Structural steels, which are expressed according to their tensile strength, are preferred for use in steel construction, bridge construction, pressure vessels and equipment, vehicle manufacturing and machine constructions, where tensile stress and yield limit values ​​are taken into account.

These steels are generally defined as unalloyed steel, mechanical properties are more dependent on the amount of carbon, but the elements of manganese, silicon, copper and sulfur originating from the production raw materials and production methods, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, are also very effective.

In the machining of general structural steels, mostly normal annealed or cold formed materials should be preferred. Other than normal annealing and stress relief annealing at a temperature of approximately 600...650 °C, general structural steels are not heat treated. The reason for this is the excess of unwanted elements in the structure; resultant strong precipitation and hardening cracks.

General structural steels are suitable for resistance welding as well as spot and reel seam welding. Fe 60 and Fe 70 steels should be slowly cooled or annealed immediately after welding. If the carbon content in the steels is less than 0.2%, other press welding methods can also be used.