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Overview
In the Seabees, the Steelworker (SW) rating is recognized as the resident expert on the
use of metal. SWs lay airfields, erect towers, assemble pontoon causeways, reinforce
concrete, and erect buildings. They also use their expertise to fabricate all types of
metal objects, repair metal items, and resurface worn machinery parts.
Steelworkers need to know the two basic types of metal and be able to provide initial
identification. While they primarily work with the ferrous metals of iron and steel, they
also need to be able to identify and become familiar with the nonferrous metals coming
into more use each day.
In the civilian arena, the term Steelworker generally refers to those who make iron and
steel in the many steel plants, while the term Ironworker refers to those in the
construction industry who fabricate and build with iron and steel.
This chapter will present an introductory explanation of the basic types of metal and
provide initial instruction on using simple tests to establish their identity. For a more indepth presentation about the properties and uses of metal, refer to Steelworker
Advanced.
Objectives
When you have completed this chapter, you will be able to do the following:
1. Identify the basic metal types.
2. Describe identification procedures associated with basic metals.
Prerequisites
None
This course map shows all of the chapters in Steelworker Basic. The suggested training
order begins at the bottom and proceeds up. Skill levels increase as you advance on
the course map.
NAVEDTRA 14250A
1-1
S
T
E
E
L
Fiber Line
R
K
B
A
Gas Welding
Gas Cutting
Introduction to Welding
Basic Heat Treatment
Introduction to Types and Identification of Metal
NAVEDTRA 14250A
1-2
NAVEDTRA 14250A
1-3
Pig Iron comparatively weak and brittle with limited use. Approximately ninety
percent is used to produce steel, although cast-iron pipe and some fittings and
valves are manufactured from pig iron.
Wrought Iron made from pig iron with some slag mixed in during manufacture,
it is almost pure iron. Wrought iron usage diminished with the increasing
availability of mild steel in the late 19th century. Some items traditionally produced
from wrought iron included rivets, nails, chains, railway couplings, water and
steam pipes, nuts, bolts, handrails, and ornamental ironworks. Many products
still described as wrought iron, such as guardrails and gates, are made of mild
steel.
Cast Iron any iron containing greater than 2% carbon alloy. It tends to be
brittle, except for malleable cast irons. Cast irons have a wide range of
applications, including pipes, machine and automotive industry parts such as
cylinder heads, cylinder blocks, and gearbox cases. A malleable cast iron is
produced through a prolonged annealing process.
Ingot Iron a commercially pure iron (99.85% iron). It is easily formed, with
properties practically the same as the lowest carbon steel. In iron, the carbon
content is considered an impurity; in steel, the carbon content is considered an
NAVEDTRA 14250A
1-4
alloying element. The primary use for ingot iron is for galvanized and enameled
sheet.
1.1.2 Steel
Of all the different metals and materials that Steelworkers use, steel and steel alloys are
by far the most used and therefore the most important to study.
The development of the economical Bessemer process for manufacturing steel
revolutionized the American iron industry. Figure 1-1 shows the container vessel used
for the process.
With economical steel came skyscrapers, stronger and longer bridges, and railroad
tracks that did not collapse.
Steel is manufactured from pig iron by decreasing the amount of carbon and other
impurities and adding specific and controlled amounts of alloying elements during the
molten stage to produce the desired composition.
Carbon steel is a term applied to a broad range of steel that falls between the
commercially pure ingot iron and the cast irons. This range of carbon steel may be
classified into four groups:
Low-Carbon Steel tough and ductile, easily machined, formed, and welded, but
does not respond to any form of heat-treating except case hardening.
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1-5
High-Carbon Steel responds well to heat treatment and can be welded with
special electrodes, but the process must include preheating and stress-relieving
procedures to prevent cracks in the weld areas.
High-strength steels are covered by American Society for Testing and Materials
(ASTM) specifications.
Stainless steels are classified by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and
classified into two general series:
Alloy steels derive their properties primarily from the presence of some alloying
element other than carbon, but alloy steels always contain traces of other elements as
well. One or more of these elements may be added to the steel during the
manufacturing process to produce the desired characteristics.
