Stainless Steel 3Cr13 vs 420
Stainless Steel · grade comparison
Stainless Steel 3Cr13 and 420 are both stainless steel grades. 3Cr13 is the stronger of the two: yield strength 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) against 360 MPa (52.2 ksi) for 420, about 6% more. 420 is harder — 200 HB against 190 HB for 3Cr13 — which matters for wear surfaces and threads. On the shop floor, 3Cr13 welds better (fair vs poor) and 3Cr13 sits in a lower cost tier (standard, $$) than 420 (premium, $$$).
3Cr13Choose it when strength drives the design, or when it will be welded.
420Choose it when surface hardness matters.
3Cr13 vs 420: 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.
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Yield Strength (0.2% offset)
Compressive Strength
Shear Strength
Fatigue Strength (Endurance Limit)
Charpy V-Notch Impact (RT)
Hardness, Brinell
Hardness, Rockwell B
Hardness, Vickers
Fracture Toughness (K_IC)
Same in both: Elastic (Young's) Modulus 200 GPa29 Msi · Shear Modulus 78 GPa11.3 Msi · Bulk Modulus 160 GPa23.2 Msi · Poisson's Ratio 0.29 · Elongation at Break 22% · Reduction in Area 55%
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Melting Point (Solidus)
Same in both: Density 7.75 g/cm³0.28 lb/in³ · Liquidus Temperature 1,510°C2,750 °F
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)
Same in both: Thermal Conductivity 24.9 W/m·K14.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F · Specific Heat Capacity 460 J/kg·K0.11 BTU/lb·°F · Latent Heat of Fusion 260 J/g112 BTU/lb · Max Service Temperature (continuous) 650°C1,202 °F · Min Service Temperature -30°C-22 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Same in both: Electrical Conductivity 3.1 % IACS · Electrical Resistivity 5.5×10⁻⁷ Ω·m21.7 µΩ·in
Chemical & Environmental
Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).
Corrosion Resistance
Same in both: Galvanic Potential (seawater, vs SCE) -0.3 V
Manufacturability
FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.
Weldability
Brazeability / Solderability
Polishability
Castability
Same in both: Machinability 45 / 100 · Machinability Rating (AISI 1212 = 100 %) 45% · Formability (cold) 40 / 100
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Embodied Energy (primary production)
Embodied Carbon (primary production)
Embodied Water
Typical Recycled Content
Common Calculations
Ratios derived from the values above.
Specific Strength (UTS / density)
Modulus of Resilience
Same in both: Specific Stiffness (E / density) 25.8 MN·m/kg · Thermal Diffusivity 7 mm²/s · Thermal Shock Resistance Index 8
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 | 3Cr13 | 420 |
|---|---|---|
| CNC machining | — | Yes |
| Default condition | — | Annealed |
| Relative cost | $$ Standard | $$$ Premium |
| 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.
3Cr13 vs 420 — frequently asked
Is 3Cr13 stronger than 420?
Yes. 3Cr13 has a typical yield strength of 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) against 360 MPa (52.2 ksi) for 420 — about 6% more. Tensile strength is 660 MPa (95.7 ksi) vs 690 MPa (100 ksi).
Which is cheaper, 3Cr13 or 420?
3Cr13 is the lower-cost material: it sits in the standard tier ($$) while 420 is premium ($$$). 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, 3Cr13 or 420?
3Cr13. Its weldability rates fair (35/100) against poor (25/100) for 420.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in 3Cr13 and 420 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.