Steel 32CrMo12
EN 32CrMo12
32CrMo12 (1.7361) is a high-chromium Cr-Mo quenched-and-tempered engineering steel with deep hardenability and good wear resistance, used for heavy shafts and gears.
Reference datasheet — 32CrMo12 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 +QT condition
32CrMo12 tempers and conditions
32CrMo12 is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard. +QT 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | Delivery condition for bar/forgings that must be machined or cold worked before final hardening. | 450 | 750 | 20 | 225 HB | — |
+QT 160–250 mm | Largest ruling section covered by EN 10083-3 for this grade; use where toughness matters more than peak strength. | 620 | 875 | 17 | 26 HRC | — |
Normalized | Grain-refining treatment before final hardening; because the steel is air-hardening it is already fairly strong and hard in this state. | 700 | 1,050 | 12 | 34 HRC | 6 % IACS |
+QT 100–160 mm | Heavy forged shafts and rolls where the 3 % Cr hardenability still gives through-hardening. | 700 | 925 | 16 | 29 HRC | — |
+QTDefault Quenched and tempered | Default stocked condition: best strength/toughness balance for heavy shafts, rotors and press parts. | 780 | 1,000 | 15 | 31 HRC | — |
+QT + gas nitrided | Choose when wear resistance, scuffing resistance and fatigue strength at the surface are needed on a tough Q&T core (3 % Cr gives a hard, deep case). | 780 | 1,000 | 13 | 64 HRC | — |
+QT 16–40 mm | Standard Q&T class for medium bar used in gear blanks and machine shafts. | 820 | 1,050 | 14 | 34 HRC | — |
+QT ≤16 mm | Highest-strength Q&T class for small bars, pins and bolts up to 16 mm ruling section. | 900 | 1,100 | 13 | 36 HRC | — |
What is 32CrMo12?
32CrMo12 (1.7361) is a high-chromium Cr-Mo quenched-and-tempered engineering steel with deep hardenability and good wear resistance, used for heavy shafts and gears. It is available as +A, +N and a range of tempered conditions (+QT-16 through +QT-250) plus a nitrided +QT+NIT option; the default Q&T condition gives 780 MPa yield, 1000 MPa tensile, 15 % elongation and 300 HB (31 HRC), usable to 480 °C. It is air-hardening and crack-sensitive with a carbon equivalent near 1.1, so welding needs 250–350 °C preheat and immediate tempering, and machinability is modest at 42. Where lower cost and easier fabrication matter, 42CrMo4 is the usual substitute; 31CrMoV9 is the alternative dedicated nitriding grade. 32CrMo12 has a density of 7.85 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 56% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F). 32CrMo12 has a yield strength of 780 MPa (113 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 86% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 15% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
What is 32CrMo12 used for?
- heavy-duty shafts
- gears
- machine components
Advantages
- High service temperature — 480°C (896 °F), better than 88% of steel grades
- High strength — 780 MPa (113 ksi), better than 86% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 65/100, better than 78% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 20/100, worse than 80% of steel grades
- Low electrical conductivity — 6.2 % IACS, worse than 78% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 25/100, worse than 77% of steel grades
- Poor heat conductor — 35 W/m·K (20.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 75% of steel grades
32CrMo12 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 32CrMo12-+QT; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
32CrMo12 has a density of 7.85 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 56% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F).
Mechanical16
32CrMo12 has a yield strength of 780 MPa (113 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 86% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 15% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
32CrMo12 is rated for continuous service to 480°C (896 °F). It conducts heat at 35 W/m·K (20.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 75% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12.2 µm/m·K (6.78 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
32CrMo12 conducts electricity at 6.2 % IACS, worse than 78% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is poor (18/100), better than 83% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 32CrMo12 takes about 30 MJ of energy and emits 2.1 kg of CO₂ — more than 56% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability7
32CrMo12's machinability is fair (42/100, worse than 73% of steel grades); weldability poor (25/100); formability poor (20/100).
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. 32CrMo12 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 32CrMo12
Is 32CrMo12 easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed state where possible; in Q&T at ~300 HB use coated carbide, rigid setups, 80–140 m/min, and finish-grind after hardening or nitriding.
Can 32CrMo12 be welded?
Air-hardening and crack-sensitive (CE ≈ 1.1): preheat 250–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables, and temper/stress relieve at 600–650 °C immediately after welding; avoid welding on nitrided surfaces.
Can 32CrMo12 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1100–850 °C with slow furnace cooling; cold forming only in the soft-annealed state and limited to gentle bends.
32CrMo12 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 | 0.28 – 0.35 | 0.32 |
| Si | ≤ 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mn | 0.4 – 0.7 | 0.55 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Smax; lower for +S / low-S variants | ≤ 0.04 | |
| Cr | 2.8 – 3.3 | 3.05 |
| Mo | 0.3 – 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 32CrMo12?
Not anodizable — protect with paint, zinc/manganese phosphate, hard chrome or QPQ; nitriding both hardens and modestly improves corrosion resistance, and the steel polishes 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 32CrMo12 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 1.7361
How much does 32CrMo12 cost?
32CrMo12 is a standard-cost steel ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
32CrMo12 — frequently asked
What is 32CrMo12 used for?
32CrMo12 is typically used for heavy-duty shafts, gears and machine components. In short: deep-hardening Cr-Mo steel; nitrides to high hardness; poor weldability.
What is the yield strength of 32CrMo12?
32CrMo12 has a typical yield strength of 780 MPa (113 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 86% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is 32CrMo12 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (42/100, worse than 73% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed state where possible; in Q&T at ~300 HB use coated carbide, rigid setups, 80–140 m/min, and finish-grind after hardening or nitriding.
Can 32CrMo12 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (25/100). Air-hardening and crack-sensitive (CE ≈ 1.1): preheat 250–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables, and temper/stress relieve at 600–650 °C immediately after welding; avoid welding on nitrided surfaces.
What surface finishes work on 32CrMo12?
Not anodizable — protect with paint, zinc/manganese phosphate, hard chrome or QPQ; nitriding both hardens and modestly improves corrosion resistance, and the steel polishes to a fine finish.
Can 32CrMo12 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1100–850 °C with slow furnace cooling; cold forming only in the soft-annealed state and limited to gentle bends.
What is the maximum service temperature of 32CrMo12?
32CrMo12 is rated for continuous use to about 480°C (896 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does 32CrMo12 cost?
32CrMo12 is a standard-cost steel ($$), 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 10083-3 Steels for quenching and tempering — Part 3: Alloy steels — CEN (2006)
- EN 10250-3 Open die steel forgings — Alloy special steels — CEN (1999)
- EN 10085 Nitriding steels — CEN (2001)
- 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 — ASM International (2013)
- Q&T and nitriding steel bar datasheets (1.7361 / 32CrMo12) — European long-products mills (2023)
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.