SpaceDev (Poway, CA) and Scot Forge worked together to make the dream of private space flight a reality, moving quickly from drawing board to launching pad. On June 21, 2004, in the famous words of Neil Armstrong, another "giant leap" for mankind took place 328,491 feet above the California desert, as pilot Mike Melvill became the first civilian to fly a craft beyond the Earth's atmosphere. The historic launch of SpaceShipOne - the first privately funded craft to successfully reach space - is significant because it opens the doors to private space flight and commercialization. It also represents the first new rocket engine developed for human space flight since 1972. California-based SpaceDev, contracted by the aerospace development company Scaled Composites, was responsible for the design and manufacture of the solid fuel grain and other major components of the propulsion system. The launch required a craft constructed of the most dependable and durable materials. When these demands - as well as the project's compressed timeframe - became evident, SpaceDev enlisted the forging expertise of Scot Forge. The Right Stuff Some of the components SpaceDev provided for SpaceShipOne's rocket motor, included the igniter, injector and main operating valve. Their design for SpaceShipOne's hybrid propulsion system called for a bulkhead for each solid booster rocket - five in total - that would not only contain and feed the propellant, but also separate and protect it from the motorcase. "This main oxidizer bulkhead design is what led us to the forging process and, ultimately, Scot Forge," explains Jeff Hickerson, SpaceDev's Mechanical Engineer - Hybrid Propulsion. "Forging brought all the advantages this design required high-strength, structural integrity and the elimination of porosity." More so than any other available metalworking process, forging provided the consistent material strength necessary for this application. Through forging, the metal is heated and mechanically formed between dies under controlled conditions. In addition to producing the desired shape and dimensions, the forging process also dramatically increases the strength of the material. Structural strength is increased by the elimination of the cast structure, enhanced density and improved homogeneity. The directional strength is improved by aligning the grain flow in specific directions. Meeting the Deadline with Quality Once forging was agreed upon, SpaceDev began searching for the right partner for the job. Beyond the quality requirements, this forging provider needed to be able to work with the specified high strength stainless steel (15-5 PH VAR material), and deliver the final product within a 6-week timeframe. The challenge was met by Scot Forge. "Scot Forge offered exactly what we were looking for in terms of quality and material requirements," Hickerson said. "And most critically, they were able to deliver on time." Headquartered in Illinois, Scot Forge is an open die and rolled ring forging company, and their wide range of experience, including military and aerospace applications, provided an advantage for this project. "Because of our metallurgical expertise," said Tom Schwingbeck, Jr., Dir. of Technical Sales and Services for Scot Forge, "we were familiar with the material, and knew how to forge it to SpaceDev's specifications." Within the 6-week deadline, Scot Forge delivered five forged blanks, each with an O.D. of 24 3/8". The forging process ensured a lack of voids in the material, which was a chief concern for SpaceDev. "The little cavities - voids - that often appear in cast metals were too much of a performance risk for us," said Hickerson. "We chose a strong stainless steel, with good natural properties. The forging process helped maintain and bolster the strength and consistency of the steel." After being forged, the blanks were solution treated, age hardened and then rough machined. Additionally, Scot Forge performed ultrasonic testing to meet the MIL-STD-2154 Class A standards required for the bulkheads. "Forging was definitely the right process for the specific and unique demands of this application, and played a role in the success of the mission" said Schwingbeck. "Scot Forge is very proud to have been a part of this historic flight." Making History and Forging Ahead The collaboration of SpaceDev and Scot Forge was instrumental in helping the dream of private space flight move quickly from drawing board to launching pad. The groundbreaking flight on June 21, 2004 was the culmination of years of research, preparation, design, and testing. The success of this maiden flight led to two additional launches on September 29 and October 4, which captured the coveted Ansari X-Prize: a ten million-dollar award for consecutive private extra-atmosphere launches. "The possibilities for this type of flight, and the capabilities of this craft have been demonstrated," said Hickerson, whose group is working on other larger, low cost propulsion systems and further innovation. "The doors are definitely open now. Who knows what the future holds?"

