Engineering steels are, by definition, manufactured to specific standards or requirements to suit a particular application. Once business is established with a customer, there is usually a keen sense of loyalty to the supplier, and business is repetitive and long term.

 

Carbon and alloy grade bars,  including nitriding steels, are sold to stocking service centers, for diverse applications into the general construction, appliance, automotive, lumber and mechanical tool industries. Common grades are: 4140, 4340, and 8620 among others.

 

Cold finished bars, sold to stocking service centers, include popular free-machining grades like 12L14.

 

Bearing grade wire rod and bars, often specified as AISI 52100, are sold to bearing manufacturers for production of roller, ball, and needle bearings mainly for the automotive industry.

 

Alloy grade special length bars to produce "drill collars" and "tooljoints" are for the oil drilling insustry and often ordered as AISI 4145mod.