Steel 41Cr4
EN 41Cr4
41Cr4 (1.7035, SAE 5140, GB 40Cr) is a chromium through-hardening steel in the EN 10083-3 family, used quenched and tempered for a good strength-toughness balance.
Reference datasheet — 41Cr4 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
41Cr4 tempers and conditions
41Cr4 is supplied in 13 conditions, soft to hard. +QT is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 13 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Supplied with specified (Jominy) hardenability for hardening | Choose when the part will be hardened by the fabricator and a guaranteed Jominy band / as-quenched hardness is required (41Cr4H). | 2 | 55 HRC | — | ||
Spheroidize annealed | Pick for cold forming, cold heading of bolts or maximum machined-surface quality — carbides spheroidized for lowest hardness and best ductility. | 370 | 610 | 23 | 187 HB | — |
Treated for shearability | Softened bar for cold shearing/blanking of billets before forging or upsetting. | 390 | 640 | 21 | 15 HRC | 8 % IACS |
Annealed | Standard soft-annealed stock for heavy machining, deep drilling or cold working before final Q&T. | 400 | 660 | 20 | 210 HB | 44 W/m·K |
Treated to ferrite-pearlite structure and hardness range | Ordered when a narrow hardness band and consistent chip formation are needed for high-volume automatic machining. | 440 | 720 | 18 | 14 HRC | 8.2 % IACS |
Hot rolled | Cheapest mill condition; buy when you will forge, machine rough and heat treat the part yourself. | 450 | 750 | 16 | 220 HB | — |
Normalized | Uniform fine ferrite-pearlite for stable machining and moderate strength where full Q&T is not required. | 470 | 780 | 17 | 230 HB | — |
+QT | Heavy-section Q&T bar/forging where reduced hardenability lowers achievable strength but toughness stays high. | 560 | 820 | 16 | 24 HRC | — |
Cold drawn | Bright, dimensionally accurate bar for shafts and turned parts where no further heat treatment is planned. | 620 | 780 | 10 | 235 HB | — |
Heat treated to a specified hardness range | Order when the drawing calls out a hardness band (typ. 248–302 HB) rather than tensile properties. | 680 | 920 | 15 | 28 HRC | 7.9 % IACS |
+QTDefault Quenched and tempered | The workhorse condition: oil quench + high temper for shafts, gears, axles and bolts needing ≥660 MPa yield with 35 J toughness. | 750 | 1,000 | 14 | 31 HRC | 42 W/m·K |
+QT + induction surface hardened | Q&T core plus induction-hardened running surfaces for wear-loaded journals, splines and gear teeth. | 750 | 1,000 | 12 | 56 HRC | 7.5 % IACS |
+QT | Small-diameter Q&T bar/wire for high-strength fasteners and pins where full hardening through section is achieved. | 880 | 1,100 | 12 | 36 HRC | — |
What is 41Cr4?
41Cr4 (1.7035, SAE 5140, GB 40Cr) is a chromium through-hardening steel in the EN 10083-3 family, used quenched and tempered for a good strength-toughness balance. In the default +QT condition it gives about 750 MPa yield, 1000 MPa tensile, 14 % elongation and 300 HB (31 HRC), with thermal conductivity near 42 W/m·K and service to about 350 °C; bar, forging stock and section-specific +QT tempers are widely available. It has no corrosion resistance and only conditional weldability, so parts normally need preheat, post-weld tempering and a protective coating. For heavy machining before hardening, the sulfurized 41CrS4 is the direct alternative. 41Cr4 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). 41Cr4 has a yield strength of 750 MPa (109 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 84% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 14% and the elastic modulus is 207 GPa (30 Msi).
What is 41Cr4 used for?
- gears
- shafts
- bolts
- crankshafts
Advantages
- High strength — 750 MPa (109 ksi), better than 84% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 65/100, better than 78% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 14%, worse than 75% of steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 65 MPa·√m (59.2 ksi·√in), worse than 75% of steel grades
41Cr4 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 41Cr4-+QT; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
41Cr4 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
41Cr4 has a yield strength of 750 MPa (109 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 84% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 14% and the elastic modulus is 207 GPa (30 Msi).
