Steel 1049
AISI/SAE 1049 · UNS G10490
1049 is a plain medium-carbon engineering steel (UNS G10490), also listed as C50, 50 and S50C, used where moderate strength and toughness after normalizing or quench-and-temper are required.
Reference datasheet — 1049 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
1049 tempers and conditions
1049 is supplied in 10 conditions, soft to hard. HR is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 10 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HRDefault Hot rolled | Cheapest stock condition for forging blanks, shafts and parts that will be heat treated or machined later. | 340 | 620 | 20 | 179 HB | — |
Solution annealed | Softest condition — choose for maximum machinability, cold forming or before further heat treatment. | 365 | 636 | 24 | 187 HB | — |
Normalized | Uniform fine-pearlite structure with higher strength than hot rolled — standard condition for forged shafts and axles not requiring Q&T. | 427 | 748 | 20 | 217 HB | — |
Q&T | Maximum toughness/ductility of the Q&T range; use where impact and machining ease matter more than strength. | 434 | 653 | 24 | 187 HB | — |
Induction hardened | Select for wear surfaces on shafts, cams and sprocket teeth needing a hard skin over a tough normalized core. | 500 | 760 | 15 | 57 HRC | 10 % IACS |
Q&T | Balanced strength/toughness condition for general machinery shafts and axles; good machinability after treatment. | 538 | 717 | 20 | 18 HRC | — |
Annealed and Cold Drawn | Use when a cold-drawn bright bar is needed with better ductility and lower residual stress than straight cold drawing. | 565 | 655 | 12 | 187 HB | — |
Cold drawn | Pick for close tolerance, bright-finish bar with higher yield strength where no further heat treatment is planned. | 580 | 690 | 10 | 197 HB | — |
Q&T | High-strength tempered martensite for highly loaded shafts, crankpins and bolts of moderate section. | 641 | 793 | 13.5 | 22 HRC | — |
Q&T | Maximum hardness and wear resistance for small sections (pins, wear plates); very low toughness, avoid impact loading. | 807 | 1,120 | 9 | 50 HRC | — |
What is 1049?
1049 is a plain medium-carbon engineering steel (UNS G10490), also listed as C50, 50 and S50C, used where moderate strength and toughness after normalizing or quench-and-temper are required. It is common in forged shaft and axle work and is supplied hot-rolled, annealed, normalized, cold-drawn or annealed-and-cold-drawn, and quenched and tempered at 205, 425, 540 or 650 °C; the default condition gives 340 MPa yield, 620 MPa tensile, 20 % elongation and 179 HB. Weldability is poor (CE about 0.6–0.7), cold formability is low, and the bare surface rusts. 1045 and 1050 are more commonly stocked. 1049 has a density of 7.85 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 56% of steel grades. It melts at 1,425°C (2,597 °F). 1049 has a yield strength of 340 MPa (49.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) — weaker than 76% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
What is 1049 used for?
- axles
- shafts
- forgings
- couplings
- machine parts
Advantages
- High electrical conductivity — 10.8 % IACS, better than 94% of steel grades
- Low embodied carbon — 1.9 kg CO₂/kg, better than 92% of steel grades
- Conducts heat well — 49.8 W/m·K (28.8 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 85% of steel grades
Limitations
- Low fracture toughness — 55 MPa·√m (50.1 ksi·√in), worse than 82% of steel grades
- Low strength — 340 MPa (49.3 ksi), worse than 76% of steel grades
1049 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 1049-HR; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
1049 has a density of 7.85 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 56% of steel grades. It melts at 1,425°C (2,597 °F).
Mechanical16
1049 has a yield strength of 340 MPa (49.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) — weaker than 76% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
Thermal6
1049 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 49.8 W/m·K (28.8 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 85% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.5 µm/m·K (6.39 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
1049 conducts electricity at 10.8 % IACS, better than 94% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 1049 takes about 25 MJ of energy and emits 1.9 kg of CO₂ — less than 82% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 28%.
Manufacturability8
1049's machinability is fair (45/100, worse than 65% of steel grades); weldability fair (35/100); formability poor (30/100).
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. 1049 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 1049
Is 1049 easy to machine?
Machines best annealed or Q&T to 180–230 HB with carbide tooling and rigid setups; above 40 HRC switch to grinding or CBN.
Can 1049 be welded?
CE ≈ 0.6–0.7 — preheat 200–320 °C, use low-hydrogen electrodes and post-weld stress relief/temper to avoid HAZ cracking.
Can 1049 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold formability is limited; hot forge at 1100–1200 °C and normalize afterwards, or spheroidize-anneal before cold heading.
1049 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cheat analysis, SAE J403 | 0.46 – 0.53 | 0.49 |
| Mn | 0.6 – 0.9 | 0.75 |
| P | ≤ 0.04 | 0.02 |
| S | ≤ 0.05 | 0.03 |
| Siwhen silicon-killed steel is specified | 0.15 – 0.35 | 0.25 |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 1049?
No self-passivation — protect with paint, oil, zinc/manganese phosphate, black oxide, zinc or hard chrome plating; polishes well after hardening.
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 1049 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
How much does 1049 cost?
1049 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.
1049 — frequently asked
What is 1049 used for?
1049 is typically used for axles, shafts, forgings, couplings and machine parts. In short: forging-grade medium carbon; C50 / S50C equivalent; 20 % elongation as supplied.
What is the yield strength of 1049?
1049 has a typical yield strength of 340 MPa (49.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) — weaker than 76% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 10 listed tempers.
Is 1049 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, worse than 65% of steel grades). Machines best annealed or Q&T to 180–230 HB with carbide tooling and rigid setups; above 40 HRC switch to grinding or CBN.
Can 1049 be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (35/100). CE ≈ 0.6–0.7 — preheat 200–320 °C, use low-hydrogen electrodes and post-weld stress relief/temper to avoid HAZ cracking.
What surface finishes work on 1049?
No self-passivation — protect with paint, oil, zinc/manganese phosphate, black oxide, zinc or hard chrome plating; polishes well after hardening.
Can 1049 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold formability is limited; hot forge at 1100–1200 °C and normalize afterwards, or spheroidize-anneal before cold heading.
What is the maximum service temperature of 1049?
1049 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 1049-HR and 1049-QT205?
HR is the default condition — cheapest stock condition for forging blanks, shafts and parts that will be heat treated or machined later. QT205: maximum hardness and wear resistance for small sections (pins, wear plates); very low toughness, avoid impact loading. Yield strength is 340 MPa in HR versus 807 MPa in QT205.
How much does 1049 cost?
1049 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 — 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)
- JIS G4051 — Carbon Steels for Machine Structural Use (S50C) — JISC (2016)
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.