Steel Casting Material Grades – 5 Essential Types: WCB, LCC, A148 & More

Table of contents

Why Steel Casting Material Grades Matter

Choosing the correct steel casting material grade is critical for mechanical performance, cost efficiency, and compliance with industry standards. Engineers and buyers must consider:

• Service conditions (temperature, pressure, corrosion)
• Mechanical requirements (strength, ductility, toughness)
• Industry standards (ASTM, ISO, EN)
• Welding, machining, and heat treatment compatibility

TXmetal works with global buyers to recommend appropriate steel grades based on real-world service conditions. in Suzhou, provides full export support, from pattern making to final customs clearance.her for heavy mining equipment, high-pressure pump housings, or energy industry components. Material choice works best alongside sound geometry and allowances. See our steel casting design guide

Overview of Common ASTM Grades

The ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards define the most widely used steel casting material grades:

• ASTM A216 – Carbon steel castings (WCB, WCC)
• ASTM A352 – Low-temperature service (LCC, LC2, LC3)
• ASTM A148 – High-strength steel castings
• ASTM A995 – Duplex stainless steel castings

Reference: ASTM Standards for Steel Castings

Carbon Steel Grades (WCB, WCC)

CB (ASTM A216 Grade WCB)

• Most common carbon steel casting grade
• Suitable for general service up to ~425°C (800°F)
• Applications: valves, pump housings, pressure vessels

WCC

• Similar to WCB, but with tighter chemistry control
• Applications: piping components, industrial valves

Low-Temperature Steel Grades (LCC, LC2)

LCC (ASTM A352 Grade LCC)

• Designed for service down to -46°C (-50°F)
• Maintains impact toughness in cryogenic applications
• Applications: LNG pumps, cryogenic valves

LC2 / LC3

• Lower carbon content for improved toughness
• Applications: low-temperature pipelines, petrochemical plants

High-Strength Steel Grades (A148)

A148 80-50

• Minimum tensile strength 550 MPa (80 ksi)
• Yield strength 345 MPa (50 ksi)
• Applications: gears, crane components, heavy-duty mining parts

A148 105-85

• Minimum tensile strength 725 MPa (105 ksi)
• Yield strength 585 MPa (85 ksi)
• Applications: railroad couplers, military equipment, high-stress parts

Final properties depend on quench and temper parameters. Learn more in our heat treatment of steel castings guide

Mechanical Properties Comparison Table

Table 1: Typical Mechanical Properties of Common Grades

Reference: ASTM A148 Specification

Case Example – TXmetal Material Selection Project

A European valve manufacturer needed a material that could handle low-temperature LNG service. The initial design specified WCB, but testing showed insufficient toughness.

TXmetal Recommendation:

• Changed material to ASTM A352 LCC
• Verified with Charpy V-notch testing at -46°C
• Provided EN 10213 compliance for EU market

Result:

• Passed all impact tests
• Prevented premature failure in service
• Reduced rework and scrap costs by 12%

For overseas deliveries, packaging and customs matter, too. See our steel casting export from China guide covering logistics, ISPM 15 crates, and documents.

Best Practices for Buyers

When selecting steel casting material grades, buyers should:

• Request supplier to confirm ASTM/EN equivalency
• Verify mechanical property data (tensile, impact)
• Ensure heat treatment compliance (normalize, quench + temper)
• Ask for CMM and spectrometer reports
• Consider service conditions (temperature, load, corrosion)

TXmetal provides full support with material selection, testing, and documentation for global buyers.