Alloy steels may be produced in structural sections, sheets, plates, and bars for use in
the as-rolled condition, and these steels can obtain better physical properties than are
possible with hot-rolled carbon steels.
These alloys are used in structures where the strength of material is especially
important, for example in bridge members, railroad cars, dump bodies, dozer blades,
and crane booms. The following list describes some of the common alloy steels:
Nickel Steels used in the manufacture of aircraft parts such as propellers and
airframe support members.
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Chromium Steels used for the races and balls in antifriction bearings; highly
resistant to corrosion and to scale.
Chrome Vanadium Steel used for crankshafts, gears, axles, and other items
that require high strength; also used in the manufacture of high-quality hand
tools such as wrenches and sockets.
Molybdenum used in place of tungsten to make the cheaper grades of highspeed steel and in carbon molybdenum high-pressure tubing.
Copper one of the most popular commercial metals; used with many alloys;
frequently used to give a protective coating to sheets and rods and to make ball
floats, containers, and soldering coppers.
True Brass an alloy of copper and zinc, sometimes with additional alloys for
specific properties; sheets and strips are available in several grades.
Bronze a combination of 84% copper and 16% tin, and the best metal
available before steel-making techniques were developed; the name bronze is
currently applied to any copper-based alloy that looks like bronze.
Lead a heavy metal, but soft and malleable; surface is grayish in color, but
after scratching or scraping it, the actual color of the metal appears white.
CAUTION
When working with lead, take proper precautions!
Lead dust, fumes, or vapors are highly poisonous!
Aluminum easy to work with; good appearance; light in weight; needs alloys
added to increase strength.
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Duralumin one of the first strong structural aluminum alloys; now classified in
the metal working industries as 2017-T; T indicates heat-treated.
Alclad a protective covering of a thin sheet of pure aluminum rolled onto the
surface of an aluminum alloy during manufacture.
Monel an alloy in which nickel is the major element; harder and stronger than
either nickel or copper; acceptable substitute for steel in systems where
corrosion resistance is the primary concern
Inconel provides good resistance to corrosion and retains its strength at highoperating temperatures; often used in the exhaust systems of aircraft engines.
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Color
Unfinished, unbroken
surface
Aluminum
Light gray
White
Reddish-yellow to
yellowish-white
Red to yellow
Copper
Reddish-brown to green
Bright red
Iron, Cast-gray
Dull gray
Iron, Cast-white
Dull gray
Silvery white
Iron, Malleable
Dull gray
Iron, Wrought
Light gray
Bright gray
Lead
White to gray
White
Monel metals
Dark gray
Light gray
Light gray
Nickel
Dark gray
Off-white
Dark gray
Bright gray
Steel, High-carbon
Dark gray
Light gray
Steel, Stainless
Dark gray
Medium gray
As you can see by studying the table, a metals surface appearance can help you
identify it, and if you are unsure, you can obtain further information by studying a fresh
filing or a fresh fracture. If a surface examination does not provide you with enough
information for a positive identification, it should give you enough information to place
the metal into a class.
In addition to the color of the metal, distinctive marks left from manufacturing also help
in determining the identity of the metal.
Cast iron and malleable iron usually show evidence of the sand mold.
Inspecting the surface texture by feel may also provide another clue to its identity.
Wrought iron, copper, brass, bronze, nickel, and Monel are smooth.
When visual clues from surface appearance, filings, fractures, manufacturing marks, or
textural clues from the feel of the surfaces do not give enough information to allow
positive identification, other tests become necessary.
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1-9
Some are complicated and require equipment Seabees do not usually have. However,
the following are a few additional simple tests, which are reliable when done by a skilled
person: spark test, chip test, magnetic tests, hardness test.
Refer to Figure 1-2 through Figure 1-8 for illustrations of the various terms used in
referring to the basic spark forms produced during spark testing.
NAVEDTRA 14250A
Figure 1-3
Example of spark
testing termSHAFT.