History was made at 12:31am Monday, August 5th, 2012 on the fourth planet in this solar system as NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity descended to a picture-perfect rocket-guided and slowed descent to a gentle, wheels-first, sky crane touchdown on the surface of the Red Planet. History was made at 12:31am Monday, August 5th, 2012 on the fourth planet in this solar system as NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity descended to a picture-perfect rocket-guided and slowed descent to a gentle, wheels-first, sky crane touchdown on the surface of the Red Planet. Scot Forge manufactured the rover wheels and backshell plate that are both critical components and crucial to the success of this mission. The forgings were ordered by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Putting the boots on Curiosity may have been a once-in-a lifetime opportunity, but the icing on the cake came when the first image returned from Mars was a black and white photo of a Scot Forge made wheel! The objectives of the Curiosity rover include investigating the possibility of life on Mars (its habitability), studying its climate and geology, and collecting data for any future manned mission to Mars. The rover carries a variety of scientific instruments designed by an international team. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has many sources for forgings, but ultimately Scot Forge was selected for NASA’s grandest of missions. The technology and engineering behind this program are nothing short of mind-boggling. No other country in the world has landed a rover on another planet, and the “sky crane” landing borders on Science Fiction. Truly, we have helped accomplish one of humanity’s greatest feats, and for that we should all be very proud.

Ellwood Group Inc. and Scot Forge are expanding the capabilities of North American Forgemasters (NAF) in New Castle, PA, marking the second chapter in the 50-50 joint venture partnership between the two companies. NAF was established by the two partners in 1997 when together they built a 4,500 ton open die forging press. Ellwood Group Inc. and Scot Forge are expanding the capabilities of North American Forgemasters (NAF) in New Castle, PA, marking the second chapter in the 50-50 joint venture partnership between the two companies. NAF was established by the two partners in 1997 when together they built a 4,500 ton open die forging press. The thirty year relationship continues to grow and, building on the success of the 1997 joint venture, the partners are investing over $80 million to add a state-of-the-art open die press facility at its New Castle location to meet their customers’ needs for larger forgings. Danieli Breda has been contracted to build a 90 MN (10,100 ton) press for NAF. This press will have the greatest tonnage, the greatest daylight, the largest opening, and be the fastest acting large open die press in North America. It will be serviced by both a 200 ton rail bound and 100 ton mobile manipulator; each the largest in North America, as well as three additional forging furnaces. Installation of the new press will take place alongside the NAF facility which is adjacent to the primary material supplier, Ellwood Quality Steels. The new facility which will also have a 190 ton overhead crane, has been designed to process ingots up to 165 tons. With the installation of this press, NAF will provide its customers with a stand-alone operation, quality system, and dedicated sales team. The target markets will include subsea oil and gas, power generation, including the evolving nuclear small modular reactor market. The new facility will be complete and the press will be assembled in the 4th quarter of 2014, and production will start in Q1 2015.

Scot Forge has embarked on its eighteenth major plant expansion at the Spring Grove, IL headquarters. Scot Forge has embarked on its eighteenth major plant expansion at the Spring Grove, IL headquarters. On an annual basis Scot Forge invests a significant amount of capital back into the business to improve and expand operations. “Our investment philosophy is simple… listen to our customers’ needs and never stop innovating,” commented one employee-owner. In order to stay at the forefront of the forging industry, the company also makes sure to invest in new technology independent of current market fluctuations. “Our investment philosophy is simple… listen to our customers’ needs and never stop innovating.” The new 80,000 sq. ft. expansion on the South side of the existing campus will be served by a 150 ton crane and will be the new location for large heat treat and machining operations. The heat treat addition will include two new tip-up furnaces with the ability to handle parts up to 90” x 90” x 392”, two added car bottom furnaces equipped for forgings up to 840” in length, and dual quench tanks for both water and polymer with capacity for product up to 79’ long and vertical quenching up to 160” in length. The machining addition will be comprised of a large 5-axis planer mill (machine window - 138” x 80” x 524”) with plans for additional machine tools. Scot Forge is on schedule to have all additions operational by the 4th quarter of 2014.

