Steel 52CrMoV4 +QT (Quenched and tempered)
Heat-treated state · default condition
EN 52CrMoV4
Standard as-supplied strength condition for shafts, torsion bars and machined spring/valve parts; best balance of strength and toughness.
Values for the +QT condition
Other 52CrMoV4 tempers and conditions
52CrMoV4 is listed in 9 conditions; see the grade overview at 52CrMoV4.
Compare all 9 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spheroidize annealed | Choose for cold heading, cold extrusion or heavy cold forming and for the best tool life in machining. | 420 | 700 | 22 | 190 HB | — |
Annealed | Pick for rough machining, deep drilling or forming before the customer's own hardening cycle. | 470 | 780 | 18 | 210 HB | 44 W/m·K |
Treated for high shearability | Order when bar must be cold-sheared to blanks on a header line without cracking; hardness held to a shear-friendly ceiling. | 480 | 800 | 16 | 19 HRC | 8.5 % IACS |
Supplied with hardenability requirement | Specify when the part is hardened by the buyer and end-quench hardenability must be guaranteed to the standard band; bar is normally shipped annealed or hot-rolled. | 520 | 850 | 15 | 58 HRC | 8.5 % IACS |
Restricted (narrow) hardenability band, core hardenability guaranteed | Pick for large safety-critical sections where core hardness after quenching must fall inside a tightened Jominy band lot to lot. | 520 | 850 | 15 | 58 HRC | 8.5 % IACS |
Normalized | Grain-refined intermediate condition used after forging and before final hardening; not a service condition for springs. | 600 | 950 | 14 | 29 HRC | 8.2 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Bright, size-tolerance bar for automatic-lathe parts that will be hardened afterwards. | 700 | 900 | 9 | 26 HRC | 8.2 % IACS |
+QTDefaultThis page Quenched and tempered | Standard as-supplied strength condition for shafts, torsion bars and machined spring/valve parts; best balance of strength and toughness. | 1,050 | 1,250 | 10 | 39 HRC | — |
Hardened and low-temperature tempered, 45–50 HRC | Final spring/tooling condition for leaf springs, torsion bars and hot-work punches where maximum fatigue strength and hot hardness are needed. | 1,450 | 1,650 | 7 | 48 HRC | — |
What is 52CrMoV4 +QT?
52CrMoV4 +QT is 52CrMoV4 heat treated to +QT — standard as-supplied strength condition for shafts, torsion bars and machined spring/valve parts; best balance of strength and toughness. 52CrMoV4 +QT has a yield strength of 1,050 MPa (152 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,250 MPa (181 ksi) — stronger than 93% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). 52CrMoV4 +QT 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).
Advantages
- High strength — 1,050 MPa (152 ksi), better than 93% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 87% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 10%, worse than 91% of steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 55 MPa·√m (50.1 ksi·√in), worse than 82% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 22/100, worse than 81% of steel grades
- Difficult to machine — 38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 20/100, worse than 80% of steel grades
52CrMoV4 +QT properties
Typical room-temperature values for 52CrMoV4 +QT; 17 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 52CrMoV4 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
52CrMoV4 +QT 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
52CrMoV4 +QT has a yield strength of 1,050 MPa (152 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,250 MPa (181 ksi) — stronger than 93% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
52CrMoV4 +QT is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 42 W/m·K (24.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12.3 µm/m·K (6.83 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
52CrMoV4 +QT conducts electricity at 8 % IACS, better than 55% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (12/100), worse than 53% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 52CrMoV4 +QT takes about 30 MJ of energy and emits 2.2 kg of CO₂ — more than 56% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability7
52CrMoV4 +QT's machinability is fair (38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades); weldability poor (22/100); formability poor (20/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 52CrMoV4 +QT
Is 52CrMoV4 easy to machine?
Machine in +A/+AC condition (carbide, 120–180 m/min) — above 40 HRC use coated carbide or CBN with rigid setups and light DOC.
Can 52CrMoV4 be welded?
Poor weldability (CE ≈ 1.0): if unavoidable, preheat 300–400 °C, use low-hydrogen or matching filler, slow cool and temper immediately after welding.
Can 52CrMoV4 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold form only in +AC (spheroidized) state; hot forge 1050–850 °C followed by slow cooling or immediate annealing, harden 840–870 °C oil quench and temper 400–650 °C to the required strength.
What surface finishes work on 52CrMoV4?
Not anodizable; protect by shot peening plus zinc phosphate + oil, Zn-Ni or Cd-free plating (bake to avoid hydrogen embrittlement), nitriding or black oxide; polishes well at high hardness.
52CrMoV4 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 | 0.48 – 0.55 | 0.52 |
| Si | 0.15 – 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mn | 0.7 – 1.1 | 0.9 |
| Cr | 0.9 – 1.2 | 1.05 |
| Mo | 0.15 – 0.3 | 0.22 |
| Vgrain refinement, temper resistance | 0.1 – 0.2 | 0.13 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Smax; higher for free-cutting variants | ≤ 0.03 | 0.01 |
| Fe | balance | — |
52CrMoV4 +QT — frequently asked
What is 52CrMoV4 +QT used for?
52CrMoV4 +QT is typically used for coil and leaf springs, valve parts, hot forging dies and high-stress fasteners. In short: high-fatigue spring steel; retains hot hardness; hardens to 45-50 HRC.
What is the yield strength of 52CrMoV4 +QT?
52CrMoV4 +QT has a typical yield strength of 1,050 MPa (152 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,250 MPa (181 ksi) — stronger than 93% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is 52CrMoV4 +QT easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades). Machine in +A/+AC condition (carbide, 120–180 m/min) — above 40 HRC use coated carbide or CBN with rigid setups and light DOC.
Can 52CrMoV4 +QT be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (22/100). Poor weldability (CE ≈ 1.0): if unavoidable, preheat 300–400 °C, use low-hydrogen or matching filler, slow cool and temper immediately after welding.
What surface finishes work on 52CrMoV4 +QT?
Not anodizable; protect by shot peening plus zinc phosphate + oil, Zn-Ni or Cd-free plating (bake to avoid hydrogen embrittlement), nitriding or black oxide; polishes well at high hardness.
Can 52CrMoV4 +QT be formed, bent or molded?
Cold form only in +AC (spheroidized) state; hot forge 1050–850 °C followed by slow cooling or immediate annealing, harden 840–870 °C oil quench and temper 400–650 °C to the required strength.
What is the maximum service temperature of 52CrMoV4 +QT?
52CrMoV4 +QT is rated for continuous use to about 400°C (752 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- EN 10083-3 Steels for quenching and tempering — Alloy steels — CEN (2006)
- EN 10089 Hot-rolled steels for quenched and tempered springs — CEN (2002)
- EN 10027-2 / Werkstoff 1.7701 designation — CEN (2015)
- 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)
- Cr-Mo-V spring steel 52CrMoV4 data sheet — European special steel producer (Böhler/Ovako-type) (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.