Figure 1-4
Example of
spark testing
term-FORK.
1-10
Figure 1-5
Example of spark
testing termSPRIGS.
Figure 1-6
Example of spark
testing termDASHES.
Figure 1-7
Example of spark
testing termAPPENDAGES.
Figure 1-8
Example of spark
testing term-BUD
BREAK ARROW.
Steels that have the same carbon content but include different alloying elements are
difficult to identify; the alloys have an effect on the carrier lines, the bursts themselves,
or the forms of the characteristic bursts in the spark picture.
The alloying element may slow or accelerate the carbon spark, or make the carrier line
lighter or darker in color. For example:
Nickel appears to suppress the effect of the carbon burst; however, you can
identify the nickel spark by tiny blocks of brilliant white light.
Silicon suppresses the carbon burst even more than nickel; the carrier line
usually ends abruptly in a white flash of light.
You can perform spark testing with either a portable or a stationary grinder, but in either
case, the outer rim speed of the wheel should be not less than 4,500 feet per minute
with a clean, very hard, rather coarse abrasive wheel. Each point is necessary to
produce a true spark
When you conduct a spark test, hold the metal on the abrasive wheel in a position that
will allow the carrier line to cross your line of vision. By trial and error, you will soon find
what pressure you need in order to get a stream of the proper length without reducing
the speed of the grinder. In addition to reducing the grinders speed, excessive pressure
NAVEDTRA 14250A
1-11
against the wheel can increase the temperature of the spark stream, which in turn
increases the temperature of the burst and gives the appearance of a higher carbon
content than actually is present.
Use the following technique when making the test:
Watch a point about one third of the distance from the tail end of the spark
stream.
Always check the wheel for secure mounting and cracks before using.
When you install a new wheel on a grinder, be sure it is the correct size and
designated RPM.
o
When you turn the grinder on, stand to one side; this places you out of
line with the wheels centrifugal force in case the wheel should burst.
Never overload a grinder or put sideways pressure against the wheel unless it is
expressly built to withstand such use.
Always wear appropriate safety goggles or a face shield while using the grinder.
Ensure the work rest is adjusted to the minimum clearance for the wheel, and
move the work across the entire face of the wheel.
o
This helps eliminate grooving and minimizes the need for wheel dressing,
thus prolonging the life of the wheel.
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1-12
Keep your fingers clear of the abrasive surface, and do not allow rags or clothing
to become entangled in the wheel.
Misuse can clog the pores of the abrasive material with metal buildup,
which in turn can cause the wheel to become unbalanced and fly apart.
NAVEDTRA 14250A
1-13
Low-carbon steel
High-carbon steel
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Volume is small.
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Stainless steel
Wrought iron
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Chip Characteristics
Aluminum and
Aluminum Alloys
Smooth with saw tooth edges. A chip can be cut as a continuous strip.
Smooth with saw tooth edges. These metals are easily cut, but chips are more
brittle than chips of copper. Continuous strip is not easily cut.
Copper
Smooth with saw tooth edges where cut. Metal is easily cut as a continuous strip.
Iron, Cast-white
Iron, Cast-gray
About 1/8 inch in length. Metal is not easily chipped; therefore, chips break off and
prevent smooth cut.
Iron, Malleable
Vary from 1/4 to 3/8 inch in length (larger than chips from cast iron). Metal is tough
and hard to chip.
Iron, Wrought
Smooth edges. Metal is easily cut or chipped, and a chip can be made as a
continuous strip.
Lead
Any shape may be obtained because the metal is so soft that it can be cut with a
knife.
Monel
Nickel
Smooth edges. Metal is easily cut or chipped, and a chip can be taken off as a
continuous strip.
Steel, High-carbon
Show a fine-grain structure. Edges of chips are lighter in color than chips of lowcarbon steel. Metal is hard, but can be chipped in a continuous strip.
1-17
will not cut it. This method will indicate whether the material being tested is softer or
harder than the file, but it will not tell exactly how soft or hard it is.