Scot Forge commences work on the addition of a new office building at its Spring Grove, IL location. With the new building construction underway, excitement is palpable among the employee-owners at Scot Forge. Scot Forge commences work on the addition of a new office building at its Spring Grove, IL location. With the new building construction underway, excitement is palpable among the employee-owners at Scot Forge. Although construction began on June 14, 2014 and the project is well on its way, there is still a long road ahead as completing the approx. 40,000 square foot addition has already proven to be a challenging, yet exciting, task. Scot Forge has taken upwards of a year and half to complete all the planning and design, due in large part to the active contributions from many employee-owners. Although a seemingly long period of time, Scott LaRose, Project Engineer with the company, is ecstatic about this new undertaking. When asked what he is most excited about, LaRose answered, “That we’re doing it the right way.” Michelle Riedel, office manager, described that initial steps in the design process included the introduction of a 6S system (Safety, Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain) into the office. This system has created a more safe and organized office environment—two aspects that continue to impact the design and layout of the new building. Pre-planning also included a visit to the current office by an Ohio State Professor, who specializes in ergonomics, to provide feedback for improvements. The professor observed office employees throughout the day and then made suggestions about chairs, monitor placement and other aspects of a cubicle layout. Keeping his recommendations in mind, employee-owners have contributed to almost every aspect of what their future office will look like. They have voted on things like work station design, colors, chairs, desks and more. Not only will the appearance of the office be significantly improved, so will its functionality. With the addition of more conference rooms and several collaboration spaces, the new building will allow for better communication across all departments from the sales offices to the shop floors. Although the main conference rooms for customer visits will be located near the front lobby, as to make them more accessible, all conference rooms will be conducive for hosting visitors! So while the main reason for constructing this new building is to create a welcoming, functional space that will allow for better collaboration between both Scot Forge and its customers, the addition is also important for “improving the lives of people who work here.” Additionally, Scot Forge is leaving room to grow by constructing a third floor that is to be left vacant except for an IT server room. Michelle Riedel goes on to explain that the Scot Forge plaid will not be lost. It will be incorporated through things like flooring tile layout, conference room names, and accent pieces throughout the office. The office will predominately consist of warm, neutral tones, infused with modern pieces—like the forging that will serve as a table in the main lobby. You may ask, “What about the bright Buchanan plaid couches?” Don’t worry…there is a place for those as well! “We’re a state of the art forge facility; it’ll be nice to have a face that actually reflects that.” – Scott LaRose Overall, Riedel is beyond excited for the completion of the project. She says, “I can’t wait to bring this beautiful space to life for our employee-owners that work so hard every day. They truly deserve it.” When IS the completion date? LaRose was hesitant in sharing an exact date, stating it is dependent on weather conditions, but has targeted the end of the first quarter 2015. LaRose went on to say that his biggest motivator for this project is: “…the belief that [constructing] this office is phase one of bringing in the shop offices, and making them more accessible. In the end this not only gives us that front façade that reflects the type of company we are, but also gives us opportunities to be more of a collaborative force—not only inter office but with the shop departments as well.” He refers to this “collaborative force” as phase two and is certain that once the office is built and phase two is completed, that’s when Scot Forge will start to see a return on its investment. All in all, the company is taking the right steps to create an environment favorable to successful collaboration throughout all departments, while remaining customer friendly and efficient. Scot Forge will soon be state-of-the-art, not only in its manufacturing space, but also in its offices! With seven months left until the completion of phase one, the passion and excitement is already evident in all employee-owners. Ron Hahn, Chief Operating Officer, describes the investment as: “…perhaps the most important venture Scot Forge is investing in at this point as it will create an environment to be the revenue generator used to support and build the numerous other opportunities Scot Forge plans to capitalize on in the near future. This expansion is all about collaboration, and the new office building will facilitate bringing sales, operations, and engineering physically together, more naturally leveraging all their collective talents to bring the most creative solutions to our customers’ ever changing needs.”

