Carbon steel grades are classified and evaluated by their material, mechanical, chemical, and metallurgical properties for the production of mechanical parts.
Carbon steels, like any other metals and steels, also have varying grades, each suited for certain treated conditions, environments, and temperatures.
Almost all carbon steel grades are evaluated and specified to determine their specific contained mechanical and chemical properties that may have different effects and roles in varying environments. The results in finishes may also vary in the grades. Carbon steel grades are capable to be heat treated in these following possible conditions:
- Full annealing
- Process annealing
- Isothermal annealing
- Martempering (Marquenching)
- Quenching and tempering
The identification and classification of carbon steel grades matter in steel standards to guide metallurgical refineries and laboratories, product manufacturers, and even forging industries, and other variants in the proper application and processing procedures for ensuring quality towards best and safe use.
|CARBON STEEL GRADE||DESCRIPTION||APPLICATION|
|1018||mild (low carbon) steel, strong and ductile, has good weldability properties||crimping, bending, swaging, worms, pins, gears, dowels, tool holders, machine parts, pinions, ratchets, etc.|
|1020||suitable for surface hardening, can be case machined, hardened, and welded||hydraulic shafts, motor shafts, pump shafts, machinery parts|
|1030||high carbon steel, has moderate hardness and strength, machineable, ductile||machinery parts, used in the tempered and quenched condition for strength|
|1035||medium-carbon engineering steel, suitable for induction hardening and flame||used for forged parts, links, gears, couplings, forged shafts and axles|
|1040||has good strength, wear resistance, and toughness, machineable||forged couplings and crankshafts|
|1045||medium carbon steel, can be forged satisfactorily, most common shafting steel||induction hardening applications, medium strength parts, shafts for pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders|
|1050||plain carbon steel, readily welded and machined||forged shafts and gears|
|1060||standard grade carbon steel||used for forged applications|
|1065||high-carbon steel, has high tensile strength, heat treatable||blades and cutlery|
|1144||stressproof-equivalent steel, a higher-strength alloy than A36 and 1018, has improved ductility||used for parts requiring mechanical properties obtained by heat treating|
|11L14||free machining steel, has enhanced machinability, stronger than 1018||used for forged applications|
|12L14||free machining steel, has enhanced machinability, stronger than 1018||screw machines, couplings, inserts, bushings, and hydraulic hose fittings|