Stainless Steel 20Cb-3 vs Incoloy 801
Stainless Steel · grade comparison
Stainless Steel 20Cb-3 and Incoloy 801 are both stainless steel grades. 20Cb-3 is the stronger of the two: yield strength 345 MPa (50 ksi) against 240 MPa (34.8 ksi) for Incoloy 801, about 44% more; tensile strength follows at 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) vs 585 MPa (84.8 ksi). 20Cb-3 is harder — 160 HB against 150 HB for Incoloy 801 — which matters for wear surfaces and threads. Incoloy 801 runs hotter in service (815°C vs 500°C continuous). On the shop floor, 20Cb-3 sits in a lower cost tier (premium, $$$) than Incoloy 801 (high, $$$$).
20Cb-3Choose it when strength drives the design, or when surface hardness matters.
Incoloy 801Choose it when the part sees heat.
20Cb-3 vs Incoloy 801: 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
Poisson's Ratio
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Yield Strength (0.2% offset)
Reduction in Area
Fatigue Strength (Endurance Limit)
Charpy V-Notch Impact (RT)
Hardness, Brinell
Hardness, Rockwell B
Hardness, Vickers
Same in both: Elongation at Break 42% · Shear Strength 400 MPa58 ksi
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)
Max Service Temperature (continuous)
Same in both: Min Service Temperature -196°C-321 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Electrical Conductivity
Electrical Resistivity
Chemical & Environmental
Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).
Galvanic Potential (seawater, vs SCE)
Corrosion Resistance
Manufacturability
FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.
Machinability
Machinability Rating (AISI 1212 = 100 %)
Weldability
Brazeability / Solderability
Polishability
Castability
Same in both: Formability (cold) 70 / 100
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Embodied Carbon (primary production)
Embodied Water
Typical Recycled Content
Same in both: Embodied Energy (primary production) 110 MJ/kg47,292 BTU/lb
Common Calculations
Ratios derived from the values above.
Specific Strength (UTS / density)
Specific Stiffness (E / density)
Modulus of Resilience
Thermal Shock Resistance Index
Same in both: Thermal Diffusivity 3.1 mm²/s
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 | Incoloy 801 |
|---|---|---|
| CNC machining | Yes | — |
| Sheet metal | Yes | — |
| Default condition | Solution Annealed | — |
| Relative cost | $$$ Premium | $$$$ High |
| Min. machined wall | 0.8 mm | — |
| Best machined surface | Ra 1.6 µm | — |
| AlCrN | Yes | — |
| AlTiN | Yes | — |
| Black Oxide | Yes | — |
| CVD Al2O3 | Yes | — |
| CVD TiCN | Yes | — |
| CVD TiN | Yes | — |
| Cerakote | Yes | — |
| Chrome Plating | Yes | — |
| CrN | Yes | — |
| DLC | Yes | — |
| Electropolishing | Yes | — |
| HVOF Coating | Yes | — |
| MoS2 | Yes | — |
| Multilayer CVD | Yes | — |
| Nickel Plating | Yes | — |
| PTFE Coating | Yes | — |
| Painting | Yes | — |
| Passivation (Stainless Steel) | Yes | — |
They share 7 finishes: Electroless Nickel (EN), Epoxy Coating, Gold Plating, Hard Chrome Plating, Pickling, Plasma Spray, Silver Plating.
20Cb-3 vs Incoloy 801 — frequently asked
Is 20Cb-3 stronger than Incoloy 801?
Yes. 20Cb-3 has a typical yield strength of 345 MPa (50 ksi) against 240 MPa (34.8 ksi) for Incoloy 801 — about 44% more. Tensile strength is 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) vs 585 MPa (84.8 ksi).
Which is cheaper, 20Cb-3 or Incoloy 801?
20Cb-3 is the lower-cost material: it sits in the premium tier ($$$) while Incoloy 801 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 welds better, 20Cb-3 or Incoloy 801?
20Cb-3. Its weldability rates very good (75/100) against very good (70/100) for Incoloy 801.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in 20Cb-3 and Incoloy 801 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.