Steel is a type of metal, an alloy made up of iron and carbon. Steels vary depending on the percentage of carbon present. While there is variation depending on the composition, steel is known for being a very hard material that is resistant to damage. There are four main groups of steel: carbon steels, allow steels, stainless steels, and tool steels. Each of these comes with a set of distinct mechanical properties and are used for a range of applications. Back to entire glossary
