Stainless Steel 20Cb-3 vs Alloy 28
Stainless Steel · grade comparison
Stainless Steel 20Cb-3 and Alloy 28 are both stainless steel grades. 20Cb-3 is the stronger of the two: yield strength 345 MPa (50 ksi) against 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) for Alloy 28, about 33% more. Alloy 28 is harder — 170 HB against 160 HB for 20Cb-3 — which matters for wear surfaces and threads. On the shop floor, 20Cb-3 sits in a lower cost tier (premium, $$$) than Alloy 28 (high, $$$$).
20Cb-3Choose it when strength drives the design, or when cost is the deciding factor.
Alloy 28Choose it when surface hardness matters.
20Cb-3 vs Alloy 28: propertiesHow to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all stainless steel grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
How to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all stainless steel grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
Mechanical
Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.
Elastic (Young's) Modulus
Shear Modulus
Bulk Modulus
Yield Strength (0.2% offset)
Elongation at Break
Reduction in Area
Fatigue Strength (Endurance Limit)
Hardness, Brinell
Hardness, Rockwell B
Hardness, Vickers
Same in both: Poisson's Ratio 0.3 · Tensile Strength (Ultimate) 620 MPa89.9 ksi · Shear Strength 400 MPa58 ksi · Charpy V-Notch Impact (RT) 200 J148 ft·lbf
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Density
Melting Point (Solidus)
Liquidus Temperature
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Conductivity
Specific Heat Capacity
Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)
Latent Heat of Fusion
Same in both: Max Service Temperature (continuous) 500°C932 °F · Min Service Temperature -196°C-321 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Electrical Conductivity
Electrical Resistivity
Chemical & Environmental
Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).
Corrosion Resistance
Same in both: Galvanic Potential (seawater, vs SCE) -0.1 V
Manufacturability
FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.
Machinability
Machinability Rating (AISI 1212 = 100 %)
Weldability
Formability (cold)
Brazeability / Solderability
Same in both: Polishability 75 / 100
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Embodied Energy (primary production)
Embodied Carbon (primary production)
Embodied Water
Same in both: Typical Recycled Content 40%
Common Calculations
Ratios derived from the values above.
Specific Strength (UTS / density)
Specific Stiffness (E / density)
Modulus of Resilience
Same in both: Thermal Diffusivity 3.1 mm²/s · Thermal Shock Resistance Index 3
Strength versus weight
Yield strength against density for every stainless steel grade in the FabDigit library; the compared grades are highlighted. Up and left is stronger for its weight.
Manufacturing and finishing
| Capability | 20Cb-3 | Alloy 28 |
|---|---|---|
| CNC machining | Yes | — |
| Sheet metal | Yes | — |
| Default condition | Solution Annealed | — |
| Relative cost | $$$ Premium | $$$$ High |
| Min. machined wall | 0.8 mm | — |
| Best machined surface | Ra 1.6 µm | — |
| AlCrN | Yes | — |
| AlTiN | Yes | — |
| Black Oxide | Yes | — |
| CVD Al2O3 | Yes | — |
| CVD TiCN | Yes | — |
| CVD TiN | Yes | — |
| Cerakote | Yes | — |
| Chrome Plating | Yes | — |
| CrN | Yes | — |
| DLC | Yes | — |
| Electropolishing | Yes | — |
| HVOF Coating | Yes | — |
| MoS2 | Yes | — |
| Multilayer CVD | Yes | — |
| Nickel Plating | Yes | — |
| PTFE Coating | Yes | — |
| Painting | Yes | — |
| Passivation (Stainless Steel) | Yes | — |
They share 7 finishes: Electroless Nickel (EN), Epoxy Coating, Gold Plating, Hard Chrome Plating, Pickling, Plasma Spray, Silver Plating.
20Cb-3 vs Alloy 28 — frequently asked
Is 20Cb-3 stronger than Alloy 28?
Yes. 20Cb-3 has a typical yield strength of 345 MPa (50 ksi) against 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) for Alloy 28 — about 33% more. Tensile strength is 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) vs 620 MPa (89.9 ksi).
Which is cheaper, 20Cb-3 or Alloy 28?
20Cb-3 is the lower-cost material: it sits in the premium tier ($$$) while Alloy 28 is high ($$$$). Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Which is easier to machine, 20Cb-3 or Alloy 28?
20Cb-3, by a small margin. Both rate poor for machinability — 33/100 against 28/100 for Alloy 28; for welding the order is 20Cb-3 first (very good, 75/100) then Alloy 28 (very good, 70/100).
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in 20Cb-3 and Alloy 28 side by side — material, machining time, tolerance and finish in one quote. Certified material data ships with the order on request.
Typical handbook values for the conditions named above, normalised for comparison. Hardness on non-Brinell scales is converted approximately for charting only. Request certified data with your order for design-critical properties.