METAL

CHARACTERISTICS OF METALS:
HARD

(EXCEPT MERCURY WHICH IS LIQUID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE)

OPAQUE
ELASTICITY - THE ABILITY OF A MATERIAL TO ABSORB FORCE AND FLEX IN
DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, RETURNING TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION.
LUSTER (WHEN POLISHED)
GOODELECTRICAL ANDTHERMAL CONDUCTIVITY.
MALLEABLE CAN BE HAMMERED OR PRESSED PERMANENTLY OUT OF
SHAPE WITHOUT BREAKING OR CRACKING
FUSIBLE(ABLE TO BE FUSED OR MELTED)
DUCTILE (ABLE TO BE DRAWN OUT INTO A THIN WIRE)
METAL BUILDING PRODUCTS, WITH APPROPRIATE SURFACE TREATMENT
WHEN NECESSARY, ARE WEATHERPROOF, SEISMIC PROOF, CORROSION
RESISTANT AND IMMUNE TO THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF UV RAYS,
ENSURING A VERY LONG SERVICE LIFE WITHOUT DEGRADATION.

RECYCLABLE & REUSABLE

METALS CAN BE RECYCLED WITHOUT LOSS OF QUALITY.

ALL BONDS ARE RESTORED AFTER RESOLIDIFICATION , METALS
CONTUNUALLY RECOVER THEIR ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE EVEN AFTER
MULTIPLE RECYCLING LOOPS.
THIS ALLOWS THEM TO BE USED AGAIN AND AGAIN FOR THE SAME
APPLICATION .

A S C O M PA R E D T O N O N
M E TA L S

CLASSIFICATION: ALL METALS CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS

EITHERFERROUSORNON-FERROUS .

IS IT
MAGNETIC ?

 FERROUS METALS ARE USED FOR HIGH-STRENGTH APPLICATIONS,

SUCH AS ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION, AND AUTOMOBILE
MANUFACTURING. ALSO USED IN JUST ABOUT ANY APPLIANCE OR
COMPONENT THAT NEEDS A MAGNETIC FEATURE, LIKE THE
HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR.
NON-FERROUS METALS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE BEST FOR
APPLICATIONS THAT REQUIRE A COMBINATION OF STRENGTH AND
LOW WEIGHT.

METALS LIKE ALUMINUM AND MAGNESIUM ARE COMMONLY USED IN

THEMANUFACTURE OF AIRCRAFT, FOR INSTANCE.

RESISTANCE OR IMMUNITY TO RUST IS A USEFUL CHARACTERISTIC AS

WELL, AND ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS THAT ALUMINUM IS USED IN
THE CANNING INDUSTRY.
THE NON-MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF MOST OF THESE METALS ALSO
MAKE THEM IDEAL FOR ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC INSULATION
APPLICATIONS.

METALS
NONFERROUS

FERROUS

COPPER
&
ALLOYS

IRON

ALUMINI
UM

WROUGH
T IRON

ZINC

PIG IRON

TIN

CAST
IRON

LEAD

STEEL

FERROUS
ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAG
ES

NON-FERROUS

HIGH QUALITY MATERIAL

READILY AVAILABLE
SPEED OF CONSTRUCTION
VERSATILITY
RECYCLABLE
MODIFICATION & REPAIR
DURABILITY
AESTHETICS ( EXAMPLE :
STEEL)
HIGH STRENGTH TO WEIGHT
RATIO COMPARED TO NONMETALS ( STRONG BUT
LIGHTWEIGHT )

CAN BE USED IN
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MOISTURE
RESISTANT
CORROSION
RESISTANT
HIGH ELECTRICAL
CONDUCTIVITY
MALLEABLE (THIN
SHEETS )

PRONE TO CORROSION BY
RUSTING (EXCEPT STAINLESS
STEEL)
COSTLY WASTE
HIGH COST ( FINAL FINISHING &
POLISHING)
MORE ENERGY AND STRENGTH
TO FORM OR TO RE-WORK INTO
A REQUIRED SHAPE.

MALLEABL E
( CANNOT TAKE HEAVY
LOADS )
COSTLIER THAN
FERROUS METAL

MILD STEEL
IT IS THE MOST COMMONLY USED FERROUS METAL. ITS MAJOR PROPERTIES ARE
TOUGHNESS, HIGH TENSILE STRENGTH AND DUCTILITY.
THE METAL IS LOW ON CARBON CONTENT IT CAN NOT BE HARDENED.
IT IS NORMALLY USED IN MANUFACTURING OF GIRDERS, PLATES, NUTS AND
BOLTS AND OTHER GENERAL PURPOSES.

TAINLESS STEEL
ITS ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT FERROUS METAL. IT COMPRISES OF 18% CHROMIUM,
AND 8% NICKEL.
ITS SPECIAL CHARACTERISTIC IS ITS STRONG RESISTANCE TO CORROSION.
ITS COMMON USES ARE KITCHEN DRAINING BOARDS, PIPES, CUTLERY AND
AIRCRAFT.

IGH TENSILE STEEL

IT IS VERY STRONG AND VERY TOUGH FERROUS METAL AND IS EXCLUSIVELY USED
FOR MANUFACTURING OF GEARS, SHAFTS, ENGINE PARTS ETC.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY USED FERROUS METALS IN INDUSTRIES
BECAUSE OF ITS STRENGTH, HARDNESS AND TOUGHNESS.

