Stainless Steel 1.3549-A (Solution annealed)
Temper · default condition
EN 1.3549
Standard as-delivered bar/tube condition for machining bearing rings and blanks before hardening.
Values for the A condition
Other 1.3549 tempers and conditions
1.3549 is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at 1.3549.
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ADefaultThis page Solution annealed | Standard as-delivered bar/tube condition for machining bearing rings and blanks before hardening. | 450 | 760 | 13 | 23 HRC | — |
Cold drawn | Pick for close-tolerance ground bar stock going straight into turning of small bearing/valve parts. | 620 | 880 | 9 | 28 HRC | 2.9 % IACS |
Hardened + secondary-hardening temper 500–520 °C | Use for elevated-temperature bearings/tooling (up to ~400 °C) or when nitriding/PVD coating follows; corrosion resistance is reduced. | 1,700 | 1,850 | 2.5 | 56 HRC | — |
Hardened 1020–1060 °C + tempered ~250 °C | Choose when slightly higher toughness/impact tolerance is worth a few points of hardness (valve parts, knife blades, shafts). | 1,750 | 1,900 | 3 | 57 HRC | — |
Hardened 1030–1060 °C, oil/gas quenched + tempered 150–180 °C | Standard corrosion-resistant rolling-bearing condition: maximum hardness with best pitting resistance. | 1,900 | 2,000 | 2 | 60 HRC | — |
Hardened + deep-freeze (−80 °C) + tempered 150–180 °C | Bearing-quality route with sub-zero treatment to remove retained austenite — best dimensional stability and rolling-contact fatigue life. | 1,950 | 2,050 | 1.5 | 61 HRC | — |
What is 1.3549-A?
1.3549-A is 1.3549 in the A temper — standard as-delivered bar/tube condition for machining bearing rings and blanks before hardening. 1.3549-A has a yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 760 MPa (110 ksi) — stronger than 70% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 13% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi). 1.3549-A has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 83% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,370°C (2,498 °F).
Advantages
- High electrical conductivity — 2.9 % IACS, better than 87% of stainless steel grades
- Conducts heat well — 24 W/m·K (13.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of stainless steel grades
Limitations
- Difficult to weld — 10/100, worse than 100% of stainless steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 45 MPa·√m (41 ksi·√in), worse than 95% of stainless steel grades
- Limited ductility — 13%, worse than 93% of stainless steel grades
- Limited formability — 20/100, worse than 86% of stainless steel grades
- Needs corrosion protection — 45/100, worse than 85% of stainless steel grades
1.3549-A properties
Typical room-temperature values for 1.3549-A; 14 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 1.3549 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among stainless steel grades.
Physical3
1.3549-A has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 83% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,370°C (2,498 °F).
Mechanical17
1.3549-A has a yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 760 MPa (110 ksi) — stronger than 70% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 13% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
Thermal6
1.3549-A is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 24 W/m·K (13.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of stainless steel grades. Thermal expansion is 10.4 µm/m·K (5.78 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
1.3549-A conducts electricity at 2.9 % IACS, better than 87% of stainless steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (45/100), worse than 85% of stainless steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 1.3549-A takes about 53 MJ of energy and emits 4.7 kg of CO₂ — less than 67% of stainless steel grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability7
1.3549-A's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 70% of stainless steel grades); weldability not recommended (10/100); formability poor (20/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 1.3549-A
Is 1.3549 easy to machine?
Machine only in the soft-annealed state with sharp, rigid, positive-rake carbide or CBN tooling at low speed and generous coolant; hardened parts must be ground, hard-turned with CBN, or EDM'd.
Can 1.3549 be welded?
Essentially non-weldable for structural joints — high carbon causes hard, crack-prone martensite; if unavoidable, preheat 250–300 °C, use matching or austenitic filler and temper immediately after.
Can 1.3549 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1050–1150 °C with slow cooling and immediate spheroidize anneal (~850–870 °C, slow cool); cold forming limited to light straightening — no deep drawing or sharp bends.
What surface finishes work on 1.3549?
Passivate in nitric or citric acid after hardening (ASTM A967) to restore the chromium oxide film; takes a mirror polish at 58–62 HRC and accepts hard chrome, TiN/DLC PVD (deposit below the tempering temperature).
1.3549 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.85 – 0.95 | 0.9 |
| Si | ≤ 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Mn | ≤ 1 | 0.5 |
| Pbearing quality often ≤0.025 | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Slow-S for rolling-contact fatigue | ≤ 0.02 | — |
| Cr | 17 – 19 | 18 |
| Mo | 0.9 – 1.3 | 1.1 |
| Vgrain refinement, fine carbides | 0.07 – 0.12 | 0.1 |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.5 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
1.3549-A — frequently asked
What is 1.3549-A used for?
1.3549-A is typically used for precision bearings, valve balls, corrosion-resistant rolling elements and aerospace bearings. In short: bearing-grade 440C; hardens to 62 HRC; highest hardness stainless.
What is the yield strength of 1.3549-A?
1.3549-A has a typical yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 760 MPa (110 ksi) — stronger than 70% of stainless steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is 1.3549-A easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 70% of stainless steel grades). Machine only in the soft-annealed state with sharp, rigid, positive-rake carbide or CBN tooling at low speed and generous coolant; hardened parts must be ground, hard-turned with CBN, or EDM'd.
Can 1.3549-A be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (10/100). Essentially non-weldable for structural joints — high carbon causes hard, crack-prone martensite; if unavoidable, preheat 250–300 °C, use matching or austenitic filler and temper immediately after.
What surface finishes work on 1.3549-A?
Passivate in nitric or citric acid after hardening (ASTM A967) to restore the chromium oxide film; takes a mirror polish at 58–62 HRC and accepts hard chrome, TiN/DLC PVD (deposit below the tempering temperature).
Can 1.3549-A be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1050–1150 °C with slow cooling and immediate spheroidize anneal (~850–870 °C, slow cool); cold forming limited to light straightening — no deep drawing or sharp bends.
What is the maximum service temperature of 1.3549-A?
1.3549-A is rated for continuous use to about 400°C (752 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- EN ISO 683-17 — Heat-treatable steels, alloy steels: ball and roller bearing steels — ISO/CEN (2014)
- EN 10088-3 — Stainless steels: semi-finished products, bars, rods (martensitic grades) — CEN (2014)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys (440C martensitic stainless) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.13B — Corrosion: Materials (martensitic stainless steels) — ASM International (2005)
- High-carbon Cr-Mo-V corrosion-resistant bearing steel bar datasheets (X89CrMoV18-1 / X90CrMoV18 class) — European special-steel producers (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.