Stainless Steel S21603 Cold Drawn vs S21603 Full Hard
Stainless Steel · S21603 temper comparison
S21603 Cold Drawn and S21603 Full Hard are two conditions of the same stainless steel grade, S21603: Cold Drawn versus Full Hard. The chemistry is identical, so every difference below comes from the condition. S21603 Full Hard is the stronger of the two: yield strength 1,030 MPa (149 ksi) against 690 MPa (100 ksi) for S21603 Cold Drawn, about 49% more; tensile strength follows at 1,280 MPa (186 ksi) vs 900 MPa (131 ksi). In exchange, S21603 Cold Drawn is the more ductile: elongation 25% versus 8% for S21603 Full Hard, and S21603 Full Hard is harder (375 HB vs 260 HB). On the shop floor, S21603 Cold Drawn welds better (very good vs good).
S21603 Cold DrawnChoose it when the part is bent, formed or impact-loaded, or when it will be welded.
S21603 Full HardChoose it when strength drives the design.
S21603 Cold Drawn vs S21603 Full Hard: 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.
S21603 Cold DrawnS21603 Full Hard
Mechanical
Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Yield Strength (0.2% offset)
Elongation at Break
Reduction in Area
Shear Strength
Fatigue Strength (Endurance Limit)
Charpy V-Notch Impact (RT)
Hardness, Brinell
Hardness, Rockwell B
Hardness, Vickers
Same in both: Elastic (Young's) Modulus 200 GPa29 Msi · Shear Modulus 77 GPa11.2 Msi · Bulk Modulus 160 GPa23.2 Msi · Poisson's Ratio 0.29
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Same in both: Density 7.81 g/cm³0.28 lb/in³ · Melting Point (Solidus) 1,370°C2,498 °F · Liquidus Temperature 1,425°C2,597 °F
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Same in both: Thermal Conductivity 14.5 W/m·K8.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F · Specific Heat Capacity 500 J/kg·K0.12 BTU/lb·°F · Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C) 16 µm/m·K8.9 µin/in·°F · Latent Heat of Fusion 275 J/g118 BTU/lb · Max Service Temperature (continuous) 400°C752 °F · Min Service Temperature -196°C-321 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Same in both: Electrical Conductivity 2 % IACS · Electrical Resistivity 8.5×10⁻⁷ Ω·m33.5 µΩ·in
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)
Same in both: Brazeability / Solderability 60 / 100 · Polishability 70 / 100
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Same in both: Embodied Energy (primary production) 70 MJ/kg30,095 BTU/lb · Embodied Carbon (primary production) 5 kg CO₂/kg · Embodied Water 130 L/kg15.6 gal/lb · Typical Recycled Content 60%
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.
S21603 Cold Drawn vs S21603 Full Hard — frequently asked
Is S21603 Full Hard stronger than S21603 Cold Drawn?
Yes. S21603 Full Hard has a typical yield strength of 1,030 MPa (149 ksi) against 690 MPa (100 ksi) for S21603 Cold Drawn — about 49% more. Tensile strength is 1,280 MPa (186 ksi) vs 900 MPa (131 ksi).
Which condition does FabDigit quote by default, Cold Drawn or Full Hard?
Annealed is the default S21603 condition in the FabDigit quote flow (neither Cold Drawn nor Full Hard). The other condition is available on request or by drawing note — specify it in the material field or the part notes and the quote is priced for it.
Which is easier to machine, S21603 Cold Drawn or S21603 Full Hard?
S21603 Cold Drawn, by a small margin. Both rate poor for machinability — 32/100 against 25/100 for S21603 Full Hard; for welding the order is S21603 Cold Drawn first (very good, 70/100) then S21603 Full Hard (good, 60/100).
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in S21603 Cold Drawn and S21603 Full Hard 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.