Steel 17Cr3 CH+T
Heat-treated state
EN 17Cr3
CH+T = case hardened and low-temperature tempered
Final service condition: hard wear-resistant case (58–62 HRC) over a tough low-carbon core for gears, pins and bushings.
Values for the CH+T condition
Other 17Cr3 tempers and conditions
17Cr3 is listed in 11 conditions; see the grade overview at 17Cr3.
Compare all 11 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | Lowest hardness state for heavy machining or straightening of large sections. | 310 | 520 | 25 | 150 HB | — |
Spheroidize annealed | Choose for cold heading, cold extrusion or deep upsetting of blanks before carburizing. | 320 | 540 | 24 | 155 HB | — |
Treated for shearability | Order when bars/coils are sheared cold into slugs without cracking or excessive burr. | 325 | 545 | 23 | 158 HB | 8 % IACS |
+FPDefault Treated to ferrite-pearlite structure with specified hardness range | Standard stock condition for machined gear and shaft blanks: uniform structure and predictable chip formation before carburizing. | 360 | 590 | 20 | 170 HB | — |
Hot rolled | Cheapest bar condition; pick when the part is fully machined and heat treated anyway. | 370 | 610 | 19 | 175 HB | 8 % IACS |
Treated to a specified hardness range | Use when the mill must guarantee a narrow delivery hardness band for automated machining lines. | 420 | 650 | 17 | 12 HRC | 8 % IACS |
Restricted hardenability, lower half of the Jominy band | Use when low core hardness and minimum distortion/quench cracking risk matter more than core strength. | 450 | 720 | 13 | 19 HRC | 8 % IACS |
Specified hardenability (Jominy band); blank-hardened properties | Order +H when core strength/hardness after direct (blank) hardening must be reproducible from heat to heat. | 490 | 800 | 11 | 23 HRC | — |
Spheroidize annealed and cold drawn | Bright drawn bar/wire with close tolerance and clean surface for automatic-lathe and cold-formed parts. | 500 | 630 | 12 | 190 HB | — |
Restricted hardenability, upper half of the Jominy band | Pick for the highest attainable core hardness/case depth reproducibility on thicker sections. | 540 | 880 | 10 | 27 HRC | 8 % IACS |
CH+TThis page Case hardened and low-temperature tempered | Final service condition: hard wear-resistant case (58–62 HRC) over a tough low-carbon core for gears, pins and bushings. | 550 | 850 | 9 | 60 HRC | — |
What is 17Cr3 CH+T?
17Cr3 CH+T is 17Cr3 heat treated to CH+T — final service condition: hard wear-resistant case (58–62 HRC) over a tough low-carbon core for gears, pins and bushings. 17Cr3 CH+T has a yield strength of 550 MPa (79.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 850 MPa (123 ksi) — stronger than 71% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 9% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). 17Cr3 CH+T 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). +FP is the default condition FabDigit quotes; CH+T is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 75/100, better than 94% of steel grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 12/100, worse than 99% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 5/100, worse than 99% of steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 180°C (356 °F), worse than 98% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 9%, worse than 93% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 15/100, worse than 91% of steel grades
17Cr3 CH+T properties
Typical room-temperature values for 17Cr3 CH+T; 14 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 17Cr3 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
17Cr3 CH+T 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
17Cr3 CH+T has a yield strength of 550 MPa (79.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 850 MPa (123 ksi) — stronger than 71% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 9% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
17Cr3 CH+T is rated for continuous service to 180°C (356 °F). It conducts heat at 44 W/m·K (25.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 57% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.8 µm/m·K (6.56 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
17Cr3 CH+T conducts electricity at 8 % IACS, better than 55% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (13/100), better than 66% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 17Cr3 CH+T takes about 30 MJ of energy and emits 2.1 kg of CO₂ — more than 56% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability8
17Cr3 CH+T's machinability is not recommended (12/100, worse than 99% of steel grades); weldability poor (15/100); formability not recommended (5/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 17Cr3 CH+T
Is 17Cr3 easy to machine?
Machines well in +FP/+AC+C (≈65 % of AISI 1212); soft-annealed material tends to smear, so use sharp coated carbide, positive rake and generous coolant; finish-grind after carburizing.
Can 17Cr3 be welded?
Weldable before carburizing with low-hydrogen or MAG process; preheat 150–250 °C on thick sections and avoid welding carburized surfaces (case cracks and carbon pickup).
Can 17Cr3 be formed, bent or molded?
Order +AC (spheroidized) for cold heading/extrusion; hot forge 1100–850 °C then normalize 880–920 °C, and expect distortion allowance during case hardening.
What surface finishes work on 17Cr3?
No anodizing (ferrous); protect with phosphate + oil, black oxide, zinc or zinc-nickel plating (bake to avoid hydrogen embrittlement of the hard case), or shot-peen for extra fatigue life.
17Cr3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| CEN 10084 | 0.14 – 0.2 | 0.17 |
| Si | ≤ 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mn | 0.6 – 0.9 | 0.75 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Smax; ≤0.010 for +S-free variants, 0.020–0.040 for machinable grades | ≤ 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Cr | 0.7 – 1 | 0.85 |
| Fe | balance | — |
17Cr3 CH+T — frequently asked
What is 17Cr3 CH+T used for?
17Cr3 CH+T is typically used for gears, pins, cams and small shafts. In short: hard case, tough core; small-section case-hardening steel; machines well before carburizing.
What is the yield strength of 17Cr3 CH+T?
17Cr3 CH+T has a typical yield strength of 550 MPa (79.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 850 MPa (123 ksi) — stronger than 71% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 11 listed tempers.
Is 17Cr3 CH+T easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (12/100, worse than 99% of steel grades). Machines well in +FP/+AC+C (≈65 % of AISI 1212); soft-annealed material tends to smear, so use sharp coated carbide, positive rake and generous coolant; finish-grind after carburizing.
Can 17Cr3 CH+T be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (15/100). Weldable before carburizing with low-hydrogen or MAG process; preheat 150–250 °C on thick sections and avoid welding carburized surfaces (case cracks and carbon pickup).
What surface finishes work on 17Cr3 CH+T?
No anodizing (ferrous); protect with phosphate + oil, black oxide, zinc or zinc-nickel plating (bake to avoid hydrogen embrittlement of the hard case), or shot-peen for extra fatigue life.
Can 17Cr3 CH+T be formed, bent or molded?
Order +AC (spheroidized) for cold heading/extrusion; hot forge 1100–850 °C then normalize 880–920 °C, and expect distortion allowance during case hardening.
What is the maximum service temperature of 17Cr3 CH+T?
17Cr3 CH+T is rated for continuous use to about 180°C (356 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- EN 10084 — Case hardening steels: technical delivery conditions — CEN (2008)
- EN 10084 / DIN 17210 designation 17Cr3, material number 1.7016 — CEN / DIN (2008)
- SAE J404 — Chemical compositions of SAE alloy steels (5115) — SAE International (2009)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.4A — Steel Heat Treating Fundamentals and Processes (carburizing) — ASM International (2013)
- Case-hardening steel 17Cr3 / 1.7016 bar datasheet — European special-steel producer (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.