Steel 15CrNi6
EN 15CrNi6
15CrNi6 (1.5919) is a European nickel-chromium carburizing steel that gives good core toughness for moderately loaded gears, shafts and pins.
Reference datasheet — 15CrNi6 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 +A condition
15CrNi6 tempers and conditions
15CrNi6 is supplied in 9 conditions, soft to hard. +A 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Treated for shearability | Choose when bar must be cold sheared to slugs before forging or cold forming. | 380 | 620 | 20 | 175 HB | 7.8 % IACS |
+ADefault Annealed | Standard stock condition for bar and forging blanks — best machinability before carburizing. | 420 | 680 | 18 | 190 HB | — |
Treated to ferrite–pearlite structure with specified hardness range | Pick for automatic-lathe machining or cold extrusion where a narrow, uniform hardness band is required. | 440 | 700 | 17 | 195 HB | 7.8 % IACS |
Normalized | Used to refine grain and homogenize forgings/hot-rolled bar before final soft annealing or carburizing. | 500 | 780 | 15 | 20 HRC | 7.8 % IACS |
Hot rolled | Cheapest mill condition; requires annealing or normalizing before precision machining and carburizing. | 500 | 800 | 14 | 22 HRC | 7.8 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Choose for small-diameter bar with tight tolerance and good surface, machined directly on screw machines. | 620 | 780 | 10 | 21 HRC | 7.8 % IACS |
BH | Core strength band for heavier sections where hardenability limits through-hardening. | 680 | 1,000 | 11 | 32 HRC | 7.5 % IACS |
Blank hardened (direct quench + low temper, no carburizing), Ø11–30 mm | Represents core properties of a carburized part; also used for thin parts needing high-strength tough steel without a case. | 780 | 1,100 | 10 | 35 HRC | — |
Carburized and hardened | Final service condition for gears, shafts and pins — hard wear-resistant case over a tough core; grind after treatment. | 780 | 1,100 | 9 | 60 HRC | — |
What is 15CrNi6?
15CrNi6 (1.5919) is a European nickel-chromium carburizing steel that gives good core toughness for moderately loaded gears, shafts and pins. In the default condition it provides 420 MPa yield, 680 MPa tensile, 18% elongation and about 190 HB, with machinability 55, weldability 45 and formability 55 on a 100-point scale; it is stocked as +A, +S, +FP, +N, hot rolled, +C and blank- or case-hardened bar. Welding requires preheat and post-weld stress relief, and the steel has no corrosion resistance. For deeper cases and heavier sections, 17CrNiMo6-4 or SNCM815 (9310) are the usual step up. 15CrNi6 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). 15CrNi6 has a yield strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 680 MPa (98.6 ksi) — weaker than 53% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 18% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
What is 15CrNi6 used for?
- gears
- shafts
- pins
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 65/100, better than 78% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 200°C (392 °F), worse than 93% of steel grades
15CrNi6 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 15CrNi6-+A; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
15CrNi6 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
15CrNi6 has a yield strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 680 MPa (98.6 ksi) — weaker than 53% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 18% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
15CrNi6 is rated for continuous service to 200°C (392 °F). It conducts heat at 42 W/m·K (24.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.7 µm/m·K (6.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
15CrNi6 has an electrical resistivity of 2.2×10⁻⁷ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 15CrNi6 takes about 29 MJ of energy and emits 2.2 kg of CO₂ — less than 53% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability7
15CrNi6's machinability is good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades); weldability fair (45/100); formability good (55/100).
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. 15CrNi6 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 15CrNi6
Is 15CrNi6 easy to machine?
Machine fully in the soft-annealed (+A/+FP) state at ~60% of AISI 1212 speeds; after carburizing only grinding or CBN hard-turning is practical.
Can 15CrNi6 be welded?
Weldable before carburizing with low-hydrogen consumables, 150–250 °C preheat and post-weld stress relief; do not weld case-hardened parts.
Can 15CrNi6 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1100–850 °C followed by slow cool and soft annealing; +FP/+S conditions allow cold heading and extrusion of blanks.
15CrNi6 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 | 0.14 – 0.19 | 0.16 |
| Si | ≤ 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mn | 0.4 – 0.6 | 0.5 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Smax; low-S variant available for cleanliness | ≤ 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Cr | 1.4 – 1.7 | 1.55 |
| Ni | 1.4 – 1.7 | 1.55 |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 15CrNi6?
No anodizing — protect with oil, zinc/manganese phosphate, black oxide or plating; ground and honed case surfaces polish to a fine finish.
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 15CrNi6 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 1.5919
How much does 15CrNi6 cost?
15CrNi6 is a standard-cost steel ($$), cheaper than about 71% 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.
15CrNi6 — frequently asked
What is 15CrNi6 used for?
15CrNi6 is typically used for gears, shafts and pins. In short: tough-core Ni-Cr case steel; moderate-load gear grade; good machining when annealed.
What is the yield strength of 15CrNi6?
15CrNi6 has a typical yield strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 680 MPa (98.6 ksi) — weaker than 53% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is 15CrNi6 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades). Machine fully in the soft-annealed (+A/+FP) state at ~60% of AISI 1212 speeds; after carburizing only grinding or CBN hard-turning is practical.
Can 15CrNi6 be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (45/100). Weldable before carburizing with low-hydrogen consumables, 150–250 °C preheat and post-weld stress relief; do not weld case-hardened parts.
What surface finishes work on 15CrNi6?
No anodizing — protect with oil, zinc/manganese phosphate, black oxide or plating; ground and honed case surfaces polish to a fine finish.
Can 15CrNi6 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1100–850 °C followed by slow cool and soft annealing; +FP/+S conditions allow cold heading and extrusion of blanks.
What is the maximum service temperature of 15CrNi6?
15CrNi6 is rated for continuous use to about 200°C (392 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 15CrNi6 +A and 15CrNi6-BH?
+A is the default condition — standard stock condition for bar and forging blanks — best machinability before carburizing. BH: represents core properties of a carburized part; also used for thin parts needing high-strength tough steel without a case. Yield strength is 420 MPa in +A versus 780 MPa in BH.
How much does 15CrNi6 cost?
15CrNi6 is a standard-cost steel ($$), cheaper than about 71% 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
- EN 10084 — Case hardening steels: technical delivery conditions — CEN (2008)
- DIN 17210 (superseded) — Case hardening steels — DIN (1986)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.4 — Heat Treating (carburizing practice) — ASM International (1991)
- Case-hardening steel 1.5919 / 15CrNi6 data sheet — Ovako / Böhler / Lucefin (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.