The historical background of carbon steel machined parts can be understood from two dimensions: the history of the use of carbon steel and the development of machining technology.
Early Applications and Industrialization of Carbon Steel
As the most basic type of steel, carbon steel has been a core material in machinery manufacturing since the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. Its composition is mainly iron and carbon (typically with a carbon content ≤ 2.1%), and contains small amounts of manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, etc., offering advantages such as low cost, ease of smelting, and adjustable mechanical properties.
From the late 19th to the early 20th century, with the maturation of Bessemer converter and open-hearth steelmaking technology, carbon steel achieved large-scale production and was widely used in structural components such as shafts, gears, and bolts.
By the mid-20th century, the United States used carbon steel in approximately 87% of its steel production. Due to its balance between strength, machinability, and economy, it became the "most frequently machined steel."