In the December 2014 issue, NASA profiles Scot Forge of Spring Grove, Illinois for the company's involvement in creating the largest rocket ever built for human space exploration. Every month, NASA's Space Launch System features an industry partner helping to create the largest rocket ever built for human space exploration. In December of 2014, SLS Highlights turned it's focus on Scot Forge for the company's contribution to NASA’s Exploration Systems Development programs. Forged parts made by Scot Forge have been installed into the Mobile Service Tower and Crawler Transporter at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and test stands at ATK in Promontory, Utah, and the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Flight hardware in nonferrous alloys has been adopted for use on the Launch Abort System for Orion, the Orion spacecraft itself and the SLS core stage. NASA Space Launch System on mobile launching platform . Read the full article and learn more about how Scot Forge continues to find innovative ways to support the aerospace industry! Read the Full Article

Join Scot Forge and show your support of manufacturing by participating in the Traveling Highlander Contest and win $500 for your local Career in Technical Education program! Our future together depends on the ability to strengthen manufacturing. Win $500 to sponsor skilled future employees! Manufacturing Day is Friday, October 2nd, 2015 Manufacturing is woven into the fabric of our economy, but experts forecast a bleak future if U.S. manufacturers can’t find talented, well-educated people—the kind who take initiative and spark innovation. Millions of manufacturing jobs sit empty worldwide because there aren’t enough people with the right qualifications for the positions. Unfortunately, the need for highly skilled manufacturing workers hasn’t shielded the school programs that produce them from budget cuts. Now, more than ever, manufacturers need to band together to make sure schools are teaching the skills their workers need. Scot Forge is running an amazing contest where you can win a $500 donation for your local CTE program! Throughout the year, local manufacturer Scot Forge works closely with high schools and Career in Technical Education (CTE) programs to support and educate the next generation about the opportunities a career in manufacturing can provide. CTE programs offer students the technical knowledge, academic foundation and real-world experience they need to prepare for high-skill, high-demand, high-wage careers. Manufacturing Day is a celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers. Please show your support in developing future generations by participating in the Traveling Highlander contest! Our future together depends on our ability to strengthen manufacturing. Contest Rules To enter for a chance at the prize, all you have to do is post a picture of the Traveling Highlander to your Facebook page with a few key bits of information. How To Enter Take a photo with the Traveling Highlander that you feel best represents the innovation of manufacturing Post it to Facebook with @Scot Forge and #mfgday in the caption Entry period ends on 10/9/2015 – the most inspirational photo will win the $500! CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE TRAVELING HIGHLANDER To schedule a tour of Scot Forge, please call Lindsey Canalle in Human Resources at 800.435.6621.Visit www.scotforge.com/career s to learn more.

