Steel 1050 CR-Hard
Supply condition
AISI/SAE 1050 · UNS G10500 · EN C50 · JIS S50C
CR-Hard = cold rolled hard strip
Strip condition for flat springs, shims and saw blanks that are formed then stress-relieved.
Values for the CR-Hard condition
Other 1050 tempers and conditions
1050 is listed in 14 conditions; see the grade overview at 1050.
Compare all 14 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spheroidize annealed (≈700 °C sub-critical, spheroidal carbides) | Use for cold forging, heading, deep drawing or thread rolling of 0.5 % C steel. | 330 | 560 | 28 | 163 HB | 10.7 % IACS |
HRDefault Hot rolled | Default stock condition for 50#/S50C bar and plate that will be machined and then quench- or induction-hardened. | 340 | 620 | 15 | 179 HB | — |
full anneal ≈790 °C, furnace cooled | Pick for maximum machinability/formability before hardening, or for stress-free blanks. | 365 | 636 | 24 | 187 HB | — |
Normalized | Uniform fine pearlitic structure — best base condition for plate, forgings and pre-machining stability. | 427 | 748 | 20 | 217 HB | — |
Q&T | Softest quench-and-temper option — maximum toughness and machinability with moderate strength. | 538 | 724 | 28 | 20 HRC | — |
Strain hardened and partially annealed, half hard | Cold-worked then sub-critically back-annealed 1050 strip: keeps most of the half-hard strength but recovers useful bend and forming ductility for parts that must still be shaped after rolling. | 580 | 720 | 12 | 17 HRC | 10.4 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Choose for straight, close-tolerance shafting with a better surface and higher yield than hot rolled. | 580 | 690 | 10 | 197 HB | — |
Induction hardened | Pick for shafts, gear teeth and guide rails needing a 55–60 HRC wear skin on a tough core. | 620 | 860 | 15 | 58 HRC | 9.6 % IACS |
Q&T | Use the water-quenched, 540 °C tempered condition at 26–30 HRC for shafts and couplings needing 862 MPa tensile with good toughness while remaining machinable. | 655 | 862 | 23 | 27 HRC | — |
Strain hardened, half hard | Cold-rolled / cold-drawn half-hard 1050 strip and bar: strain hardening raises yield and hardness to roughly twice the hot-rolled level while cutting cold ductility and impact toughness to a minimum. | 660 | 760 | 8 | 21 HRC | 10.3 % IACS |
Q&T | Balanced strength/toughness for shafts, gears and highly loaded machine parts. | 717 | 1,000 | 19 | 40 HRC | — |
Q&T | High-strength wear condition with slightly better ductility than the 205 °C temper. | 793 | 1,090 | 13 | 45 HRC | — |
CR-HardThis page Cold rolled hard strip | Strip condition for flat springs, shims and saw blanks that are formed then stress-relieved. | 800 | 900 | 4 | 27 HRC | 10.3 % IACS |
Q&T | Maximum hardness and wear resistance for small sections (blades, wear plates); low toughness. | 807 | 1,120 | 9 | 51 HRC | — |
What is 1050 CR-Hard?
1050 CR-Hard is 1050 supplied in the CR-Hard condition — strip condition for flat springs, shims and saw blanks that are formed then stress-relieved. 1050 CR-Hard has a yield strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 86% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 4% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi). 1050 CR-Hard 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). HR is the default condition FabDigit quotes; CR-Hard is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 1.9 kg CO₂/kg, better than 92% of steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 10.3 % IACS, better than 87% of steel grades
- High strength — 800 MPa (116 ksi), better than 86% of steel grades
- Conducts heat well — 49 W/m·K (28.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 83% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 4%, worse than 98% of steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 40 MPa·√m (36.4 ksi·√in), worse than 92% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 15/100, worse than 87% of steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 250°C (482 °F), worse than 85% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 20/100, worse than 84% of steel grades
1050 CR-Hard properties
Typical room-temperature values for 1050 CR-Hard; 22 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 1050 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
