Steel 1524
AISI/SAE 1524 · UNS G15240
1524 (UNS G15240, also supplied as 1024) is a plain carbon-manganese steel that is occasionally carburized for economical light-duty wear parts rather than a true alloy case-hardening grade.
Reference datasheet — 1524 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
1524 tempers and conditions
1524 is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. HR is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solution annealed | Softest, most ductile condition for deep machining, cold forming or as a pre-carburizing structure. | 275 | 470 | 26 | 137 HB | — |
HRDefault Hot rolled | Cheapest stock condition for forged, machined or carburized parts where tolerance and surface finish are not critical. | 305 | 510 | 20 | 149 HB | — |
Normalized | Use to refine forged or hot-rolled grain, even out properties and improve toughness before machining or case hardening. | 315 | 530 | 22 | 156 HB | — |
Cold drawn | Choose for straight, close-tolerance bright bar with higher yield strength and better as-machined finish. | 505 | 585 | 15 | 170 HB | — |
Carburized, quenched & low-temper | Pick when a hard wear surface (≈0.5–1.2 mm case, 55–62 HRC) is needed over a tough medium-strength core on light-duty gears and pins. | 520 | 760 | 14 | 59 HRC | — |
What is 1524?
1524 (UNS G15240, also supplied as 1024) is a plain carbon-manganese steel that is occasionally carburized for economical light-duty wear parts rather than a true alloy case-hardening grade. It is chosen on price and weldability and is stocked as hot-rolled, cold-drawn, annealed and normalized bar, with a carburize-and-quench-temper condition on file. Default properties are 305 MPa yield, 510 MPa tensile, 20% elongation and 149 HB (80 HRB), with service to 400 °C and no corrosion resistance. Case depth and core strength are limited by the low alloy content; use 8620 for loaded gearing. 1524 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). 1524 has a yield strength of 305 MPa (44.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 510 MPa (74 ksi) — weaker than 84% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
What is 1524 used for?
- Low-load gears
- Wear pins and dowels
- Bushings and sleeves
- Chain sprockets
- Levers and linkage parts
- Studs and shoulder bolts
- General machinery shafts
Advantages
- Conducts heat well — 51.9 W/m·K (30 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 96% of steel grades
- 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
Limitations
- Low strength — 305 MPa (44.2 ksi), worse than 84% of steel grades
- Hard to polish — 45/100, worse than 84% of steel grades
1524 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 1524-HR; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
1524 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
1524 has a yield strength of 305 MPa (44.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 510 MPa (74 ksi) — weaker than 84% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
Thermal6
1524 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 51.9 W/m·K (30 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 96% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.7 µm/m·K (6.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
1524 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 1524 takes about 24 MJ of energy and emits 1.9 kg of CO₂ — less than 97% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability7
1524's machinability is good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades); weldability very good (70/100); formability good (60/100).
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. 1524 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 1524
Is 1524 easy to machine?
Machines like a gummy low-carbon steel — use sharp positive-rake tooling, good coolant and chip breakers; normalizing or cold drawing improves chip control over annealed stock.
Can 1524 be welded?
Readily welded by SMAW/GMAW with E70-class filler; carbon equivalent near 0.45–0.50 means 100–150 °C preheat for sections over ~25 mm and no welding after carburizing.
Can 1524 be formed, bent or molded?
Good hot forgeability at 1100–1230 °C; cold bending is fine in annealed/hot-rolled bar but cold-drawn bar has limited remaining ductility.
1524 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 | 0.19 – 0.25 | 0.22 |
| Mnhigh-Mn carbon steel series | 1.35 – 1.65 | 1.5 |
| Pmax, SAE J403 bar | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Smax, SAE J403 bar | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Sitypical for killed steel; not always specified | 0.15 – 0.35 | 0.25 |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 1524?
No inherent corrosion resistance — specify oil, phosphate-and-oil, zinc plate, black oxide or paint; takes decorative plating well after fine grinding.
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 1524 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- G15240
- AISI / SAE
- 1024
How much does 1524 cost?
1524 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.
1524 — frequently asked
What is 1524 used for?
1524 is typically used for low-load gears, wear pins and dowels, bushings and sleeves, chain sprockets, levers and linkage parts and studs and shoulder bolts. In short: cheapest carburizing option; best weldability in family; light-duty wear parts.
What is the yield strength of 1524?
1524 has a typical yield strength of 305 MPa (44.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 510 MPa (74 ksi) — weaker than 84% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is 1524 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades). Machines like a gummy low-carbon steel — use sharp positive-rake tooling, good coolant and chip breakers; normalizing or cold drawing improves chip control over annealed stock.
Can 1524 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (70/100). Readily welded by SMAW/GMAW with E70-class filler; carbon equivalent near 0.45–0.50 means 100–150 °C preheat for sections over ~25 mm and no welding after carburizing.
What surface finishes work on 1524?
No inherent corrosion resistance — specify oil, phosphate-and-oil, zinc plate, black oxide or paint; takes decorative plating well after fine grinding.
Can 1524 be formed, bent or molded?
Good hot forgeability at 1100–1230 °C; cold bending is fine in annealed/hot-rolled bar but cold-drawn bar has limited remaining ductility.
What is the maximum service temperature of 1524?
1524 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 1524-HR and 1524 CARB-QT?
HR is the default condition — cheapest stock condition for forged, machined or carburized parts where tolerance and surface finish are not critical. CARB-QT: pick when a hard wear surface (≈0.5–1.2 mm case, 55–62 HRC) is needed over a tough medium-strength core on light-duty gears and pins. Yield strength is 305 MPa in HR versus 520 MPa in CARB-QT.
How much does 1524 cost?
1524 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)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.4 — Heat Treating (carburizing of carbon steels) — ASM International (1991)
- ASM Handbook Vol.16 — Machining — ASM International (1989)
- MatWeb material property data, AISI 1524 hot rolled / cold drawn — MatWeb LLC (2024)
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.