During the Industrial Revolution, a crucial method for turning pig iron into wrought iron was the puddling process. To create a purer form of iron appropriate for structural uses, molten pig iron was decarburized by swirling it in a reverberatory furnace.
The manufacture of iron and the larger industrial environment were significantly impacted by the puddling process. First and foremost, it greatly expanded the amount and quality of usable wrought iron. Prior to puddling, producing high-quality wrought iron required a lot of work and was ineffective, depending on antiquated techniques like finery forges. Puddling made it possible to produce wrought iron in large quantities, which was necessary to meet the expanding needs of the world’s fast industrialization.
The availability of wrought iron provided new opportunities in construction and manufacturing. Railways, bridges, machines, and tools could be strengthened and more dependable. The renowned Iron Bridge, erected in 1779, was one of the first big cast-iron constructions and a remarkable engineering feat. The introduction of wrought iron, thanks to the puddling technique, allowed for the construction of larger and more lasting structures, which were critical for expanding transportation networks during the Industrial Revolution.