Educational

Purchasing managers have a lot to consider when sourcing commodity construction materials, especially when sourcing steel plate. This article looks at the differences between buying steel plate through retailers, suppliers and mills.

The process of buying steel plate may seem as simple as determining your plate needs and picking up the phone to place an order, but steel plate’s supply chain is robust and complex. From production to delivery, here is what you need to know about the steel plate supply chain and consider when you place a plate order.

Quenched and tempered (Q&T) steel plate is heat-treated, a process that intensely heats and cools a material to alter its physical properties, to enable the material to withstand severe impact and abrasion. This article will explore what Q&T steel is and its common applications.

AASHTO M270 and ASTM A709 are two different types of steel plate that are used in bridge building applications. While similar to one another, they have some differences that could impact a plate buyer’s decision on which material to use in their project. This article will explore those similarities and differences.

There are three main categories of carbon steel: low (or mild), medium and high carbon steel. This article will examine the key properties and applications of each carbon steel category.

Certain applications require thicker steel plate material known as heavy steel plate. This article will provide an overview of heavy steel plate, including the grades readily stocked by steel plate suppliers and material testing and processing of heavy plate.

Heat treating steel alters the physical and sometimes chemical properties of steel, which thereby impact the material’s mechanical properties, such as strength or hardness. This article will look in-depth at four common heat treatment processes. 

From the buildings we visit, to the homes we live in to the roads we travel, structural steel plate is a versatile construction material that offers structural strength and fabrication versatility without excessive weight. This article takes a deeper look at structural steel, its composition, characteristics, uses and more.

Pressure vessel tanks dot the landscape of countries all across the globe. These pressurized containers play important roles in the chemical and energy sectors, as they safely store potentially volatile liquids, such as fuel, gas and chemicals. This article looks at the properties and applications of pressure vessel quality (PVQ) steel plate grades.

Mild and high strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel make up the skeleton of our infrastructure and play important roles in construction industries. This article will explore mild and HSLA steel properties and common grades, giving you a complete profile of these categories of steel.