Steel 52SiCrNi5
EN 52SiCrNi5
52SiCrNi5 (1.7117) is a silicon-chromium spring steel with added nickel for improved toughness, listed in the EN 10083 alloy-steel family.
Reference datasheet — 52SiCrNi5 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
52SiCrNi5 tempers and conditions
52SiCrNi5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spheroidize annealed | Pick when the bar or wire must be cold headed, cold drawn or heavily machined before hardening. | 420 | 700 | 22 | 215 HB | — |
Annealed | Softest general delivery condition for bar/wire that will be machined or hot formed before hardening. | 450 | 750 | 18 | 230 HB | — |
Treated for high shearability | Bar condition with structure/hardness controlled so blanks can be cold sheared without cracking or excessive burr. | 500 | 800 | 15 | 22 HRC | 7.5 % IACS |
Hot rolled | Cheapest mill delivery for leaf-spring flats and bar that will be fully heat treated by the spring maker. | 550 | 900 | 12 | 27 HRC | 7.5 % IACS |
Normalized | Used to refine grain and homogenize forgings before final hardening; not a service condition for springs. | 600 | 950 | 12 | 29 HRC | 7.5 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Bright drawn bar/wire with close tolerance and clean surface, for coiling or machining prior to hardening. | 760 | 900 | 8 | 27 HRC | 7 % IACS |
Treated to specified core hardness | Order this when a guaranteed core hardness / through-hardness band (≈40–48 HRC) with higher toughness is needed rather than peak spring strength. | 1,300 | 1,500 | 10 | 45 HRC | — |
+QTDefault Quenched and tempered | Standard in-service condition for coil, leaf and torsion springs: peak strength and fatigue life with acceptable toughness. | 1,700 | 1,900 | 7 | 52 HRC | — |
Hardened | As-quenched martensite — maximum hardness but brittle; an intermediate state that must be tempered before service. | 1,900 | 2,300 | 1 | 62 HRC | — |
What is 52SiCrNi5?
52SiCrNi5 (1.7117) is a silicon-chromium spring steel with added nickel for improved toughness, listed in the EN 10083 alloy-steel family. It is used for high-performance springs subject to shock loading, supplied as bar, flat bar and wire in +A, +AC, +S, +AR, +N, +C, +H, +CH and +QT conditions. In the quenched-and-tempered default condition it reaches 1700 MPa yield, 1900 MPa tensile, 7 % elongation and 530 HB (52 HRC), with service limited to about 250 °C. At roughly 0.5 % C it is effectively non-weldable and hard to machine at strength; 54SiCr6 or 61SiCr7 are the lower-cost alternatives when nickel toughness is not required. 52SiCrNi5 has a density of 7.8 g/cm³ (0.282 lb/in³), lighter than 87% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F). 52SiCrNi5 has a yield strength of 1,700 MPa (247 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,900 MPa (276 ksi) — stronger than 99% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 7% and the elastic modulus is 206 GPa (29.9 Msi).
What is 52SiCrNi5 used for?
- heavy-duty springs
- stabilizer bars
- torsion bars
Advantages
- High strength — 1,700 MPa (247 ksi), better than 99% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 7%, worse than 96% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 12/100, worse than 96% of steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 33 MPa·√m (30 ksi·√in), worse than 95% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 10/100, worse than 95% of steel grades
- Difficult to machine — 25/100, worse than 93% of steel grades
52SiCrNi5 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 52SiCrNi5-+QT; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
52SiCrNi5 has a density of 7.8 g/cm³ (0.282 lb/in³), lighter than 87% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F).
Mechanical16
52SiCrNi5 has a yield strength of 1,700 MPa (247 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,900 MPa (276 ksi) — stronger than 99% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 7% and the elastic modulus is 206 GPa (29.9 Msi).
Thermal6
52SiCrNi5 is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 40 W/m·K (23.1 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 64% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.5 µm/m·K (6.39 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
52SiCrNi5 conducts electricity at 7 % IACS, worse than 74% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (12/100), worse than 53% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 52SiCrNi5 takes about 32 MJ of energy and emits 2.3 kg of CO₂ — more than 70% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability7
52SiCrNi5's machinability is poor (25/100, worse than 93% of steel grades); weldability not recommended (12/100); formability not recommended (10/100).
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. 52SiCrNi5 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 52SiCrNi5
Is 52SiCrNi5 easy to machine?
Machine in +A/+AC condition (≈215–248 HB) with carbide tooling; at 50+ HRC only grinding, hard turning with CBN or EDM are practical.
Can 52SiCrNi5 be welded?
Effectively non-weldable at 0.5 %C — if unavoidable, preheat 300–400 °C, low-hydrogen process and immediate post-weld temper; expect loss of spring properties in the HAZ.
Can 52SiCrNi5 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold coil or cold form in the annealed/spheroidized state then harden; hot form at 950–1050 °C, austenitize 860–880 °C, oil quench, temper 400–480 °C for 48–54 HRC.
52SiCrNi5 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 | 0.49 – 0.56 | 0.52 |
| Siraises yield ratio and relaxation resistance | 1.2 – 1.5 | 1.35 |
| Mn | 0.7 – 1 | 0.85 |
| Cr | 0.7 – 1 | 0.85 |
| Niadded for toughness and hardenability vs 52SiCr6 | 0.5 – 0.7 | 0.6 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 52SiCrNi5?
Shot peen and stress relieve springs to boost fatigue life; protect with phosphate+oil, zinc-flake or epoxy — avoid acid pickling/electroplating without post-bake to prevent 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 52SiCrNi5 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 1.7117
How much does 52SiCrNi5 cost?
52SiCrNi5 is a budget-cost steel ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
52SiCrNi5 — frequently asked
What is 52SiCrNi5 used for?
52SiCrNi5 is typically used for heavy-duty springs, stabilizer bars and torsion bars. In short: nickel-toughened spring steel; highest strength of the Si-Cr springs; shock-load spring service.
What is the yield strength of 52SiCrNi5?
52SiCrNi5 has a typical yield strength of 1,700 MPa (247 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,900 MPa (276 ksi) — stronger than 99% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is 52SiCrNi5 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (25/100, worse than 93% of steel grades). Machine in +A/+AC condition (≈215–248 HB) with carbide tooling; at 50+ HRC only grinding, hard turning with CBN or EDM are practical.
Can 52SiCrNi5 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (12/100). Effectively non-weldable at 0.5 %C — if unavoidable, preheat 300–400 °C, low-hydrogen process and immediate post-weld temper; expect loss of spring properties in the HAZ.
What surface finishes work on 52SiCrNi5?
Shot peen and stress relieve springs to boost fatigue life; protect with phosphate+oil, zinc-flake or epoxy — avoid acid pickling/electroplating without post-bake to prevent hydrogen embrittlement.
Can 52SiCrNi5 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold coil or cold form in the annealed/spheroidized state then harden; hot form at 950–1050 °C, austenitize 860–880 °C, oil quench, temper 400–480 °C for 48–54 HRC.
What is the maximum service temperature of 52SiCrNi5?
52SiCrNi5 is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does 52SiCrNi5 cost?
52SiCrNi5 is a budget-cost steel ($), 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 10089 — Hot rolled steels for quenched and tempered springs — CEN (2002)
- EN 10083-1/-3 — Steels for quenching and tempering (delivery condition symbols +A, +AC, +S, +QT) — CEN (2006)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys (spring steels) — ASM International (1990)
- EN 13906-1 — Cylindrical helical springs, design and calculation — CEN (2013)
- European spring steel bar datasheets (52SiCr6 / 52SiCrNi5, 1.7117) — various mills (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.