1050 CR-Hard 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).
Mechanical14
1050 CR-Hard has a yield strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 86% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 4% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
Thermal6
1050 CR-Hard is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 49 W/m·K (28.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 83% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.7 µm/m·K (6.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
1050 CR-Hard conducts electricity at 10.3 % IACS, better than 87% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 1050 CR-Hard 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
1050 CR-Hard's machinability is fair (38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades); weldability poor (20/100); formability poor (15/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 1050 CR-Hard
Is 1050 easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed or ≤30 HRC tempered state with carbide tooling and rigid setups; expect ~50 % of 1212 speeds and use chip breakers as it is not free-cutting.
Can 1050 be welded?
Poor weldability at 0.5 % C — preheat 200–300 °C, low-hydrogen consumables, control interpass and post-weld temper/stress-relieve to avoid HAZ cracking.
Can 1050 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold form only in annealed or spheroidized condition with generous bend radii (≥2t); hot forge 1100–1200 °C and normalize afterwards.
What surface finishes work on 1050?
No inherent corrosion resistance — oil, phosphate, black oxide, zinc or hard chrome plate; hardened surfaces grind and polish well for die and shaft applications.
1050 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 |
|---|---|---|
| CJIS S50C: 0.47–0.53 | 0.48 – 0.55 | 0.5 |
| Mn | 0.6 – 0.9 | 0.75 |
| SiNot specified in SAE 1050 (silicon-killed practice); required by JIS S50C / DIN C50 | 0.15 – 0.35 | 0.25 |
| P0.030 max for S50C / C50 | ≤ 0.04 | — |
| S0.035 max for S50C / C50 | ≤ 0.05 | — |
| CrResidual limit (JIS/DIN) | ≤ 0.2 | — |
| NiResidual limit | ≤ 0.2 | — |
| CuResidual limit | ≤ 0.3 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
1050 CR-Hard — frequently asked
What is 1050 CR-Hard used for?
1050 CR-Hard is typically used for forged gears, shafts and hand tools. In short: hard; high-carbon spring steel.
What is the yield strength of 1050 CR-Hard?
1050 CR-Hard has a typical yield strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 86% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 14 listed tempers.
Is 1050 CR-Hard easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed or ≤30 HRC tempered state with carbide tooling and rigid setups; expect ~50 % of 1212 speeds and use chip breakers as it is not free-cutting.
Can 1050 CR-Hard be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). Poor weldability at 0.5 % C — preheat 200–300 °C, low-hydrogen consumables, control interpass and post-weld temper/stress-relieve to avoid HAZ cracking.
What surface finishes work on 1050 CR-Hard?
No inherent corrosion resistance — oil, phosphate, black oxide, zinc or hard chrome plate; hardened surfaces grind and polish well for die and shaft applications.
Can 1050 CR-Hard be formed, bent or molded?
Cold form only in annealed or spheroidized condition with generous bend radii (≥2t); hot forge 1100–1200 °C and normalize afterwards.
What is the maximum service temperature of 1050 CR-Hard?
1050 CR-Hard is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 1050-HR and 1050 QT-205?
HR is the default condition — default stock condition for 50#/S50C bar and plate that will be machined and then quench- or induction-hardened. QT-205: maximum hardness and wear resistance for small sections (blades, wear plates); low toughness. Yield strength is 340 MPa in HR versus 807 MPa in QT-205.
Can FabDigit make parts in 1050 CR-Hard?
Yes — 1050 CR-Hard is available for CNC machining and sheet metal; every part is priced by an engineer rather than instantly. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- SAE J403 — Chemical Compositions of SAE Carbon Steels — SAE International (2014)
- ASTM A29/A29M — Steel Bars, Carbon and Alloy, Hot-Wrought — ASTM (2020)
- JIS G4051 — Carbon steels for machine structural use (S50C) — JSA (2016)
- EN 10083-2 / DIN C50 (1.0540) — CEN (2006)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- Machinery's Handbook (machinability ratings) — Industrial Press (2020)
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.