Machinable Carbon Steel Plate | Diverse Thickness & Industry Applications

Machinable carbon steel plates are designed for applications requiring high manufacturability, combining proper hardness, ductility, and wear resistance to facilitate machining operations such as cutting, drilling, milling, and turning. These plates typically have a carbon content ranging from 0.1% to 0.3%, balancing formability and machinability—lower carbon content improves ductility but may reduce hardness, while higher carbon content enhances strength but can decrease workability. Alloying elements like manganese, sulfur, and phosphorus are often added to improve machinability: sulfur forms manganese sulfide inclusions that act as chip breakers, while phosphorus increases hardness without significantly reducing ductility. Machinable carbon steel plates undergo precise heat treatment, such as annealing or normalizing, to achieve a uniform microstructure and optimal hardness (typically 150 220 HB) for machining efficiency. Surface finishes are carefully controlled to minimize defects that could affect tool life. These plates are widely used in manufacturing components for machinery, automotive parts (gears, shafts), and industrial equipment, where precise dimensions and surface quality are essential. Machinability is evaluated by factors such as tool life, chip formation, and surface roughness, with standards like ISO 3685 providing testing methods. When selecting machinable carbon steel plates, engineers consider the specific machining process (e.g., high speed cutting vs. heavy duty milling), required tolerances, and post machining treatments (such as heat treatment or plating) to ensure optimal performance and cost efficiency.