are more formable, machinable, and weldable than alloy and high-carbon steels. The main difference between them is carbon content; C1010 has between 0.08% to 0.13% carbon content by weight, while C1018 has between 0.14% to 0.20% carbon content by weight.
   • A1011: This versatile hot-rolled steel grade is widely used in automobile bodies, metal fabrication, and sheet metal structural applications.
   • C1026: This hot-rolled steel grade is AISI-designated. It has highly similar mechanical and chemical properties to A36 but a slightly lower carbon content. It is used for furniture, automotive components, structures, and more.
   • A500: This hot-rolled steel grade is also a low-carbon alloy. It is solely used for tubing.
   • C1045: Like C1026, this hot-rolled steel grade is AISI designated. However, it is medium-carbon steel, which means it offers greater strength.
   • C1141: This medium-carbon hot-rolled steel grade contains manganese and sulfur, which make it easier to machine.

   Learn More About Hot-Rolled Steel From McDonald Steel

   Want to learn more about hot-rolled steel? Ask the experts at McDonald Steel. We are tooled to roll over 500 symmetrical and asymmetrical hot-rolled steel shapes. Our products find application in a diverse range of markets, where they serve as ideal alternatives to forged, cast, extruded, cold drawn, and machined steel components. For additional information on hot-rolled steel and the various grades available, contact us today.

2. McDonald Steel and the $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

   March 2, 2022 9:36 am Leave a Comment

   On Nov. 15, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, representing an increase of $550 billion in infrastructure investment. This law aims to modernize current infrastructure and expand roads, internet coverage, wildfire prevention, and other infrastructure projects across the country.

   Infrastructure Budget Breakdown

   Introduced in the spring of 2021, the bill is part of a long-term plan to revamp the country’s infrastructure, likely to take place over the next five years and beyond. Funding will travel directly from federal to local government agencies.

   Of the total $1.2 trillion budget, transportation makes up $284 billion. This money will funnel to the Department of the Interior, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, and state governments. 

   The largest single portion of the money—$110 billion—will fund bridges, roads, and highways. Generally, state highway and transportation agencies will have a budget increase of 21%. The funding will primarily focus on improving bridges of economic significance, as well as strengthening roads and bridges to withstand damage from climate change.

   The transportation budget also sets aside $11 billion for multiple transportation safety programs. The money will go towards reducing traffic fatalities and funding existing safety programs for highways, pipelines, trucks, and hazardous materials.

   Efficient Infrastructure Design with McDonald Steel

   The new bill will support McDonald Steel in our mission to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure. Our hot-rolled steel products are field-proven for national bridge and railroad applications. These products have been time-tested and have very rigorous performance requirements. 

   For nearly a century, McDonald Steel has contributed to the country’s critical infrastructure—our products can be found in roads and bridges across the United States, including the Brooklyn Bridge, Peace Bridge, Ambassador Bridge, and Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. We are also committed to meeting the increasing demand for rail freight shipping. Track maintenance will become increasingly vital for safe and dependable railways.

   High-Quality Steel Components from McDonald Steel

   The new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is great news for manufacturing industries, particularly those that work on infrastructure. McDonald Steel has a wide range of facilities, experience, and expertise to produce specialized steel parts for infrastructure projects. Our products come in a vast selection of sizes and configurations to meet any project and industry requirements. 

   Our devoted team of engineers works with our customers’ engineers to design and develop a custom solution that’s right for them. Industry-leading companies depend on McDonald Steel because of our expertise in precision hot rolling technology, which can create cost-effective near net shapes that maximize performance and efficiency.

   Our materials can meet or exceed the standards for any infrastructure project, including railroads, steel bridge constructions, bridge decking, and heavy equipment applications. To maintain the highest level of quality across our services and products, our company is ISO 9001:2015 certified.

   If you would like more information about our products and capabilities, contact us today.

   

3. Senator Sherrod Brown Visits McDonald Steel to Tout New Infrastructure Bill

   November 24, 2021 9:36 pm Leave a Comment

   When U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown visited McDonald Steel on Wednesday, November 10th, to tout the benefits of the recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan he was greeted by company officials who said they are both eager and able to meet increased demand for specialty steel shapes that will be driven by the hundreds of billions of dollars the legislation dedicates to road, bridge, and rail construction.

   “This plan makes a huge investment in the future of steel production right here in the Mahoning Valley,” Sen. Brown said after touring McDonald’s 14” hot roll mill. “We fought to make sure this bill has the strongest Buy America rules ever passed. That’s going to mean more work for steel made in America, more work for McDonald Steel, and job creation up and down the supply chain.”

   Company President Jim Grasso’s reaction was emphatic and succinct: Bring it on because here at McDonald we do infrastructure.

   “Today, more than a century after this mill opened, McDonald Steel is in an incredibly strong position to thrive in the 21^st Century thanks to the massive and long-overdue investment in the nation’s infrastructure championed by Senator Brown,” Grasso said. “The $110 billion in funding for roads, including $40 billion for bridge repair and construction, along with the $66 billion for railroads will create increased demand for the specialty shapes we produce—demand we are ready and more than able to meet.”

   Mike Havalo, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, noted that McDonald Steel is already recognized as one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of bridge expansion joints, bridge grid decking, railroad joint bars, railroad track brake shoes, railroad D-bars, as well as railroad car brake beams.

   “Our steel grid deck was used on the Peace Bridge which connects Buffalo, NY, and Canada and we are now suppling components to the companies working on the Ambassador Bridge in the Detroit area,” Havalo said. “We’ve become a major player in the bridge sector because contractors know they can depend on McDonald to deliver the high-quality shapes they need on time and on budget order after order, project after project, day after day. We are confident our reputation not just meeting, but exceeding customer expectations will make us a ‘go-to’ supplier when bridge construction begins across the United States.”

   

   McDonald’s ability to roll more than 500 asymmetrical and symmetrical hot rolled steel shapes and custom design capability will enable the company to compete for and secure business in the other industries that will be impacted by infrastructure plan. “From material handling to auto and truck making, to water transmission, to construction, if a company needs a hot-rolled specialty shape, we can produce it,” he said. “That is why we are very excited about the future.

   Grasso said that along with its commitment to quality, customer service, and extensive product line, McDonald possesses one more advantage that places the company in an extremely strong position to capitalize on the vastly increased infrastructure spending: reliable sources of domestic steel that will enable the firm to comply with the bipartisan plan’s strong “Buy USA” provisions.

   “The solid relationships we have forged with domestic steelmakers have enabled us to weather the supply chain challenges that have impacted our competitors,” he commented. “Now those relationships will have the added benefit of giving us a head start when demand for steel increases rapidly in the months ahead. We are already receiving inquires from customers and potential customers in anticipation of the money flowing into the economy. We are committed to turning those inquiries into orders that will fuel growth at McDonald well into the future.”