Steel castings are especially adapted for parts that must withstand wear, shocks or heavy loads.They are stronger than either wrought iron or cast iron or malleable iron and are very tough. High alloy Steel castings can be heat treated to bring about the diffusion of carbon or alloying elements, softening, hardening, stress relieving, toughening, improve machinability, increase wear resistance, and removal of hydrogen entrapped at the surface of the casting.

Steel castings can be made from any of the many types of carbon and alloy steel produced in wrought form. Those castings produced in any of the various types of molds and wrought steel of equivalent chemical composition respond similarly to heat treatment,have the same weldability, and have similar physical and mechanical properties. However,cast steels do not exhibit the effects of directionality on mechanical properties that are typical of wrought steels.