Steel 50CrVA
GB 50CrVA · AISI/SAE 6150 · JIS SUP10
50CrVA is a chromium-vanadium spring steel (SAE 6150, JIS SUP10, 50CrV4 / 1.8159) in which vanadium refines grain size and adds temper resistance over plain chromium spring grades.
Reference datasheet — 50CrVA 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
50CrVA tempers and conditions
50CrVA is supplied in 9 conditions, soft to hard. QT is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 9 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cold-rolled annealed strip | Thin strip for stamped flat springs, clips and shims that are hardened and tempered after blanking. | 480 | 760 | 18 | 18 HRC | 8.5 % IACS |
Solution annealed | Pick for machining, cold coiling of heavy bar and stock that will be hardened after forming. | 500 | 780 | 20 | 225 HB | — |
Normalized | Grain-refining condition used to homogenize forgings before hardening; rarely a service condition. | 620 | 950 | 14 | 30 HRC | — |
Hot rolled | Cheapest mill condition for spring makers who hot-form then quench and temper in-house. | 650 | 1,000 | 12 | 30 HRC | 7.8 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Use for precise-diameter bar and cold-coiling wire that will be stress-relieved or hardened afterwards. | 720 | 900 | 9 | 27 HRC | 7.8 % IACS |
QTDefault Quenched and tempered | Standard spring/torsion-bar condition: best balance of ~1300–1400 MPa strength, ductility and fatigue life. | 1,200 | 1,350 | 12 | 43 HRC | — |
Q&T 45–48 HRC | Higher-stress leaf and coil springs, torsion bars and clamps where set resistance beats toughness. | 1,420 | 1,570 | 9 | 46 HRC | — |
Oil-Tempered spring wire | Continuously quenched-and-tempered round wire for cold-coiled valve, clutch and suspension springs; strength rises as diameter falls. | 1,550 | 1,750 | 8 | 50 HRC | 7.5 % IACS |
Q&T 50–53 HRC | Maximum-strength condition for punches, chisels, blades, disc springs and shear knives; low toughness. | 1,620 | 1,800 | 7 | 51 HRC | — |
What is 50CrVA?
50CrVA is a chromium-vanadium spring steel (SAE 6150, JIS SUP10, 50CrV4 / 1.8159) in which vanadium refines grain size and adds temper resistance over plain chromium spring grades. It is specified for coil, leaf and valve springs and torsion bars, and is available as annealed, normalized, hot-rolled, cold-rolled-annealed, cold-drawn, oil-tempered and quenched-and-tempered bar, wire and strip; quenched and tempered it reaches 1200 MPa yield, 1350 MPa tensile, 12 % elongation and about 400 HB (43 HRC). Machinability is low, weldability poor and service is capped near 250 °C; 60Si2Mn is the cheaper alternative when vanadium refinement is not needed. 50CrVA 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). 50CrVA has a yield strength of 1,200 MPa (174 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,350 MPa (196 ksi) — stronger than 94% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 206 GPa (29.9 Msi).
What is 50CrVA used for?
- coil springs
- leaf springs
- torsion bars
- valve springs
Advantages
- High strength — 1,200 MPa (174 ksi), better than 94% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 65/100, better than 78% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 12/100, worse than 92% of steel grades
- Difficult to machine — 32/100, worse than 87% of steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 250°C (482 °F), worse than 85% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 12%, worse than 84% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 22/100, worse than 81% of steel grades
50CrVA properties
Typical room-temperature values for 50CrVA-QT; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
50CrVA 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
50CrVA has a yield strength of 1,200 MPa (174 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,350 MPa (196 ksi) — stronger than 94% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 206 GPa (29.9 Msi).
Thermal6
50CrVA is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 44 W/m·K (25.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 57% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12.3 µm/m·K (6.83 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
50CrVA conducts electricity at 7.8 % IACS, worse than 57% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (12/100), worse than 53% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 50CrVA takes about 31 MJ of energy and emits 2.2 kg of CO₂ — more than 64% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability7
50CrVA's machinability is poor (32/100, worse than 87% of steel grades); weldability poor (22/100); formability not recommended (12/100).
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. 50CrVA is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 50CrVA
Is 50CrVA easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed condition (≈60 % of 1212) with carbide tooling; above ~45 HRC switch to grinding, CBN turning or EDM.
Can 50CrVA be welded?
Poor weldability — CE ≈ 0.85: preheat 300–400 °C, low-hydrogen consumables and immediate temper, or avoid welding on sprung parts entirely.
Can 50CrVA be formed, bent or molded?
Hot form at 900–1100 °C or cold-coil in annealed/oil-tempered condition; harden from 850–870 °C in oil, temper 400–500 °C, then shot peen for fatigue life.
50CrVA 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 |
|---|---|---|
| CGB/T 1222-2016 | 0.46 – 0.54 | 0.5 |
| Si | 0.17 – 0.37 | 0.27 |
| Mn | 0.5 – 0.8 | 0.65 |
| Cr | 0.8 – 1.1 | 0.95 |
| Vgrain refiner, carbide former | 0.1 – 0.2 | 0.15 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.35 | |
| Curesidual | ≤ 0.25 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 50CrVA?
No corrosion resistance: use phosphate + oil, black oxide, painted/powder-coated leaf springs, or Zn/Zn-Ni plating with bake-out at 190–210 °C to avoid hydrogen embrittlement.
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 50CrVA in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
How much does 50CrVA cost?
50CrVA 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.
50CrVA — frequently asked
What is 50CrVA used for?
50CrVA is typically used for coil springs, leaf springs, torsion bars and valve springs. In short: high-fatigue spring steel; tougher than 60Si2Mn; poor weldability, high strength.
What is the yield strength of 50CrVA?
50CrVA has a typical yield strength of 1,200 MPa (174 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,350 MPa (196 ksi) — stronger than 94% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is 50CrVA easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (32/100, worse than 87% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed condition (≈60 % of 1212) with carbide tooling; above ~45 HRC switch to grinding, CBN turning or EDM.
Can 50CrVA be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (22/100). Poor weldability — CE ≈ 0.85: preheat 300–400 °C, low-hydrogen consumables and immediate temper, or avoid welding on sprung parts entirely.
What surface finishes work on 50CrVA?
No corrosion resistance: use phosphate + oil, black oxide, painted/powder-coated leaf springs, or Zn/Zn-Ni plating with bake-out at 190–210 °C to avoid hydrogen embrittlement.
Can 50CrVA be formed, bent or molded?
Hot form at 900–1100 °C or cold-coil in annealed/oil-tempered condition; harden from 850–870 °C in oil, temper 400–500 °C, then shot peen for fatigue life.
What is the maximum service temperature of 50CrVA?
50CrVA is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 50CrVA-QT and 50CrVA CR-ANN?
QT is the default condition — standard spring/torsion-bar condition: best balance of ~1300–1400 MPa strength, ductility and fatigue life. CR-ANN: thin strip for stamped flat springs, clips and shims that are hardened and tempered after blanking. Yield strength is 1,200 MPa in QT versus 480 MPa in CR-ANN.
How much does 50CrVA cost?
50CrVA 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
- GB/T 1222 (2016)
- EN 10089 Hot-rolled steels for quenched and tempered springs (50CrV4, 1.8159) — CEN (2002)
- SAE J404 / ASTM A231 Chromium-vanadium alloy steel spring wire (6150) — SAE / ASTM (2019)
- JIS G 4801 Spring steels (SUP10) — JISC (2011)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- Machinery's Handbook (machinability and heat-treatment data) — 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.