The file can also be used to determine the harder of two pieces of metal; the file will cut
the softer metal faster and easier. The file method should be used only in situations
when the exact hardness is not required. This test has the added advantage of needing
very little in the way of time, equipment, and experience.
Because there are several methods of measuring exact hardness, the hardness of a
material is always specified in terms of the particular test used to measure this property.
Rockwell, Vickers, or Brinell are some of the methods of testing.
Of these tests, Rockwell is the one most frequently used, and requires a Rockwell
hardness testing machine. The basic principle used in the Rockwell test is that a hard
material can penetrate a softer one, and the amount of penetration is measured and
compared to a scale.
For ferrous metals, usually harder than nonferrous metals, a diamond tip is used for
depth penetration measurement and the hardness is indicated by a Rockwell C
number. On nonferrous metals, which are softer, a metal ball is used for surface
indentation measurement and the hardness is indicated by a Rockwell B number.
Consider lead and steel for an idea of the property of hardness. Lead can be scratched
with a pointed wooden stick, but steel cannot because it is harder than lead.
You can get a more complete explanation of the various methods used to determine the
hardness of a material from commercial books or books located in your base library.
Summary
This chapter has introduced you to the basics of the different types of metals and the
simple field and shop methods you can use to identify them. From here, you can begin
to build on your experiences to become a seasoned Steelworker considered a resident
expert on metals. Steelworker Advanced will provide additional, in-depth information
about metal properties in their varied compositions and alloys, along with a discussion
of additional uses.
NAVEDTRA 14250A
1-18
What term is used to describe the equivalent of the Steelworker rating in civilian
construction?
A.
B.
C.
D.
2.
3.
Ingot
Cast
Pig
Wrought
6.
magnetic
nonmagnetic
copper colored
alloy-free
Which type of iron is one of the main raw materials used to make steel?
A.
B.
C.
D.
5.
steel
iron
nickel
copper
4.
Steel erector
Iron placer
Steel fabricator
Ironworker
Steel
Cast iron
Copper
Wrought iron
NAVEDTRA 14250A
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7.
8.
9.
13.
12.
High carbon
Medium carbon
Mild carbon
Low carbon
11.
Remelting
Annealing
Plating
Alloying
What group of steel is best suited for the manufacture of crane hooks and axles?
A.
B.
C.
D.
10.
.5%
1%
1.5%
2%
Nickel steel
Chromium steel
Chrome Vanadium steel
Tungsten steel
NAVEDTRA 14250A
1-20
14.
15.
16.
When applying the spark test to a metal, you notice the spark stream has white
shafts and forks only. What does this condition indicate about the metal under
test?
A.
B.
C.
D.
19.
What manufacturing marks can you look for when a metals color does not
provide positive identification?
A.
B.
C.
D.
18.
Copper-Zinc
Copper-Lead
Copper-Aluminum
Copper-Tin
What action does the letter T signify when used in conjunction with a numbering
system that classifies different aluminum alloys?
A.
B.
C.
D.
17.
Cast iron
Carbon steel
Aluminum
Pig iron
It is a high-carbon steel.
It is a low-carbon steel.
It is a nickel alloy.
It is a molybdenum alloy.
What metal produces a spark stream about 25 inches long with small and
repeating sparklers of small volume that are initially red in color?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Nickel
Stainless steel
Grey cast iron
Monel metal
NAVEDTRA 14250A
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20.
Which of the following metals produces the shortest length spark stream?
A.
B.
C.
D.
21.
You perform the chip test by removing a small amount of material from the test
piece with a _____.
A.
B.
C.
D.
22.
High-carbon steel
Low-carbon steel
White cast iron
Nickel
(True or False) You can depend on a magnetic test for 100% accuracy to
determine a ferrous metal.
A.
B.
True
False
NAVEDTRA 14250A
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Austenitic
Bessemer process
Ferritic
Ferrous
Ingot
Malleable
Martensitic
Nonferrous
NAVEDTRA 14250A
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NAVEDTRA 14250A
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805/982-5508
E-mail:
CSFE_NRTC@navy.mil
NAVEDTRA 14250A
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