Carbon Steel Plates

We supply steel plate across a broad range of grades, from low-carbon structural plate to abrasion-resistant and pressure vessel quality steel.

Low Carbon Plate Steel

Low carbon plate steel is manufactured to three carbon ranges that relate to thickness and end use. Plates 3/4″ and lighter are produced to the lowest carbon range (0.10–0.20) for maximum cold forming and welding properties. For 3/4″ to 1½″, the carbon range is 0.15–0.25, which improves machining while retaining forming and welding properties.

Plates over 1½″ have carbon increasing to 0.20–0.33. This is a killed steel that provides the best combination of strength, weldability and structural soundness.

Medium Carbon Plate Steel

Medium carbon plate steel in the 0.40–0.50 carbon range is silicon killed, with higher carbon for improved strength. Light and medium thicknesses can also be heat treated for greater strength. Machinability is good, but forming and welding properties are limited.

Abrasion Resistant Steel

Abrasion-resistant steel is produced to a special carbon-manganese specification for applications requiring superior wear resistance, and usually outlasts ordinary steel grades by a wide margin.

AR360 is a medium strength and hardness quenched and tempered plate with excellent wear properties at a modest price. AR400 is a high hardness, high strength quenched and tempered chrome-moly, boron-treated alloy plate with good resistance to atmospheric corrosion and impact abrasion.

Pressure Vessel Quality Steel

Pressure vessel quality (PVQ) plate is produced to tightly controlled ASTM standards for pressure vessel and boiler applications, and also suits less demanding commercial uses. PVQ plate is subject to a specified series of tests to ensure conformance.

• ASTM A285 Grade C: firebox and flange quality for fusion-welded boilers and pressure vessels where moderate strength and good forming are required.
• ASTM A515 Grade 70: greater strength than A285, for intermediate and high-temperature boilers and pressure vessels. A silicon killed, coarse-grained steel that requires careful welding.
• ASTM A516 Grade 70: similar to A515 but for lower-temperature applications, with a finer grain and improved notch toughness. Stocked as rolled and Charpy tested.
• ASTM A572 Grade 50: 50,000 psi minimum strength, moderately priced, combining high strength with good formability and weldability. Conforms to SAE J410 and Grade 950X.