4. Conclusion

Traditionally, most ready-to-use general-purpose steels were based on ferrite-perlite metallurgy. This is no longer the case, and we now find more complex structures such as bainitic steels for heavy plate, hardening structures for rails and multiphase structures for thin plate. Microalloyed steels and thermomechanical treatments are also in great demand.

Progress is set to continue in thin, high-strength formable sheet, with the creation of new grades, and in long products, with the development of thermomechanical treatments.