EDIUM CARBON STEEL

AS THE NAME SUGGESTS, THIS FERROUS METAL CONTAINS LESS CARBON CONTENTS,
0.30% TO 0.70%.
IT IS STRONGER AND HARDER THAN MILD STEELS.
IT IS USED IN MAKING METAL ROPES, WIRE, GARDEN TOOLS, SPRINGS ETC.

IGH CARBON STEEL

A FERROUS METAL WHICH CONTAINS OF 0.70% TO 1.40% CARBON.
THE MAJOR CHARACTERISTIC IS ITS HARDNESS.
IT IS THE HARDEST OF THE CARBON STEELS.
IT IS USED IN MAKING CHISELS, HAMMERS, DRILLS, TOOLS, TAPS.

CAST IRON: IRON THAT HAS BEEN MELTED AND POURED INTO A MOLD TO GIVE IT A
DESIRED LOOK.
PIG IRON HAS A HIGH CARBON CONTENT AND IS AN INTERMEDIATE PRODUCT FOR
MAKING STEEL.
WROUGHT IRON: IRON THAT HAS BEEN HEATED AND THEN WORKED WITH TOOLS TO
PRODUCE ITS SHAPE AND FORM.
CAST IRON
CAST IRON IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF COMMONLY USED FERROUS METAL.
IT IS HARD, BRITTLE, STRONG, CHEAP, FERROUS METAL.
IT IS NORMALLY USED IN THE MANUFACTURING OF HEAVY CRUSHING MACHINERY.
CAR CYLINDER BLOCKS, MACHINE TOOL PARTS, BRAKE DRUMS, MACHINE HANDLE
AND GEAR WHEELS, PLUMBING FITMENTS ETC.

ON-FERROUS METALS
THEY ARE THOSE METALS WHICH DOES NOT CONTAIN IRON .
THEY ARE NOT MAGNETIC AND ARE USUALLY MORE RESISTANT TO CORROSION THAN
FERROUS METALS.
MOST COMMONLY USED NON FERROUS METALS ARE ALUMINUM, COPPER, BRASS,
LEAD, TINAND ZINC.

ALUMINUM
IT IS A WIDELY USED NON FERROUS METAL. IT IS GRAYISH-WHITE IN COLOR, SOFT AND
MALLEABLE.
THIS NON FERROUS METAL IS CONDUCTIVE TO HEAT AND ELECTRICITY. IT IS
CORROSION RESISTANT.
IT CAN BE WELDED BUT THIS IS DIFFICULT.
SPECIAL PROCESSES NEED TO BE ADOPTED IN ORDER TO WELD IT PROPERLY.
DUE TO ITS LIGHT WEIGHT, IT IS USED IN THE MANUFACTURING OF AIRCRAFTS AND

COPPER
IT IS ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT PURE NON FERROUS METAL. ITS RED IN COLOUR,
TOUGH AND DUCTILE.
IT IS VERY GOOD ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR AND OFFERS GREAT RESISTANCE TO
CORROSION.
COPPER CAN WORK HARD OR COLD BUT IT NEEDS FREQUENT ANNEALING.
COPPER IS MOSTLY USED IN THE MANUFACTURING OF ELECTRIC WIRES, CABLES AND
CONDUCTORS.
ITS OTHER USES ARE WATER AND CENTRAL HEATING PIPES AND CYLINDERS, PRINTED
CIRCUIT BOARDS AND MANUFACTURING OF SPECIAL ROOFS.

AN ALLOY IS A MIXTURE OF METALS OR A MIXTURE OF A METAL AND

ANOTHER ELEMENT.
PURPOSE OF AN ALLOY:

BRONZE
BRONZE IS AN ALLOY OF COPPER AND ANY OTHER METAL.
ALUMINUM BRONZES, TIN BRONZES, PHOSPHOR BRONZES, NICKEL BRONZES, AND
SILICON BRONZES ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF VARYING ALLOYS.
THE PRINCIPLE ALLOYING ELEMENT DETERMINES THE NOMENCLATURE.
BRONZES ARE USED IN APPLICATIONS SUCH AS BEARINGS, SOME LIMITED
STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS, DECORATIVE USES, AND APPLICATIONS WHICH REQUIRE
THEM NOT TO SPARK WHEN STRUCK WITH ANOTHER METAL.
THIS MAKES THEM USEFUL IN THE TRANSPORT AND HANDLING OF ITEMS SUCH AS
EXPLOSIVES, FUELS, AND FLAMMABLE MATERIALS.
BRONZES ARE OFTEN USED IN STATUES AND CAN BE SEEN TO FORM THE FAMILIAR
GREEN OXIDIZED COATING.

BRASS
IT IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT NON FERROUS METAL IS BRASS WHICH IS NOT A PURE
METAL BUT COMBINATION OF COPPER AND ZINC.
IT CONTAINS 65% COPPER AND 35% ZINC. THIS NON FERROUS METAL IS VERY
CORROSIVE, YELLOW IN COLOUR, TARNISHES VERY EASILY.
IT IS HARDER THAN COPPER AND ITS GOOD ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR.

ZINC
ZINC IS COMMONLY USED AS A PLATING MATERIAL FOR STEELS.
THIS PRODUCT IS TERMED GALVANIZED STEEL.
IT IS THE FAMILIAR GRAYISH COATING SEEN ON PRODUCTS SUCH AS NAILS AND
SHEETS.
ZINC OXIDE IS USED IN PAINTS, GLASS, CEMENTS, AND MEDICINES.