Scot Forge recently exhibited at the 2018 Global Petroleum Show in Calgary. Read a summary of our most discussed topics. Scot Forge recently exhibited at the 2018 Global Petroleum Show from June 12 - 14 in Calgary. Much of our discussions centered around material requirements for subsea oil & gas forgings. We felt it would be most beneficial to summarize our talking points here for our customers! Forgings are used for a multitude of subsea applications to help extract and move oil and gas. In order to remove the crude oil and natural gas from under the sea bed, companies must mine underwater. When selecting steel to use for offshore applications, corrosion resistance and hardness are the top concerns. Some subsea components, including pipeline, blowout preventers and riser tubes, are used extensively in subsea oil and gas drilling. Subsea applications are exposed to some of the most aggressive environments on earth. Because many of these components are completely submersed on the ocean floor, they must be able to withstand the corrosive ecosystem, high pressures, strong currents and underwater objects and debris. All metals can technically corrode; some, like pure iron, corrode very fast while others, like stainless steel, are slower to corrode and therefore are used more frequently for subsea forgings. Both duplex and super duplex stainless steel variations are resistant to corrosion and stress cracking. The most common materials used for subsea pipelines and risers include grades F91, 4340 and 4130…with 4130 being the most prevalent. However, as the oil and gas industry continues to regain steam, changes to oil and gas specifications requiring larger cross sections may cause more companies to push for F91 over 4130. This is something forging suppliers should be aware of and communicate with oil & gas customers. Additionally, working in the offshore industry or supplying products for subsea applications often requires ABS or DNV certification. Scot Forge understands where in the manufacturing or construction process the certification is required and can work with customers/suppliers to help minimize costs and production delays while ensuring that products obtain the certifications needed. At Scot Forge our technically trained sales team, backed by our forging development team and metallurgists, can provide the support needed to improve and prove-out component designs and manufacturability. We have extensive experience working directly with OEMs and understand the end-use applications, expectations and specifications…making Scot Forge easier to work with and more reliable.

Here are the top 5 most discussed topics we heard at the 2018 34th Space Symposium and our takeaways. Scot Forge recently exhibited at the 34th Space Symposium from April 16 - 19, 2018 in Colorado Springs, and boy did we learn a lot! Rather than the experience just benefiting Scot Forge, we want to share what we learned to our customers in the aerospace industry. Here are the top 5 most discussed topics we heard at the show and our takeaways. Jorgensen Forge Shut Down It was announced during the Space Symposium that Jorgensen Forge, an open-die and rolled ring forging supplier, will cease operations and close this year for good. For the forging world, this means that a key aerospace supplier has stopped quoting new orders and is telling their customers to start transitioning to competitive suppliers. Jorgensen is well known in the aerospace industry for supplying lighter rolled rings up to 220” OD for Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (MGSE). This news came as quite a shock to Jorgensen’s customers, who were attending the Space Symposium. Nobody likes surprises (unless it’s their birthday… and even then, not all the time). This is especially true of the aerospace market and this news has left several companies in a panic as they struggle to find new suppliers to help in meeting their delivery needs to stay on schedule. Hypersonics There was a significant amount of discussion at the Space Symposium about the advancements in hypersonic technology throughout the world, mainly focused on Kinzhal, Russia’s new hypersonic missile. It’s been reported that Kinzhal can travel as fast as Mach 10 over a distance as great as 1,200 miles, all while maneuvering. If this is true, the new Russian missile would be able to tear through the most highly developed US defenses. Additionally, China has claimed they have a hypersonic missile that could reach the US mainland, along with testing a ballistic missile paired with a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). France and India have also joined the race to produce similar high-speed weaponry. While none of these nations have perfected their missiles, they are all making advancements to their arsenal. Earlier this year General John Hyten, Commander United States Strategic Command, acknowledged that the US needs new defense technologies to address these increasing global threats, along with continued advancement and testing of our own hypersonic missiles. Greater Use of Composite Materials & 3D Printing The use of advanced materials in aircraft is growing as manufacturers strive to improve performance and reduce maintenance requirements and aircraft weight. Composites such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) are increasingly replacing aluminum. Additionally, engine manufacturers are developing ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components, which have a higher heat tolerance than metal alloys, to create more fuel-efficient engines. Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, can produce parts with intricate geometries relatively easily in a variety of materials - including metals, polymers, and composites – and tends to reduce energy use and tooling costs for complex parts. However, Scot Forge still believes composite materials and additive manufacturing are a long way away from competing head-to-head against forged products for aerospace, due to the elimination of porosity, contoured grain flow and fine grain size inherent to the forging process. However, composite materials and 3D printing are currently a real threat to the replacement of castings. As forging companies look to convert critical castings to forgings in the future, we’re sure to meet composite material suppliers and 3D printers on the playing field. GBSD In second half of 2017, the US Air Force awarded contracts to Boeing and Northrop Grumman to continue work on their designs for the replacement of the Minuteman III. The new Minuteman III will be the updated, ground-based leg of the nation’s “nuclear triad” strategic deterrent strategy. The week after the Space Symposium, the US launched a successful test fire of the Minuteman III, known as the LGM-30, from Vandenberg Air Force Base. GPS Satellites Vulnerable to Attack In early March, Air Force officials announced to Congress that GPS satellites are vulnerable to attack from Chinese and Russian lasers and missiles. These GPS satellites not only guide precision guided weapons, but also our day-to-day car navigation. This launched further discussion at the Space Symposium about the creation of the United States Space Corps, a proposed sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces that would absorb the USAF space warfare mission currently conducted by AF Space Command. Space is quickly becoming its own battleground; the conflict is not fully defined yet, or how it’s going to be fought but we see movement among our customers in regards to the creation and refinement of directed energy weapons, space lasers and other high technology arms as part of military space defense. We anticipate more focus on the creation of jam-resistant GPS’s and satellites that can’t be blinded by lasers from the ground in the near future.

