CalQlata's term 'plain carbon' steels refers to what is generally known as 'carbon' steels.
They comprise iron with: <1% carbon, <1% manganese, <0.04% phosphorus & <0.05% sulphur⁽¹⁾.
This table forms the basis for the physical properties (strength, elongation and hardness) of all carbon steels in the SAE-AISI series, including special and alloy carbon steels
Scroll to the bottom of the page for an explanation of the following Table and plain carbon steels.
Data in blue font is associated with unadopted grades and therefore anticipated by CalQlata.
| AISI No |
C (%) min<max |
Mn (%) min<max |
σy (ksi) min<max |
σu (ksi) min<max |
e (%) min<max |
Hardness (BHN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1005 1006 1007 1008 1009 |
<0.06 <0.08 <0.09 <0.1 <0.15 |
0.35 0.25<0.4 0.2<0.45 0.3<0.5 0.3<0.6 |
<22 <25 <26 <27.5 <32.5 |
<32 <35 <36 <37.5 <42.5 |
<40 <35 <34.7 <34.3 <32.9 |
<115 <120 <123 <125 <128 |
| 1010 1011 |
0.08<0.13 | 0.3<0.6 0.6<0.9 |
25<50 | 35<60 | 20<35 | 87<117 96<126 |
| 1012 1013 1014 |
0.1<0.15 | 0.3<0.6 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 |
27.5<52.5 | 37.5<62.5 | 19.6<34.3 | 90<120 96<126 99<129 |
| 1015 1016 |
0.13<0.18 | 0.3<0.6 0.6<0.9 |
30<55 | 40<65 | 19.2<33.6 | 95<125 105<135 |
| 1017 1018 1019 |
0.15<0.2 | 0.3<0.6 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
32.5<62.5 | 42.5<72.5 | 18.8<32.9 | 98<128 108<138 113<143 |
| 1020 1021 1022 |
0.18<0.23 | 0.3<0.6 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
35<65 | 45<75 | 18.4<32.2 | 103<133 113<143 118<148 |
| 1023 1024 |
0.19<0.25 | 0.3<0.6 0.7<1.0 |
37.5<67.5 | 47.5<77.5 | 18<31.5 | 105<135 121<151 |
| 1025 1026 1027 |
0.22<0.28 | 0.3<0.6 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
40<70 | 50<80 | 17.6<30.8 | 110<140 121<151 126<156 |
| 1028 1029 |
0.25<0.31 | 0.3<0.6 0.6<0.9 |
42.5<72.5 | 52.5<82.5 | 17.2<30.2 | 115<145 126<156 |
| 1030 1031 |
0.28<0.34 | 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
45<75 | 55<85 | 16.8<29.4 | 132<162 137<167 |
| 1032 1033 |
0.3<0.36 | 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
47.5<77.5 | 57.5<87.5 | 16.4<28.7 | 135<165 141<171 |
| 1034 1035 1036 1037 |
0.32<0.38 | 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 0.3<0.6 0.7<1.0 |
50<80 | 60<90 | 16<28 | 134<164 138<168 126<156 144<174 |
| 1038 | 0.35<0.42 | 0.6<0.9 | 52.5<82.5 | 62.5<92.5 | 15.6<23.7 | 145<175 |
| 1039 1040 1041 |
0.36<0.44 | 0.7<1.0 0.6<0.9 0.3<0.6 |
55<85 | 65<95 | 15.2<26.6 | 153<183 147<177 134<164 |
| 1042 1043 |
0.4<0.47 | 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
57.5<87.5 | 67.5<97.5 | 14.8<25.9 | 153<183 159<189 |
| 1044 1045 1046 |
0.43<0.5 | 0.3<0.6 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
60<90 | 70<100 | 14.4<25.2 | 144<174 158<188 165<195 |
| 1047 1048 1049 |
0.46<0.53 | 0.3<0.6 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 |
62.5<92.5 | 72.5<102.5 | 14<24.5 | 149<179 159<189 164<194 |
| 1050 1051 1052 1053 |
0.47<0.55 | 0.6<0.9 0.3<0.6 0.5<0.8 0.7<1.0 |
65<95 | 75<105 | 13.6<23.8 | 167<197 151<181 161<191 174<204 |
| 1054 1055 |
0.5<0.6 | 0.3<0.6 0.6<0.9 |
70<100 | 80<110 | 12.8<22.4 | 158<188 173<203 |
| 1056 1057 1058 |
0.53<0.63 | 0.3<0.6 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 |
72.5<102.5 | 82.5<112.5 | 12.4<21.7 | 162<192 173<203 178<208 |
| 1059 1060 1061 1062 |
0.55<0.65 | 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 0.3<0.6 0.7<1.0 |
75<105 | 85<115 | 12<21 | 176<206 182<212 166<196 188<218 |
| 1063 1064 1065 1066 |
0.6<0.7 | 0.3<0.6 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
80<110 | 90<120 | 11.2<18.6 | 174<204 185<215 191<221 199<229 |
| 1067 1068 1069 1070 |
0.65<0.75 | 0.3<0.6 0.5<0.8 0.4<0.7 0.6<0.9 |
85<115 | 95<125 | 10.4<17.2 | 182<212 193<223 187<217 199<229 |
| 1071 1072 1073 1074 |
0.7<0.8 | 0.7<1.0 0.3<0.6 0.6<0.9 0.5<0.8 |
90<120 | 100<130 | 9.6<15.8 | 210<240 190<220 198<228 202<232 |
| 1075 1076 1077 1078 |
0.72<0.85 | 0.4<0.7 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 0.3<0.6 |
92.5<122.5 | 102.5<132.5 | 9.2<15.1 | 206<236 218<248 222<252 195<225 |
| 1079 1080 1081 1082 |
0.75<0.88 | 0.3<0.6 0.6<0.9 0.5<0.8 0.7<1.0 |
95<125 | 105<135 | 8.8<14.3 | 200<230 219<249 213<243 228<258 |
| 1083 1084 1085 |
0.8<0.93 | 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
100<130 | 110<140 | 8<12.9 | 221<251 228<258 237<267 |
| 1086 1087 1088 |
0.82<0.95 | 0.3<0.5 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 |
