Steel 38Mn6
EN 38Mn6
38Mn6 is a medium-carbon manganese-alloyed quality steel (1.1127, about 0.38 % C) per EN 10083, equivalent to 1541 and 40Mn2, whose manganese content gives better hardenability than plain carbon grades of the same carbon level.
Reference datasheet — 38Mn6 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
38Mn6 tempers and conditions
38Mn6 is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. +QT is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | Choose for maximum machinability and cold-working ability before final hardening; hardness capped at 217 HB per EN 10083-2. | 340 | 620 | 21 | 190 HB | — |
Normalized | Choose for a uniform fine-grained pearlitic structure with balanced strength and toughness where full Q&T is not required. | 390 | 680 | 18 | 205 HB | — |
Hot rolled | Cheapest mill condition for stock that will be forged, machined and heat treated by the user; properties are not guaranteed. | 400 | 700 | 17 | 210 HB | — |
+QTDefault Quenched and tempered | Standard supply condition for shafts and axles: oil quench from ~850 °C and temper 550–660 °C for 700–1000 MPa tensile with good toughness. | 510 | 800 | 16 | 22 HRC | — |
Cold drawn | Choose bright cold-drawn bar for tight tolerance and better surface where drawn strength is sufficient and no further heat treatment is planned. | 620 | 740 | 10 | 220 HB | — |
What is 38Mn6?
38Mn6 is a medium-carbon manganese-alloyed quality steel (1.1127, about 0.38 % C) per EN 10083, equivalent to 1541 and 40Mn2, whose manganese content gives better hardenability than plain carbon grades of the same carbon level. It is used quenched and tempered for shafts, axles and gears: the +QT default condition gives 510 MPa yield, 800 MPa tensile, 16 % elongation and 240 HB (22 HRC), with service to 350 °C. Conditions on file are +A, +N, +QT, +C and +AR. Weldability is poor (40/100), cold formability limited (30/100) and corrosion resistance nil (10/100); use 42CrMo4 where deeper hardening or higher toughness in heavy sections is needed. 38Mn6 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). 38Mn6 has a yield strength of 510 MPa (74 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 65% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 16% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
What is 38Mn6 used for?
- Shafts
- Axles
- Gears
- Machine structural components
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 1.9 kg CO₂/kg, better than 92% of steel grades
Limitations
- Low fracture toughness — 65 MPa·√m (59.2 ksi·√in), worse than 75% of steel grades
38Mn6 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 38Mn6-+QT; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
38Mn6 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
38Mn6 has a yield strength of 510 MPa (74 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 65% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 16% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
38Mn6 is rated for continuous service to 350°C (662 °F). It conducts heat at 43 W/m·K (24.8 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 51% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12.3 µm/m·K (6.83 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
38Mn6 conducts electricity at 8 % IACS, better than 55% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 38Mn6 takes about 25 MJ of energy and emits 1.9 kg of CO₂ — less than 96% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability6
38Mn6's machinability is fair (52/100, better than 52% of steel grades); weldability fair (40/100); formability poor (30/100).
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. 38Mn6 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 38Mn6
Is 38Mn6 easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed or normalized condition where possible; in +QT at ~240 HB use coated carbide, 120–180 m/min, rigid setups — chips are stringy so use chipbreakers or a resulphurized variant.
Can 38Mn6 be welded?
Carbon equivalent ≈0.6–0.7, so preheat 200–300 °C, use low-hydrogen consumables and stress-relieve/temper afterwards; welding a finished Q&T part locally destroys the temper.
Can 38Mn6 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1150–850 °C then normalize; cold forming only in the annealed condition with generous bend radii, as the Mn content raises work hardening.
38Mn6 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 10083-2 | 0.34 – 0.42 | 0.38 |
| Si | ≤ 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mngives the hardenability advantage | 1.3 – 1.65 | 1.5 |
| P | ≤ 0.04 | |
| Smax; free-cutting variants raise S | ≤ 0.04 | |
| Crresidual | ≤ 0.4 | |
| Moresidual | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Niresidual; Cr+Mo+Ni ≤ 0.63 | ≤ 0.4 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 38Mn6?
No corrosion resistance of its own — protect with phosphating + oil, zinc plate, black oxide, nitriding or paint; induction hardening of journals to 50–55 HRC is common and it takes a good ground/polished 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 38Mn6 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 1.1127
- Similar grades
- 154140Mn2
How much does 38Mn6 cost?
38Mn6 is a budget-cost steel ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
38Mn6 — frequently asked
What is 38Mn6 used for?
38Mn6 is typically used for shafts, axles, gears and machine structural components. In short: better hardenability than C40; 800 MPa in +QT; limited weldability.
What is the yield strength of 38Mn6?
38Mn6 has a typical yield strength of 510 MPa (74 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 65% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is 38Mn6 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (52/100, better than 52% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed or normalized condition where possible; in +QT at ~240 HB use coated carbide, 120–180 m/min, rigid setups — chips are stringy so use chipbreakers or a resulphurized variant.
Can 38Mn6 be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (40/100). Carbon equivalent ≈0.6–0.7, so preheat 200–300 °C, use low-hydrogen consumables and stress-relieve/temper afterwards; welding a finished Q&T part locally destroys the temper.
What surface finishes work on 38Mn6?
No corrosion resistance of its own — protect with phosphating + oil, zinc plate, black oxide, nitriding or paint; induction hardening of journals to 50–55 HRC is common and it takes a good ground/polished finish.
Can 38Mn6 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1150–850 °C then normalize; cold forming only in the annealed condition with generous bend radii, as the Mn content raises work hardening.
What is the maximum service temperature of 38Mn6?
38Mn6 is rated for continuous use to about 350°C (662 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does 38Mn6 cost?
38Mn6 is a budget-cost steel ($), 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 10083-2 Steels for quenching and tempering — Non-alloy steels — CEN (2006)
- SAE J403 / J404 Chemical compositions of carbon and alloy steels (1541, 1345) — SAE International (2014)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- Machinery's Handbook, 31st ed. — machinability ratings — Industrial Press (2020)
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.