Steel 60CrMo3-1 +QT (Quenched and tempered)
Heat-treated state · default condition
EN 60CrMo3-1
Standard high-stress spring condition: pick for finished leaf/coil springs, torsion bars and elastic parts needing 1600–1900 MPa and high relaxation resistance.
Values for the +QT condition
Other 60CrMo3-1 tempers and conditions
60CrMo3-1 is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at 60CrMo3-1.
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spheroidize annealed | Choose for heavy cold heading, cold extrusion or deep machining where the lowest hardness and best ductility are required. | 420 | 700 | 20 | 205 HB | 44 W/m·K |
Annealed | Pick for bar/wire that will be machined, cold formed or coiled before the spring maker's own hardening cycle. | 460 | 780 | 15 | 230 HB | 44 W/m·K |
Treated for high shearability | Order when bar is to be cold sheared into billets/blanks with clean, burr-free faces before hot forming or hardening. | 480 | 820 | 13 | 240 HB | — |
+QTDefaultThis page Quenched and tempered | Standard high-stress spring condition: pick for finished leaf/coil springs, torsion bars and elastic parts needing 1600–1900 MPa and high relaxation resistance. | 1,520 | 1,750 | 7 | 50 HRC | 40 W/m·K |
Restricted (core) hardenability band, hardened-and-low-tempered core… | Specify for thick sections where the customer must guarantee core hardness/strength after through hardening of heavy bars. | 1,620 | 1,900 | 5 | 54 HRC | — |
Specified hardenability band, supplied/used in the hardened… | Use when a guaranteed Jominy band is required and the part is run at maximum as-quenched hardness (wear faces, low-temper spring blanks). | 1,750 | 2,150 | 2 | 60 HRC | — |
What is 60CrMo3-1 +QT?
60CrMo3-1 +QT is 60CrMo3-1 heat treated to +QT — standard high-stress spring condition: pick for finished leaf/coil springs, torsion bars and elastic parts needing 1600–1900 MPa and high relaxation resistance. 60CrMo3-1 +QT has a yield strength of 1,520 MPa (220 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,750 MPa (254 ksi) — stronger than 97% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 7% and the elastic modulus is 206 GPa (29.9 Msi). 60CrMo3-1 +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 — 1,520 MPa (220 ksi), better than 97% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 65/100, better than 78% of steel grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 10/100, worse than 99% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 10/100, worse than 99% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 5/100, worse than 99% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 7%, worse than 96% of steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 38 MPa·√m (34.6 ksi·√in), worse than 93% of steel grades
60CrMo3-1 +QT properties
Typical room-temperature values for 60CrMo3-1 +QT; 17 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 60CrMo3-1 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
60CrMo3-1 +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
60CrMo3-1 +QT has a yield strength of 1,520 MPa (220 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,750 MPa (254 ksi) — stronger than 97% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 7% and the elastic modulus is 206 GPa (29.9 Msi).
Thermal6
60CrMo3-1 +QT is rated for continuous service to 280°C (536 °F). It conducts heat at 40 W/m·K (23.1 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 64% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12.3 µm/m·K (6.83 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
60CrMo3-1 +QT conducts electricity at 7.5 % IACS, worse than 67% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (11/100), worse than 73% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 60CrMo3-1 +QT takes about 31 MJ of energy and emits 2.3 kg of CO₂ — more than 64% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability8
60CrMo3-1 +QT's machinability is not recommended (10/100, worse than 99% of steel grades); weldability not recommended (10/100); formability not recommended (5/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 60CrMo3-1 +QT
Is 60CrMo3-1 easy to machine?
Machine only in +A/+AC condition with rigid setups and coated carbide (Vc ~90–130 m/min); after +QT/+H, grinding or EDM is the practical route.
Can 60CrMo3-1 be welded?
Effectively non-weldable in service condition (CE > 1.0); if unavoidable, preheat 300–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables and immediate post-weld temper, then requalify hardness.
Can 60CrMo3-1 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold coil/bend only from the spheroidized or annealed state, or hot form at 900–1050 °C; finished springs must be hardened from ~840–860 °C, oil quenched and tempered 400–500 °C to the target hardness.
What surface finishes work on 60CrMo3-1?
Shot peen (and preferably stress-relieve after peening) to lift fatigue life; protect with phosphate + oil, zinc-flake or powder coat — avoid acid pickling and electroplating above ~1000 MPa without a 190–220 °C hydrogen bake.
60CrMo3-1 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 | 0.56 – 0.64 | 0.6 |
| Si | 0.15 – 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mn | 0.7 – 1 | 0.85 |
| Cr | 0.7 – 1 | 0.85 |
| Moclass -1 has the lowest Mo of the 60CrMo3-x family; -2/-3 step Mo upward | 0.15 – 0.25 | 0.2 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
60CrMo3-1 +QT — frequently asked
What is 60CrMo3-1 +QT used for?
60CrMo3-1 +QT is typically used for leaf springs, coil springs, torsion bars and clutch springs. In short: high-stress spring steel; 1750 MPa in +QT; form soft, harden after.
What is the yield strength of 60CrMo3-1 +QT?
60CrMo3-1 +QT has a typical yield strength of 1,520 MPa (220 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,750 MPa (254 ksi) — stronger than 97% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is 60CrMo3-1 +QT easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (10/100, worse than 99% of steel grades). Machine only in +A/+AC condition with rigid setups and coated carbide (Vc ~90–130 m/min); after +QT/+H, grinding or EDM is the practical route.
Can 60CrMo3-1 +QT be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (10/100). Effectively non-weldable in service condition (CE > 1.0); if unavoidable, preheat 300–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables and immediate post-weld temper, then requalify hardness.
What surface finishes work on 60CrMo3-1 +QT?
Shot peen (and preferably stress-relieve after peening) to lift fatigue life; protect with phosphate + oil, zinc-flake or powder coat — avoid acid pickling and electroplating above ~1000 MPa without a 190–220 °C hydrogen bake.
Can 60CrMo3-1 +QT be formed, bent or molded?
Cold coil/bend only from the spheroidized or annealed state, or hot form at 900–1050 °C; finished springs must be hardened from ~840–860 °C, oil quenched and tempered 400–500 °C to the target hardness.
What is the maximum service temperature of 60CrMo3-1 +QT?
60CrMo3-1 +QT is rated for continuous use to about 280°C (536 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- EN 10089 — Hot rolled steels for quenched and tempered springs — CEN (2002)
- EN 10083-1 — Steels for quenching and tempering: general technical delivery conditions (delivery states +A, +AC, +S, +QT, +H) — CEN (2006)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.19 — Fatigue and Fracture (spring steels) — ASM International (1996)
- EN 13906-1 — Cylindrical helical springs, design and calculation — CEN (2013)
- Spring steel bar and strip grade data (Cr-Mo spring steels) — European long-products mills (2023)
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.