Steel 1074
AISI/SAE 1074 · UNS G10740
1074 (UNS G10740) is a plain high-carbon steel at roughly 0.70–0.80 % C with no alloying additions, from the SAE 10xx family and stocked as strip, sheet, wire and bar.
Values for the HR condition
1074 tempers and conditions
1074 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
spheroidize/subcritical annealed strip and bar | Softest condition; choose for deep blanking, forming or heavy machining before hardening. | 350 | 600 | 22 | 174 HB | — |
HRDefault Hot rolled | Cheapest as-rolled bar/coil for parts that will be machined and then heat treated. | 380 | 655 | 12 | 192 HB | — |
austenitized ~870–900 °C, air cooled | Uniform fine pearlitic structure before hardening or for moderately strong as-supplied parts. | 435 | 760 | 12 | 217 HB | — |
Spheroidized & Cold Drawn | Spheroidize-annealed 1074 bar/wire then cold drawn — globular carbide structure gives good cold-forming and machining behaviour with moderately raised strength. | 635 | 750 | 10 | 217 HB | 48 W/m·K |
Cold drawn | Cold-drawn round bar or wire with higher yield and better straightness/finish than hot rolled. | 670 | 780 | 10 | 235 HB | — |
Cold rolled | Cold-rolled high-carbon strip with tight thickness and bright surface, for blanked parts hardened afterwards. | 780 | 900 | 6 | 26 HRC | — |
Quenched and tempered | General hardened-and-tempered condition (temper ~370–450 °C) for tools, blades and heavy springs needing strength with some toughness. | 1,150 | 1,300 | 8 | 42 HRC | — |
Spring hard | Standard supply condition for 1074/1075 flat spring, clip and blade stock; maximum elastic limit, low ductility. | 1,500 | 1,700 | 3 | 49 HRC | — |
Q&T 56-60 HRC | Low-temper condition for saw blades, scrapers, knives and wear parts where edge hardness matters more than toughness. | 1,800 | 2,100 | 1.5 | 58 HRC | — |
What is 1074?
1074 (UNS G10740) is a plain high-carbon steel at roughly 0.70–0.80 % C with no alloying additions, from the SAE 10xx family and stocked as strip, sheet, wire and bar. Annealed it is about 192 HB (91 HRB) with 380 MPa yield, 655 MPa tensile and 12 % elongation; it is blanked and formed soft, then oil-quenched and tempered to spring temper or about 58 HRC. Engineers choose it for spring and blade parts where hardenability is needed without alloy cost. Weldability and formability in the hardened state are poor and there is no corrosion resistance, so parts must be oiled, coated or plated; 5160 or 6150 are the alternatives when deeper hardening is required. 1074 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). 1074 has a yield strength of 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 655 MPa (95 ksi) — weaker than 68% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
What is 1074 used for?
- Flat springs and spring clips
- Coil springs
- Hand tool blanks
- Saw and scraper blades
- Shim and washer stock
- Retaining rings
- Mower and cutting blades
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 87% of steel grades
- Conducts heat well — 48 W/m·K (27.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 79% of steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 9.6 % IACS, better than 78% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 250°C (482 °F), worse than 85% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 12%, worse than 84% of steel grades
- Difficult to machine — 40/100, worse than 77% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 25/100, worse than 77% of steel grades
1074 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 1074-HR; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
1074 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).
Mechanical13
1074 has a yield strength of 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 655 MPa (95 ksi) — weaker than 68% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
Thermal6
1074 is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 48 W/m·K (27.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 79% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.5 µm/m·K (6.39 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
1074 conducts electricity at 9.6 % IACS, better than 78% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 1074 takes about 25 MJ of energy and emits 2 kg of CO₂ — less than 82% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 25%.
Manufacturability6
1074's machinability is fair (40/100, worse than 77% of steel grades); weldability poor (25/100); 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. 1074 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 1074
Is 1074 easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed or hot-rolled state with rigid setups, carbide or coated HSS and generous coolant; above ~45 HRC use grinding, EDM or CBN.
