Even so, this method allowed one city in England to increase its steel production from about 200 tons annually to over 20,000 tons per year within a century. By allowing some degree of mixing during the heating, this process produced a more uniform quality of steel, although still in limited quantities. Heating these ingredients together in a crucible was the next innovation.

Unfortunately, this process was time- and labor-intensive and produced steel of varying quality. Then, the metal is hammered and folded in order to mix the carbon throughout the iron in the same way that kneading bread distributes the yeast throughout the dough. First the iron ore is covered with theĬoke and limestone and heated for up to a week, allowing the carbon to diffuse into the surface of the iron. Pig iron is made by heating ironīars, coal coke, and limestone together in a fire or furnace.

Other cultures heated iron ore and charcoal together, making what we now call wrought iron.ĭuring the fourteenth century, pig iron was developed. the Greeks had discovered that heating iron would help to harden it, but it was still brittle and not very useful for any tasks requiring strength.

However, iron is a relatively soft and brittle metal on its own. Iron has been known to man for several thousands of years the earliest iron implements found thus far are from Egypt and were made about 3000 b.c. Within a few decades, foundries were making railroad track, bridge girders, locomotives, armor plating, and other steel-based products. By revolutionizing the steel industry, the Bessemer process helped to spur on the Industrial Revolution. This, in turn, provided steel at relatively low cost to various industries. The Bessemer process made possible the manufacture of large amounts of high-quality steel for the first time. In 1856, Henry Bessemer (1813-1898) developed a new method for manufacturing steel. English Inventor Henry Bessemer Develops Process to Produce Inexpensive Steel Overview

Inventor steel