Steel 1044
AISI/SAE 1044 · UNS G10440
1044 is a plain medium-carbon steel (UNS G10440) close to 1045 in composition, giving good strength and moderate hardenability.
Reference datasheet — 1044 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the HR condition
1044 tempers and conditions
1044 is supplied in 9 conditions, soft to hard. HR is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 9 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solution annealed | Softest, most ductile condition — pick for heavy cold forming, deep machining or before a later hardening step. | 305 | 570 | 24 | 163 HB | — |
HRDefault Hot rolled | Cheapest general-purpose stock for machined shafts and plates where surface finish and tight size are not critical. | 310 | 570 | 16 | 170 HB | — |
Normalized | Uniform fine-grained structure with the best toughness-to-cost ratio; standard pre-machining condition for shafts and forgings. | 345 | 620 | 18 | 179 HB | — |
Cold Drawn, Stress Relieved | Use when cold-drawn bar must stay straight after heavy asymmetric machining; trades a little yield for lower residual stress. | 480 | 620 | 15 | 11 HRC | 10.6 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Higher yield, close size tolerance and bright finish — the usual choice for turned parts and shafting used without further heat treatment. | 565 | 655 | 12 | 187 HB | — |
Quenched & Tempered to 22–26 HRC | Toughest Q&T level; choose for shock-loaded shafts and couplings where impact matters more than wear. | 690 | 830 | 20 | 24 HRC | — |
Induction hardened | Pick when a hard, wear-resistant, compressively stressed surface is needed on a tough core — journals, splines, cam and pin surfaces. | 700 | 900 | 12 | 57 HRC | — |
Quenched & Tempered to 28–32 HRC | Most common commercial Q&T level for 1044 — balanced strength, toughness and machinability for shafts, gears and pins. | 825 | 965 | 17 | 30 HRC | — |
Quenched & Tempered to 34–38 HRC | Highest practical through-hardened level for thin sections where wear and strength dominate and impact loads are modest. | 1,000 | 1,170 | 13 | 36 HRC | — |
What is 1044?
1044 is a plain medium-carbon steel (UNS G10440) close to 1045 in composition, giving good strength and moderate hardenability. Typical forms are hot-rolled, annealed, normalized, cold-drawn and cold-drawn stress-relieved bar, with induction-hardening and quench-and-temper options at 22–26, 28–32 and 34–38 HRC; the default condition is 310 MPa yield, 570 MPa tensile, 16 % elongation and 170 HB. It welds better than most grades in the 1040s but still needs 150–260 °C preheat, has no corrosion resistance, and offers only moderate cold formability. 1045 is the usual substitute. 1044 has a density of 7.85 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 56% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F). 1044 has a yield strength of 310 MPa (45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 570 MPa (82.7 ksi) — weaker than 83% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 16% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
What is 1044 used for?
- Shafts
- Axles
- Machine components
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 1.9 kg CO₂/kg, better than 92% of steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 10.6 % IACS, better than 91% of steel grades
- Conducts heat well — 49 W/m·K (28.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 83% of steel grades
Limitations
- Low fracture toughness — 50 MPa·√m (45.5 ksi·√in), worse than 86% of steel grades
- Low strength — 310 MPa (45 ksi), worse than 83% of steel grades
1044 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 1044-HR; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
1044 has a density of 7.85 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 56% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F).
Mechanical16
1044 has a yield strength of 310 MPa (45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 570 MPa (82.7 ksi) — weaker than 83% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 16% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
Thermal6
1044 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 49 W/m·K (28.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 83% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.5 µm/m·K (6.39 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
1044 conducts electricity at 10.6 % IACS, better than 91% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 1044 takes about 25 MJ of energy and emits 1.9 kg of CO₂ — less than 82% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability6
1044's machinability is good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades); weldability good (55/100); formability fair (40/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the steel family
Yield strength against density for every steel grade FabDigit runs. 1044 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 1044
Is 1044 easy to machine?
Machines well normalized or cold drawn at ~55–60 % of 1212; use rigid setups, carbide at 120–180 m/min, and expect gummy chips in the annealed state.
Can 1044 be welded?
Weldable with preheat 150–260 °C, low-hydrogen consumables and slow cooling or PWHT; joints in Q&T material lose temper properties in the HAZ.
Can 1044 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1100–1200 °C; cold bending is limited — use generous radii and anneal or normalize before heavy cold work.
1044 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 |
|---|---|---|
| CSAE J403 / ASTM A29 heat analysis | 0.43 – 0.5 | 0.46 |
| Mnlower Mn than 1045 | 0.3 – 0.6 | 0.45 |
| P | ≤ 0.04 | 0.02 |
| S | ≤ 0.05 | 0.03 |
| Siwhen killed steel is specified; not in the base J403 limits | 0.15 – 0.35 | 0.25 |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 1044?
No natural corrosion protection: oil, phosphate, black oxide, zinc plating or paint; grinds and polishes cleanly after hardening for shaft and seal surfaces.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on steel parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Organic Coating
Black / Phosphate
Thermal Spray
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Steel 1044 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- G10440
How much does 1044 cost?
1044 is a budget-cost steel ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
1044 — frequently asked
What is 1044 used for?
1044 is typically used for shafts, axles and machine components. In short: most weldable of the 1040s; direct 1045 substitute; induction-hardenable shaft steel.
What is the yield strength of 1044?
1044 has a typical yield strength of 310 MPa (45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 570 MPa (82.7 ksi) — weaker than 83% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is 1044 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades). Machines well normalized or cold drawn at ~55–60 % of 1212; use rigid setups, carbide at 120–180 m/min, and expect gummy chips in the annealed state.
Can 1044 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (55/100). Weldable with preheat 150–260 °C, low-hydrogen consumables and slow cooling or PWHT; joints in Q&T material lose temper properties in the HAZ.
What surface finishes work on 1044?
No natural corrosion protection: oil, phosphate, black oxide, zinc plating or paint; grinds and polishes cleanly after hardening for shaft and seal surfaces.
Can 1044 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1100–1200 °C; cold bending is limited — use generous radii and anneal or normalize before heavy cold work.
What is the maximum service temperature of 1044?
1044 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.
What is the difference between 1044-HR and 1044-IH?
HR is the default condition — cheapest general-purpose stock for machined shafts and plates where surface finish and tight size are not critical. IH: pick when a hard, wear-resistant, compressively stressed surface is needed on a tough core — journals, splines, cam and pin surfaces. Yield strength is 310 MPa in HR versus 700 MPa in IH.
How much does 1044 cost?
1044 is a budget-cost steel ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- SAE J403 — Chemical Compositions of SAE Carbon Steels — SAE International (2014)
- ASTM A29/A29M — Steel Bars, Carbon and Alloy, Hot-Wrought, General Requirements — ASTM (2020)
- ASTM A108 — Steel Bar, Carbon and Alloy, Cold-Finished — ASTM (2018)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.4 — Heat Treating — ASM International (1991)
- ASM Handbook Vol.19 — Fatigue and Fracture — ASM International (1996)
- GB/T 699 (45 comparison) — SAC (2015)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.