Investment casting with low-alloy steel can produce parts that exhibit an array of characteristic necessary for specific applications. By adding the right amounts of ingredients, low-alloy steels achieve better mechanical properties than many conventional mild or carbon steels. The additional alloys are usually about 1% to 5% of the final steel’s content. Adding molybdenum increases the alloy’s strength. Nickel creates a tougher steel. Chromium add to strength, hardness and corrosion resistance. Manganese, silicon and other ingredients avoid oxidizing. There are many uses for the different low-alloy steels, from heavy equipment, pipelines and structural steel to shipbuilding, bridges and boilers.
