Steel 15CrNi6 BH-L
Heat-treated state
EN 15CrNi6
Core strength band for heavier sections where hardenability limits through-hardening.
Values for the BH-L condition
Other 15CrNi6 tempers and conditions
15CrNi6 is listed in 9 conditions; see the grade overview at 15CrNi6.
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-LThis page 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 BH-L?
15CrNi6 BH-L is 15CrNi6 heat treated to BH-L — core strength band for heavier sections where hardenability limits through-hardening. 15CrNi6 BH-L has a yield strength of 680 MPa (98.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 80% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 11% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). 15CrNi6 BH-L 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). +A is the default condition FabDigit quotes; BH-L is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High strength — 680 MPa (98.6 ksi), better than 80% of steel grades
- 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
- Limited ductility — 11%, worse than 89% 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
15CrNi6 BH-L properties
Typical room-temperature values for 15CrNi6 BH-L; 22 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 15CrNi6 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
15CrNi6 BH-L 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 BH-L has a yield strength of 680 MPa (98.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 80% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 11% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
15CrNi6 BH-L is rated for continuous service to 200°C (392 °F). It conducts heat at 40 W/m·K (23.1 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 64% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.7 µm/m·K (6.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
15CrNi6 BH-L has an electrical resistivity of 2.3×10⁻⁷ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 15CrNi6 BH-L 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 BH-L's machinability is fair (40/100, worse than 77% of steel grades); weldability poor (25/100); formability poor (25/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 15CrNi6 BH-L
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.
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.
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 | — |
15CrNi6 BH-L — frequently asked
What is 15CrNi6 BH-L used for?
15CrNi6 BH-L 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 BH-L?
15CrNi6 BH-L has a typical yield strength of 680 MPa (98.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 80% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is 15CrNi6 BH-L easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (40/100, worse than 77% 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 BH-L be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (25/100). 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 BH-L?
No anodizing — protect with oil, zinc/manganese phosphate, black oxide or plating; ground and honed case surfaces polish to a fine finish.
Can 15CrNi6 BH-L 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 BH-L?
15CrNi6 BH-L 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.
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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.