In July, Scot Forge made a big announcement...Ron Hahn has taken over the role of President and COO. In July, it was announced to the employee-owners of Scot Forge that Ron Hahn was promoted to President of the company but would continue to maintain his role of Chief Operating Officer. This is a natural progression for Scot Forge; Ron has a long history with the company and has been sharing many of the President’s responsibilities with CEO and Chairman of the Board, John Cain, since becoming COO in 2011. Ron joined the company in 1990 as an intern in Maintenance and Engineering performing all sorts of hands-on tasks with the equipment care and maintenance. That year, he was the recipient of the Peter I. Georgeson Scholarship from the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). His potential was quickly realized and in 1991 he was hired on full-time. He continued to work in Engineering and in 2001 was promoted to the Engineering Manager. In 2006, Ron earned the opportunity to serve as the Project Crew supervisor. By 2008, Ron was promoted to Director of Manufacturing which was followed by the promotion Vice President and COO in 2011. Ron has contributed to the success of Scot Forge in many ways over the course of his career, but his favorite project has been the design and engineering of the 5,500 Ton press in Spring Grove. Ron was responsible for putting the business case together for the asset but recalled with pride how it took the dedication of the entire Engineering and Maintenance teams to get the press up and running within a strict deadline of a year to meet some critical customer needs. He stated about the project, “The fun part was seeing the team come together. There was a mission and the team came together to make that happen.” When asked about his newest promotion, Ron stated that he’s most looking forward to building on the relationships that make us all stronger…with employee-owners, customers, partners, suppliers and competitors. Since he has worked on both the operations and commercial sides of the business, he understands the advantages of these long-term partnerships and how they translate to benefits for all parties involved. Since the transition of President from John to Ron happened during healthy economic times, Ron can focus on his strategy to continue to build on the strengths of our culture, order fulfillment and on-going customer learning. “I’ve been here 27 and a half years,” he stated, “and the culture is what differentiates us. We’ll continue to grow and invest where our customers need us. [Regarding] our business development ... we're not stopping that either. Diversification in our markets is an important part of our strategy, especially with our employee-ownership culture. Our strategy will always be looking to grow where our customers need us.” Ron describes his priorities as faith, family and work family. He has two children who both attend UW-Madison. He loves to spend his free time golfing with his kids and his wife, Cami. John Cain will continue to serve in his role as the CEO and Chairman of the Board at Scot Forge. Read John’s full letter to the Scot Forge employee-owners about this long-term transition. Read the Full Letter

The 700+ employee-owners of Scot Forge have orchestrated a very special message for you and your loved ones to help celebrate the season! Click Play Below to Enjoy the Show! May your holiday season be wrapped up with cheer and filled with prosperity to forge the New Year! Scroll down to see the full Scot Forge Cast and Crew Thanks for watching! To learn more about the services and capabilities the employee-owners of Scot Forge provide, check out our Virtual Plant Tour or view our Culture Video . Enjoy the Holidays!

