Specialty Steel · GB Nitriding Steel
Steel 38CrMoAlA
Steel 38CrMoAlA is a specialty steel steel — nitridable cr-mo-al bar. Typical values: 835 MPa yield, 7.85 g/cm³, rated to 480 °C. Available for CNC machining, Sheet metal at FabDigit.
Properties
Typical room-temperature values in the Q&T (quenched & Tempered) condition. Metric first, imperial in gray. The bars show where 38CrMoAlA sits against the other 317 steel grades in the catalog.
Datasheet
| Yield strength | 835 MPa121 ksi |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 1,000 MPa145 ksi |
| Hardness | 275 HB |
| Density | 7.85 g/cm³0.284 lb/in³ |
| Specific strength (yield ÷ density) | 106 |
| Min service temp | -50 °C-58 °F |
| Max service temp | 480 °C896 °F |
| Electrical conductivity | 9.7 % IACS5.6 MS/m |
| Machinability | Very good75 / 100 |
| Weldability | Very good75 / 100 |
| Formability | Fair40 / 100 |
| ISO 513 machining group | P |
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Against other steel grades
Strength versus weight in the steel family
Yield strength against density for every steel grade FabDigit runs. 38CrMoAlA is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Manufacturability
The process limits FabDigit's quote engine applies to 38CrMoAlA. Design inside these and the part quotes instantly; outside them it routes to an engineer.
CNC machining
| Machinability | Better75 / 100 |
|---|---|
| ISO material group | P.2 |
| Cutting speed (rough / finish) | 180 / 210 m/min |
| Minimum wall | 0.8 mm |
| Minimum internal radius | 1 mm |
| Drill depth limit | 5× diameter |
| Best surface (machined / polished) | Ra 1.6 / — |
| Hardenable after machining | No |
Sheet metal
| Formability | Fair40 / 100 |
|---|---|
| Weldability | Better75 / 100 |
Conditions and tempers
How 38CrMoAlA is supplied and what each state is for. The default is what FabDigit quotes unless your drawing says otherwise.
| Condition | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Q&TDefault Quenched & Tempered (Q&T) | Hardened + toughened — shafts, gears, axles taking shock loads | — | — | — | — |
Heat treatment and post-processing
Operations FabDigit's suppliers routinely run on 38CrMoAlA, ranked by how often they make sense for this grade.
Heat treatment
| Quench & Temperrecommended | Achieve target hardness with controlled toughness28–55 HRC |
|---|---|
| Full Anneal | Restore ductility; relieve residual stress; coarsen grain |
| Stress Relief | Reduce residual stress without changing structure |
| Normalize | Refine grain; reset prior cold-work |
| Induction Hardening | Local surface hardening via induction50–62 HRC |
| Process Anneal | Reduce stress between cold-work steps |
| Flame Hardening | Local surface hardening via direct flame50–60 HRC |
| Case Harden (Carburize) | Diffuse C into surface; harden case to 60+ HRC58–64 HRC |
Post-processing
| Manual Deburr | Deburrstandard |
|---|---|
| Edge Break (0.5mm) | Deburr |
| Shot Peen | Blast |
| Glass Bead Blast | Blast |
| Laser Mark | Marking |
| CMM Inspection | Inspection |
| FAI Report | Inspection |
| Individual Bag | Packaging |
Surface finishes for 38CrMoAlA
Coatings and treatments compatible with steel on the processes 38CrMoAlA runs on. Pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing.
Plating
- Chrome Plating
- Copper Plating
- Electroless Nickel (EN)
- Gold Plating
- Hard Chrome Plating
- Hot-Dip Galvanizing
- Nickel Plating
- Silver Plating
- Tin Plating
- Zinc Plating
- Zinc-Flake (Dip-Spin) Coating
- Zinc-Nickel Plating
PVD Coating
- AlCrN
- AlTiN
- CrN
- DLC
- MoS2
- TiAlN
- TiB2
- TiCN
- TiN
- WC/C
- ZrN
Organic Coating
- Cerakote
- E-Coating
- Epoxy Coating
- Painting
- Powder Coating
- PTFE Coating
CVD Coating
- CVD Al2O3
- CVD TiCN
- CVD TiN
- Multilayer CVD
Marking / Decoration
- Chemical Etching
- Dot Peen Marking
- Electro-chemical Etching
- Embossing / Debossing
- Ink Stamping
- Laser Marking
- Mechanical Engraving
- Steel Stamping
- Vibro Engraving / Scribing
Black / Phosphate
- Black Oxide
- Manganese Phosphate
- Zinc Phosphate
Thermal Spray
- HVOF Coating
- Plasma Spray
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Steel 38CrMoAlA in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 38CrMoAl A
Stock forms
Raw-material forms FabDigit sources 38CrMoAlA in.
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.