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mild steel vs. unhardened steel

English translation: name vs. state

10:26 Mar 19, 2008
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Metallurgy / Casting
English term or phrase: mild steel vs. unhardened steel
Are these terms synonyms? I am not too much of a technician, but my gut feeling (in particular after reading this article on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mild_steel) tells me that they are not - or at least not necessarily.

There is no usable context other than the body bones being compared to 'mild steel'.

We want to translate 'mild steel' with 'blødt stål' (mild steel), but the client wants to change to 'uhærdet stål' (unhardened steel).

PS. Also posted this in EN-DA.
Peter Adolph
Local time: 10:59
Selected answer:name vs. state
Explanation:
the wikipaedia confirms that mild steel is the generic low carbon steel.
On the other hand, unhardened steel can be any type of steel that has not yet undergone its hardening process. This process may vary depending on the type of steel to be hardened.

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Note added at 23 mins (2008-03-19 10:49:05 GMT)
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As Irene said in her messages to you, while I was composing my answer.
Selected response from:

Dave Calderhead
Netherlands
Local time: 10:59
Grading comment
Thanks to both Dave and Irene and Ken. I will then disregard the client's change and keep our translation. The term is used in a comparison of the bones' strength with that of 'mild steel'.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +3name vs. state
Dave Calderhead
5Alloy steel
Gary D


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
name vs. state


Explanation:
the wikipaedia confirms that mild steel is the generic low carbon steel.
On the other hand, unhardened steel can be any type of steel that has not yet undergone its hardening process. This process may vary depending on the type of steel to be hardened.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 mins (2008-03-19 10:49:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As Irene said in her messages to you, while I was composing my answer.

Dave Calderhead
Netherlands
Local time: 10:59
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks to both Dave and Irene and Ken. I will then disregard the client's change and keep our translation. The term is used in a comparison of the bones' strength with that of 'mild steel'.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Irene Schlotter, Dipl.-Übers.: Yes, I absolutely agree, Dave.
12 mins
  -> Thanks, Irene (:-{)> My hours of metallurgy lectures and practicals many, many years ago were obviously not wasted.
agree  Ken Cox: I concur. As the asker mentions 'body bones' here, perhaps the term is being used figuratively. In that case, one should be guided by the intended meaning in the original text.
20 mins
  -> Thanks, Ken (:-{)>
agree  orientalhorizon
15 hrs
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17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Alloy steel


Explanation:
Mild steel cannot be hardened by any approved method. You can only "CASE HARDEN" mild steel. In the products I make, www.ggtechnics.com.au we use AS4140, which is a better grade of alloy steel designed to be hardened. Case hardening only puts a hardened surface on the steel app .20mm in death, so it is no good for any quality working function. Where as an alloy steel is made so that you can harden it to any desired strength you require. For instance we harden all our tools to 40Rc, ust under the hardness of a hammer head.

Mild steel is often referred to as a soft, low grade iron / steel.

Alloy steels are High grade steels and are suitable for Hardening.

The reason for the explanation is that your client may wish to state that you have an Unhardened alloy steel.

In all of my drawings I do for the manufacturing section I state the type of steel and the hardness I wish to have it hardened to. If I am using an Alloy steel that I don't wish to have hardened. I will put AS 4140 unhardened. (AS = Alloy steel) If it was mild steel I will just put Mild steel.

Every one knows Mild steel does not harden very good and is not suitable as it goes brittle. If it is Mild steel case hardened, this is how I put it on the drawings, Case hardening just stops surface wear, and is good for threads etc.

Heat Treatment Australia have a good website to look at the different grades of steel and which ones are suitable.

I hope this helps.

Gary D
Local time: 18:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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