Many grades of steel can fulfill the same application requirements, but the environment, designed product life, safety factors and cost will help to narrow down the options. This quick overview from our metallurgist, Kyle Rackers, can help get you started choosing the right grade of steel for your application. What is the best steel for a given application?  Choosing steel grades can be quite an ominous task. There is a myriad of choices for today’s engineers and who is to say what is “right” for a given application. Many grades of steel can fulfill the same application requirements, but the environment, designed product life, safety factors and cost will help to narrow down the options. Typically you would first consider mechanical requirements like strength, hardness, toughness and hardenability; then review the service environment requirements like corrosion resistance or the need to withstand extreme temperatures. Hardenability is crucial when working with thick cross-sections or when machining will expose surfaces that were buried within the heat-treated cross-section. Next, the manufacturing processes need to be taken into account when selecting grades of steel. Is the component designed as a casting, fabrication or forging? Is the engineer considering converting to a forged solution ? Does the component need to be subsequently welded? What heat-treatment configuration will be required to meet optimal properties? If nondestructive testing is required at what point in the process should it be performed? All of these considerations will impact the type of elements added to improve the quality of steel to ensure the grade of steel can withstand the application requirements.  Generally, the first consideration for alloy elements is carbon. Carbon provides steel strength, hardness and wear-resistance, so you want to select a grade of steel with just enough carbon to meet the desired property levels. Grades that have lower carbon percentages are softer and easier to machine and form and have the ability to be welded. Conversely, high-carbon steel increases tensile strength, abrasion resistance and depth of hardening, but decreases in toughness and could possibly increase manufacturing costs due to reduced machinability, higher tempering temperatures and greater risk of quench cracking. Other alloying elements contribute to strength and hardness, but on a smaller degree than carbon and vary greatly element to element.  Your specifications for toughness and hardenability will direct the next set of element decisions. For superior toughness, the steel residual elements, like phosphorus, sulfur, tin, lead, etc., can be driven to very low limits. Unfortunately, reaching toughness requirements this way can greatly increase material costs. There are ways to gain toughness by adding the appropriate alloy elements like manganese, nickel, chromium and molybdenum, but how they are used varies greatly depending on the product specifications. To enhance hardenability for all steel grades and greatly increases toughness for low-carbon (less than 0.10 wt%) steel, manganese is a useful, cost-effective addition. You should, however, consider using manganese carefully as it can segregate in large ingots creating inconsistent material properties. To improve toughness, especially at lower operating temperatures, nickel is a good option that also mildly boosts hardenability in steel. The drawback to nickel is that it is one of the most expensive alloying elements. Molybdenum offers increased hardenability, hot hardness, toughness and even acts as a sort of booster for any other elements that are present. And, if your application requires some corrosion resistance chromium will do just that also adding to hardenability and to a small degree toughness.  Potential applications for: •     High strength steel like grade 4140 or grade 4340 : pinion gears and shafts, dies and tooling. •    Low carbon steel like grade 1008 or grade A-350 LF2: structural components that require weldability •     Moderate strength and good toughness steel like grade 8630 or grade 4330 : Demanding structural components that need low-temperature toughness •    Moderate wear resistance when toughness is not required in steel like grade 1045: bearing rollers, wheels, some ring and pinions Knowing steel grade applications can certainly help you select the right steel to meet your project’s requirements, but working with a metal-and-forging expert who understands steel properties is the best way to ensure you are finding the right steel that fits within the budget of your project. At Scot Forge, our metallurgy specialists can help you pick or tailor an alloy to meet your specific needs. Currently, we have a raw material inventory that includes: stainless steel, alloy steel, tool steel, aluminum, nickel, brass, bronze and copper. With more than 300 grades in this inventory, you can expect a quick turnaround time on forged products including both simple and custom shapes.   Contact us today for an expert who will support you from ingot to finish component delivery. Watch for future blogs on stainless steels and non-ferrous materials.