102.5<132.5 | 112.5<142.5 | 7.2<12.1 | 211<241 225<255 231<251 |
| 1089 1090 1091 |
0.85<0.98 | 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
105<135 | 115<145 | 6.6<11.3 | 230<260 237<267 246<276 |
| 1092 1093 1094 1095 |
0.9<1.03 | 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 0.3<0.5 |
110<140 | 120<150 | 5.8<10 | 238<268 245<275 255<285 224<254 |
| 1096 1097 1098 1099 |
0.95<1.08 | 0.3<0.6 0.5<0.8 0.6<0.9 0.7<1.0 |
115<145 | 125<155 | 5.2<8.7 | 232<262 246<276 254<284 264<294 |
Virtually every carbon steel property Table that CalQlata's engineers have encountered contains conflicting and/or incomplete information due to the material's potential for modification (see Carbon Steel). This doesn't mean the Tables are incorrect, it simply means that the information provided is either very general or very specific. Incomplete Tables are usually due to SAE not having adopted the grade designation (1001 to 1099) in question. This ambiguity and lack of information can be extremely frustrating when trying to identify or specify a plain carbon steel.
CalQlata engineers have devised a means to complete this Table (above) based upon property prediction. It should be noted, however, that CalQlata has assumed the carbon and manganese content for unadopted grade designations that may change when SAE-AISI eventually allocate a chemical composition to the grade. CalQlata will update the Table with revised properties as new grades are adopted.
Careful consideration of the data available on the three carbon steel Tables on this website (plain, special and alloy steels) should enable you to select exactly the right carbon steel grade for your desired hardness (wear resistance), elongation (ductility) and strength (SMYS and UTS) requirements whilst keeping the carbon content to a minimum for maximum fatigue life and/or welding needs (CEV). Elongation is normally used to ensure quality compliance during material testing. Alternatively, you use CalQlata's carbon steel calculator to predict the properties of existing or non-existent SAE carbon steel grades.
A forgemaster will manipulate (through work-hardening and heat treatment) any of the above material grades to achieve the desired properties within the ranges quoted above.
Whilst hardness is limited by the manganese content, a competent forgemaster should be able to achieve strength values within 60% of the ranges quoted above for a high-quality steel of any grade and an outstanding forgemaster may be able to get close to the range limits.
Notes:
You should select the highest manganese content (within the grade specification) if your component is to be subjected to high temperatures for long periods.
The highest strength in the range for the material normally occurs <½" material thickness and the lowest strength normally occurs >4" material thickness
Until recently SAE '10XX' plain carbon steels included those with more than 1% manganese. This has now changed as all plain carbon steels with more than 1% manganese have been allocated their own grading system '15XX' (see Special Carbon Steels). Any such original '10XX' grades; e.g. 1051 and 1052 have now been regraded to 1551 and 1552 and the original '10XX' numbers have become vacant again (see Materials page 'SAE grading System').
Whilst there are exceptions to the general rule, until now SAE-AISI have sorted the grading system as follows:
The last two digits 'XX' in the grade '10XX' represent the carbon content multiplied by 100 and fall numerically somewhere between the minimum and maximum value in the range (±0.05%) of carbon for the grade
e.g. 1032 & 1033 both fall between the carbon content range of 0.3<0.36% and 1047, 1048 & 1049 all fall between the carbon content range of 0.46<0.53%
Each grade within a carbon content range is allocated a different manganese content
(usual range options: '0.3<0.6%', '0.4<0.7%', '0.5<0.8%', '0.6<0.9%' and '0.7<1.0%')
e.g. 1032 and 1033 have the same carbon content but the former has been allocated 'Mn 0.6<0.9%' and the latter has been allocated 'Mn 0.7<1.0%', whilst 1047, 1048 and 1049 all have the same carbon content, they have been allocated 'Mn 0.3<0.6%', 'Mn 0.5<0.8%' and 'Mn 0.6<0.9%' respectively
Apart from iron, carbon, manganese, phosphorus and sulphur plain carbon steels contain only traces of other elements (the lower the quantity of trace elements the higher the steel quality).
You will find further reading on this subject, incl. heat treatment, in our carbon steels web page