ThePipingMart Blog Metals What’s The Difference Between Wrought and Cast Steel?

What’s The Difference Between Wrought and Cast Steel?

Wrought Carbon Steel - The Basics

Regarding metals, wrought steel and cast steel are two of the most versatile materials on the market. Both are incredibly strong and durable, but they also have some important differences that you should be aware of before choosing either for your project. Let’s look at what sets wrought steel and cast steel apart.

Wrought Steel vs. Cast Steel – Heat Treatment Processes

The main difference between wrought and cast steel is in their heat treatment processes. Wrought steel is heated to high temperatures (over 1700°F) before being hard-pressed into a desired shape or form. This process makes it incredibly malleable, allowing it to be easily formed into complex shapes. On the other hand, cast steel is heated at much lower temperatures (around 1600°F), making it more brittle than wrought steel. As a result, it can only be used to create simpler shapes like cylinders and flat plates without too much difficulty.

Wrought Steel vs. Cast Steel – Strength

When it comes to strength, there isn’t a clear winner between wrought steel and cast steel, as both types of metal can provide excellent strength depending on their heat treatment processes. Generally speaking; however, wrought steels tend to be slightly stronger than cast steels due to their higher temperature heating process. If strength is your primary concern when choosing between the two types of metal, you may want to go with wrought steel over cast steel for your project.

Wrought Steel vs. Cast Steel – Cost

Another key difference between wrought and cast steels is cost; due to its more labor-intensive production process, wrought steels are generally more expensive than cast steels when purchased in bulk quantities. If you only need a small amount of either type of metal, then cost won’t be an issue as both types are relatively affordable in smaller quantities.

Conclusion

When deciding whether or not to use wrought or cast steel for your next project, consider how much strength you need and how complex the shapes need to be to get the best results out of either material. Of course, a budget will also play an important role—so make sure you factor that into your decision! Ultimately, both types of metals can provide excellent performance depending on your specific needs, so don’t feel like you have to choose one over the other if neither seems like an ideal option for your particular project!

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