Steel 6152 Cold Drawn
Supply condition
AISI/SAE 6152 · UNS G61520
Pick for close-tolerance bar and spring wire that is coiled cold and then stress-relieved or hardened.
Values for the Cold Drawn condition
Other 6152 tempers and conditions
6152 is listed in 5 conditions; see the grade overview at 6152.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnnealedDefault soft, spheroidized/full annealed bar | Pick for machining, cold forming or coiling before final hardening; lowest strength, best workability. | 415 | 670 | 23 | 197 HB | — |
as-rolled bar/flat, untreated | Cheapest stock form for parts that will be fully heat treated after machining. | 550 | 900 | 18 | 25 HRC | 7.5 % IACS |
austenitized ~870 °C, air cooled | Pick for a uniform fine-grained structure and mid-range strength before hardening, or for as-supplied hot-rolled bar refinement. | 615 | 940 | 22 | 27 HRC | — |
Cold DrawnThis page annealed then cold drawn bar/wire | Pick for close-tolerance bar and spring wire that is coiled cold and then stress-relieved or hardened. | 700 | 830 | 12 | 22 HRC | 7.5 % IACS |
spring temper, tempered 400–450 °C (≈46–50 HRC) | Pick for leaf/coil springs and hand tools needing maximum elastic limit and fatigue strength at reduced ductility. | 1,450 | 1,620 | 8 | 48 HRC | — |
What is 6152 Cold Drawn?
6152 Cold Drawn is 6152 supplied in the Cold Drawn condition — pick for close-tolerance bar and spring wire that is coiled cold and then stress-relieved or hardened. 6152 Cold Drawn has a yield strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) and a tensile strength of 830 MPa (120 ksi) — stronger than 81% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 207 GPa (30 Msi). 6152 Cold Drawn 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). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Cold Drawn is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High strength — 700 MPa (102 ksi), better than 81% of steel grades
Limitations
- 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
6152 Cold Drawn properties
Typical room-temperature values for 6152 Cold Drawn; 23 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 6152 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
6152 Cold Drawn 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).
Mechanical13
6152 Cold Drawn has a yield strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) and a tensile strength of 830 MPa (120 ksi) — stronger than 81% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 207 GPa (30 Msi).
Thermal6
6152 Cold Drawn is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 46 W/m·K (26.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 71% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12.3 µm/m·K (6.83 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
6152 Cold Drawn conducts electricity at 7.5 % IACS, worse than 67% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (13/100), better than 66% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 6152 Cold Drawn takes about 26 MJ of energy and emits 2 kg of CO₂ — less than 64% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 35%.
Manufacturability8
6152 Cold Drawn's machinability is good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades); weldability poor (22/100); formability poor (25/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 6152 Cold Drawn
Is 6152 easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed or normalized state (≈55 % of 1212); above ~40 HRC use carbide or CBN, rigid setups and light finishing passes, and expect grinding for final tolerances.
Can 6152 be welded?
Not recommended for structural joints — preheat 250–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables and immediate post-weld temper are mandatory to avoid HAZ cracking; never weld in the spring-tempered condition.
Can 6152 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold coil, bend or blank in the annealed condition then harden; hot forming 950–1150 °C followed by full quench-and-temper gives the best spring properties.
What surface finishes work on 6152?
Not stainless: phosphate-and-oil, black oxide, shot peen (strongly recommended for fatigue), zinc or paint; avoid acid pickling/electroplating at high hardness or bake out hydrogen after plating.
6152 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Colder SAE 6152 range; modern 6150 is 0.48–0.53 | 0.45 – 0.55 | 0.5 |
| Mn | 0.6 – 0.9 | 0.75 |
| Si | 0.15 – 0.35 | 0.25 |
| Cr | 0.8 – 1.1 | 0.95 |
| V0.15 % min per SAE | 0.15 – 0.25 | 0.18 |
| P | ≤ 0.04 | — |
| S | ≤ 0.04 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
6152 Cold Drawn — frequently asked
What is 6152 Cold Drawn used for?
6152 Cold Drawn is typically used for heavy leaf springs, coil springs, torsion bars, truck and trailer suspension springs, spring clips and retainers and agricultural tines and tillage parts. In short: vanadium spring-steel bar.
What is the yield strength of 6152 Cold Drawn?
6152 Cold Drawn has a typical yield strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) and a tensile strength of 830 MPa (120 ksi) — stronger than 81% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is 6152 Cold Drawn easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed or normalized state (≈55 % of 1212); above ~40 HRC use carbide or CBN, rigid setups and light finishing passes, and expect grinding for final tolerances.
Can 6152 Cold Drawn be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (22/100). Not recommended for structural joints — preheat 250–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables and immediate post-weld temper are mandatory to avoid HAZ cracking; never weld in the spring-tempered condition.
What surface finishes work on 6152 Cold Drawn?
Not stainless: phosphate-and-oil, black oxide, shot peen (strongly recommended for fatigue), zinc or paint; avoid acid pickling/electroplating at high hardness or bake out hydrogen after plating.
Can 6152 Cold Drawn be formed, bent or molded?
Cold coil, bend or blank in the annealed condition then harden; hot forming 950–1150 °C followed by full quench-and-temper gives the best spring properties.
What is the maximum service temperature of 6152 Cold Drawn?
6152 Cold Drawn 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.
Can FabDigit make parts in 6152 Cold Drawn?
Yes — 6152 Cold Drawn is available for CNC machining and sheet metal; every part is priced by an engineer rather than instantly. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- SAE J404 — Chemical Compositions of SAE Alloy Steels — SAE International (2021)
- ASTM A231/A232 — Chromium-Vanadium Alloy Steel Spring Wire — ASTM (2020)
- EN 10089 — Hot-rolled steels for quenched and tempered springs (50CrV4 / 1.8159) — CEN (2002)
- GB/T 1222 — (50CrVA) — SAC (2016)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.4 — Heat Treating — ASM International (1991)
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.