Steel 16NiCr4 CH-63
Heat-treated state
EN 16NiCr4
CH-63 = carburized + hardened + tempered
Heavier sections where limited hardenability lowers core strength — check before choosing over 18CrNiMo7-6.
Values for the CH-63 condition
Other 16NiCr4 tempers and conditions
16NiCr4 is listed in 8 conditions; see the grade overview at 16NiCr4.
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 | — |
CH-63This page 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 | — |
What is 16NiCr4 CH-63?
16NiCr4 CH-63 is 16NiCr4 heat treated to CH-63 — heavier sections where limited hardenability lowers core strength — check before choosing over 18CrNiMo7-6. 16NiCr4 CH-63 has a yield strength of 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 70% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). 16NiCr4 CH-63 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; CH-63 is available on request or by drawing note.
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
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 200°C (392 °F), worse than 93% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 12%, worse than 84% of steel grades
- Difficult to machine — 38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades
16NiCr4 CH-63 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 16NiCr4 CH-63; 10 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 16NiCr4 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
16NiCr4 CH-63 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 CH-63 has a yield strength of 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 70% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
16NiCr4 CH-63 is rated for continuous service to 200°C (392 °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 CH-63 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 CH-63 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 CH-63's machinability is fair (38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades); weldability good (55/100); formability good (65/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 16NiCr4 CH-63
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.
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.
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 | — |
16NiCr4 CH-63 — frequently asked
What is 16NiCr4 CH-63 used for?
16NiCr4 CH-63 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 CH-63?
16NiCr4 CH-63 has a typical yield strength of 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 70% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is 16NiCr4 CH-63 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (38/100, worse than 80% 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 CH-63 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 CH-63?
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 CH-63 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 CH-63?
16NiCr4 CH-63 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 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.
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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.