Steel 16NiCr4
EN 16NiCr4
16NiCr4 (1.5714) is a low-alloy nickel-chromium case-hardening steel from the EN 10084 carburizing family, designed to carry a hard carburized case over a tough Ni-Cr core rather than to through-harden.
Reference datasheet — 16NiCr4 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
16NiCr4 tempers and conditions
16NiCr4 is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard. +A is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 8 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Treated for shearability | For coil/bar that must be cold-sheared into slugs for forging or cold heading. | 350 | 580 | 21 | 165 HB | 8.6 % IACS |
+ADefault Annealed | Standard stock condition for bar and forging blanks: softest, best for turning/hobbing before carburizing. | 370 | 600 | 20 | 170 HB | — |
Treated to ferrite–pearlite structure with specified hardness range | Choose for automated high-volume machining where a narrow, repeatable hardness band controls tool life. | 390 | 620 | 19 | 165 HB | 8.6 % IACS |
Normalized | Pick for uniform fine grain and predictable distortion in forged blanks before carburizing. | 430 | 680 | 18 | 200 HB | — |
Carburized + hardened + tempered | Heavier sections where limited hardenability lowers core strength — check before choosing over 18CrNiMo7-6. | 540 | 800 | 12 | 24 HRC | — |
Cold drawn | Bright, close-tolerance bar for pins and shafts machined with minimal stock removal before carburizing. | 580 | 700 | 11 | 18 HRC | 8.6 % IACS |
Carburized + hardened + tempered | Typical finished-gear condition for medium sections; use for core strength design checks. | 640 | 900 | 10 | 29 HRC | — |
Blank hardened | Reference condition used to verify core strength of thin sections; also used for small uncarburized parts. | 700 | 1,000 | 9 | 33 HRC | — |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways 16NiCr4 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
CASE | Carburized case | Surface finish |
What is 16NiCr4?
16NiCr4 (1.5714) is a low-alloy nickel-chromium case-hardening steel from the EN 10084 carburizing family, designed to carry a hard carburized case over a tough Ni-Cr core rather than to through-harden. Engineers use it for lightly to moderately loaded automotive and general-engineering gear parts, supplied as bar and forging stock in +A, +N, +FP and +S conditions with core values near 370 MPa yield, 600 MPa tensile, 20% elongation and 170 HB. Limits: no corrosion resistance, service to about 400 °C, and welding only before case hardening. 16MnCr5 is the cheaper nickel-free alternative. 16NiCr4 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). 16NiCr4 has a yield strength of 370 MPa (53.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 600 MPa (87 ksi) — weaker than 70% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
What is 16NiCr4 used for?
- Small transmission gears
- Pinions and pinion shafts
- Splined shafts
- Cam followers and rollers
- Bushings and pins
- Steering and pump components
Advantages
- Forms and bends easily — 65/100, better than 81% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 65/100, better than 78% of steel grades
16NiCr4 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 16NiCr4-+A; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
16NiCr4 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
16NiCr4 has a yield strength of 370 MPa (53.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 600 MPa (87 ksi) — weaker than 70% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
16NiCr4 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 44 W/m·K (25.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 57% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.7 µm/m·K (6.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
16NiCr4 conducts electricity at 8.6 % IACS, better than 66% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (12/100), worse than 53% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 16NiCr4 takes about 31 MJ of energy and emits 2.2 kg of CO₂ — more than 64% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability8
16NiCr4's machinability is good (58/100, better than 75% of steel grades); weldability good (55/100); formability good (65/100).
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. 16NiCr4 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 16NiCr4
Is 16NiCr4 easy to machine?
Turn, drill and hob in the soft annealed (+A) or +FP condition with coated carbide; after carburizing only grinding/honing is practical, so leave 0.1–0.3 mm grind stock.
Can 16NiCr4 be welded?
Weldable before case hardening with low-hydrogen consumables and 150–250 °C preheat; avoid welding carburized surfaces (cracking in the high-carbon case).
Can 16NiCr4 be formed, bent or molded?
Good hot forgeability at 1100–850 °C followed by normalizing; cold heading and upsetting are practical in +S or spheroidized condition.
16NiCr4 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 | 0.13 – 0.19 | 0.16 |
| Si | ≤ 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mnsome works standards quote 0.70–1.00 | 0.6 – 0.9 | 0.75 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Smax; +S free-machining variants 0.020–0.040 | ≤ 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Cr | 0.6 – 0.9 | 0.75 |
| Ni | 0.8 – 1.1 | 0.95 |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 16NiCr4?
Not anodizable — protect with oil, Mn/Zn phosphate, black oxide or Zn-Ni plating (bake 190 °C/4 h after plating to relieve hydrogen); ground and superfinished tooth flanks improve pitting life.
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 16NiCr4 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 1.5714
How much does 16NiCr4 cost?
16NiCr4 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.
16NiCr4 — frequently asked
What is 16NiCr4 used for?
16NiCr4 is typically used for small transmission gears, pinions and pinion shafts, splined shafts, cam followers and rollers, bushings and pins and steering and pump components. In short: nickel-toughened carburizing steel; for small, moderately loaded gears; EN 10084 gear steel.
What is the yield strength of 16NiCr4?
16NiCr4 has a typical yield strength of 370 MPa (53.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 600 MPa (87 ksi) — weaker than 70% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is 16NiCr4 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (58/100, better than 75% of steel grades). Turn, drill and hob in the soft annealed (+A) or +FP condition with coated carbide; after carburizing only grinding/honing is practical, so leave 0.1–0.3 mm grind stock.
Can 16NiCr4 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (55/100). Weldable before case hardening with low-hydrogen consumables and 150–250 °C preheat; avoid welding carburized surfaces (cracking in the high-carbon case).
What surface finishes work on 16NiCr4?
Not anodizable — protect with oil, Mn/Zn phosphate, black oxide or Zn-Ni plating (bake 190 °C/4 h after plating to relieve hydrogen); ground and superfinished tooth flanks improve pitting life.
Can 16NiCr4 be formed, bent or molded?
Good hot forgeability at 1100–850 °C followed by normalizing; cold heading and upsetting are practical in +S or spheroidized condition.
What is the maximum service temperature of 16NiCr4?
16NiCr4 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 16NiCr4 +A and 16NiCr4-BH?
+A is the default condition — standard stock condition for bar and forging blanks: softest, best for turning/hobbing before carburizing. BH: reference condition used to verify core strength of thin sections; also used for small uncarburized parts. Yield strength is 370 MPa in +A versus 700 MPa in BH.
How much does 16NiCr4 cost?
16NiCr4 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
- EN 10084 — Case hardening steels: technical delivery conditions — CEN (2008)
- DIN 17210 — Case hardening steels (superseded, source of 16NiCr4 / 1.5714) — DIN (1986)
- EN 10027-2 — Numerical designation system for steels — CEN (2015)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.4A — Steel Heat Treating Fundamentals (carburizing) — ASM International (2013)
- Case-hardening steel bar datasheets (Ovako / Böhler / Lucchini type data for 1.5714) — various European long-product mills (2022)
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.