Thermal6
41Cr4 is rated for continuous service to 350°C (662 °F). It conducts heat at 42 W/m·K (24.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.5 µm/m·K (6.39 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
41Cr4 conducts electricity at 7.8 % IACS, worse than 57% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (11/100), worse than 73% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 41Cr4 takes about 30 MJ of energy and emits 2.1 kg of CO₂ — more than 56% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 35%.
Manufacturability8
41Cr4's machinability is fair (50/100, worse than 53% of steel grades); weldability fair (35/100); formability poor (25/100).
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. 41Cr4 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 41Cr4
Is 41Cr4 easy to machine?
Machine in +A/+AC/+FP (≤241 HB) for best tool life; in +QT at ~300 HB use coated carbide, 80–140 m/min, rigid setups and finish-grind hardened surfaces.
Can 41Cr4 be welded?
Weldable with care only: preheat 250–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables, interpass control and temper/stress-relieve at 550–650 °C immediately after welding; avoid welding fully hardened parts.
Can 41Cr4 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1100–850 °C then normalize or anneal; cold heading and bending only in the spheroidized (+AC) condition with generous radii.
41Cr4 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 |
|---|---|---|
| C0.38–0.45 % per EN 10083-3 | 0.38 – 0.45 | 0.41 |
| Simax only | ≤ 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mn | 0.6 – 0.9 | 0.75 |
| Cr | 0.9 – 1.2 | 1.05 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Smax; 41Cr4 base grade (41CrS4 = 0.020–0.040 S) | ≤ 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Moresidual, not specified in all editions | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 41Cr4?
No natural corrosion protection — use phosphating + oil, zinc or zinc-nickel plating, black oxide, hard chrome or gas nitriding (500–530 °C) for wear; grind and polish to ~Ra 0.2 µm before plating.
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 41Cr4 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
How much does 41Cr4 cost?
41Cr4 is a budget-cost steel ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
41Cr4 — frequently asked
What is 41Cr4 used for?
41Cr4 is typically used for gears, shafts, bolts and crankshafts. In short: workhorse Q&T chromium steel; strength-toughness balance at 300 HB; direct SAE 5140 equivalent.
What is the yield strength of 41Cr4?
41Cr4 has a typical yield strength of 750 MPa (109 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 84% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 13 listed tempers.
Is 41Cr4 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (50/100, worse than 53% of steel grades). Machine in +A/+AC/+FP (≤241 HB) for best tool life; in +QT at ~300 HB use coated carbide, 80–140 m/min, rigid setups and finish-grind hardened surfaces.
Can 41Cr4 be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (35/100). Weldable with care only: preheat 250–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables, interpass control and temper/stress-relieve at 550–650 °C immediately after welding; avoid welding fully hardened parts.
What surface finishes work on 41Cr4?
No natural corrosion protection — use phosphating + oil, zinc or zinc-nickel plating, black oxide, hard chrome or gas nitriding (500–530 °C) for wear; grind and polish to ~Ra 0.2 µm before plating.
Can 41Cr4 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1100–850 °C then normalize or anneal; cold heading and bending only in the spheroidized (+AC) condition with generous radii.
What is the maximum service temperature of 41Cr4?
41Cr4 is rated for continuous use to about 350°C (662 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does 41Cr4 cost?
41Cr4 is a budget-cost steel ($), 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 10083-3 Steels for quenching and tempering — Part 3: Alloy steels — CEN (2006)
- EN 10277 / EN 10278 Bright steel products — technical delivery conditions — CEN (2018)
- GB/T 3077 (40Cr) — SAC (2015)
- SAE J404 Chemical Compositions of SAE Alloy Steels (5140) — SAE International (2018)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.19 — Fatigue and Fracture — ASM International (1996)
- Engineering steel 1.7035 / 41Cr4 data sheet — Ovako / Deutsche Edelstahlwerke (typical producer sheets) (2022)
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.