Can 1074 be welded?
Poor weldability — 0.75 %C causes hard martensite and cracking; if unavoidable preheat 250–350 °C, use low-hydrogen consumables and temper immediately.
Can 1074 be formed, bent or molded?
Blank and form in annealed/cold-rolled state; spring-temper strip only tolerates gentle bends with large radii along the rolling direction — harden after forming for complex shapes (oil quench 800–830 °C, temper 350–450 °C).
Manufacturability
The process limits FabDigit applies to 1074. Every 1074 part is priced by an engineer; design inside these and the quote comes back without a redesign loop.
CNC machining
| Machinability | Fair40 / 100 |
|---|---|
| ISO material group | P.1 |
| Cutting speed (rough / finish) | 220 / 260 m/min |
| Minimum wall | 0.8 mm |
| Minimum internal radius | 1 mm |
| Drill depth limit | 5× diameter |
| Best surface (machined / polished) | Ra 1.6 / — |
| Hardenable after machining | No |
Sheet metal
| Formability | Fair30 / 100 |
|---|---|
| Weldability | Poor25 / 100 |
1074 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 | 0.7 – 0.8 | 0.75 |
| Mn | 0.5 – 0.8 | 0.65 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Smax (0.050 for some bar products) | ≤ 0.04 | |
| Sinot specified in J403 for non-Si grades; typical strip practice | 0.1 – 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 1074?
No inherent corrosion resistance: oil, phosphate, blueing, black oxide, paint or zinc plating; bake after electroplating to avoid hydrogen embrittlement, and polish easily to a bright edge when hardened.
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).
Plating
CVD Coating
Black / Phosphate
Thermal Spray
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Steel 1074 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- G10740
- Similar grades
- 70
How much does 1074 cost?
1074 is a standard-cost steel ($$), cheaper than about 80% 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.
1074 — frequently asked
What is 1074 used for?
1074 is typically used for flat springs and spring clips, coil springs, hand tool blanks, saw and scraper blades, shim and washer stock and retaining rings. In short: spring-steel sheet stock.
What is the yield strength of 1074?
1074 has a typical yield strength of 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 655 MPa (95 ksi) — weaker than 68% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is 1074 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (40/100, worse than 77% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed or hot-rolled state with rigid setups, carbide or coated HSS and generous coolant; above ~45 HRC use grinding, EDM or CBN.
Can 1074 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (25/100). Poor weldability — 0.75 %C causes hard martensite and cracking; if unavoidable preheat 250–350 °C, use low-hydrogen consumables and temper immediately.
What surface finishes work on 1074?
No inherent corrosion resistance: oil, phosphate, blueing, black oxide, paint or zinc plating; bake after electroplating to avoid hydrogen embrittlement, and polish easily to a bright edge when hardened.
Can 1074 be formed, bent or molded?
Blank and form in annealed/cold-rolled state; spring-temper strip only tolerates gentle bends with large radii along the rolling direction — harden after forming for complex shapes (oil quench 800–830 °C, temper 350–450 °C).
What is the maximum service temperature of 1074?
1074 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 1074-HR and 1074 Spring?
HR is the default condition — cheapest as-rolled bar/coil for parts that will be machined and then heat treated. Spring: standard supply condition for 1074/1075 flat spring, clip and blade stock; maximum elastic limit, low ductility. Yield strength is 380 MPa in HR versus 1,500 MPa in Spring.
How much does 1074 cost?
1074 is a standard-cost steel ($$), cheaper than about 80% 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.
Can FabDigit make parts in 1074?
Yes — 1074 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)
- ASTM A684/A684M — High-Carbon Cold-Rolled Steel Strip — ASTM (2021)
- 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)
- Machinery's Handbook (machinability ratings) — Industrial Press (2020)
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.