Steel C60 Hardened
Heat-treated state
EN C60 · AISI/SAE 1060 · JIS S60C · GB 60
Maximum hardness for pure abrasion resistance; brittle, only for thin sections with light stress-relief.
Values for the Hardened condition
Other C60 tempers and conditions
C60 is listed in 11 conditions; see the grade overview at C60.
Compare all 11 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spheroidize annealed | Pick for cold forming, deep drawing or best machinability before hardening. | 340 | 580 | 26 | 170 HB | 9.8 % IACS |
Treated for shearability | Use when coil or bar must be cropped/sheared cold into blanks without cracking. | 350 | 600 | 24 | 175 HB | 9.7 % IACS |
Annealed | Softest supply condition for heavy machining, cold sawing or before a hardening cycle. | 370 | 620 | 22 | 179 HB | 50 W/m·K |
Hot rolled | Cheapest stock form for parts that will be fully heat treated after machining. | 370 | 675 | 17 | 201 HB | 9.6 % IACS |
+NDefault Normalized | Default engineering condition: uniform fine pearlite, predictable strength, good base for later hardening. | 420 | 775 | 16 | 20 HRC | — |
Induction hardened | Use for shafts, gear teeth and rails needing a hard wear surface over a tougher pearlitic core. | 430 | 800 | 14 | 58 HRC | 9.3 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Straight, close-tolerance bar with raised yield strength for as-supplied shafts and pins. | 620 | 760 | 10 | 223 HB | — |
Quenched and tempered | Standard delivered strength class for shafts and machine parts needing strength plus usable toughness. | 620 | 900 | 11 | 29 HRC | — |
quenched, tempered ~400 °C | Choose for springs, blades and wear parts needing high strength with some remaining resilience. | 1,150 | 1,350 | 8 | 42 HRC | — |
quenched, tempered ~250 °C | Wear- and edge-retention condition for hand tools, knives and cutting/forming edges. | 1,500 | 1,800 | 4 | 53 HRC | — |
HardenedThis page Hardened (as-quenched, 60–64 HRC, stress-relief temper only) | Maximum hardness for pure abrasion resistance; brittle, only for thin sections with light stress-relief. | 1,650 | 2,100 | 1 | 62 HRC | 8.2 % IACS |
What is C60 Hardened?
C60 Hardened is C60 heat treated to Hardened — maximum hardness for pure abrasion resistance; brittle, only for thin sections with light stress-relief. C60 Hardened has a yield strength of 1,650 MPa (239 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,100 MPa (305 ksi) — stronger than 99% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi). C60 Hardened has a density of 7.84 g/cm³ (0.283 lb/in³), lighter than 78% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F). +N is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Hardened is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High strength — 1,650 MPa (239 ksi), better than 99% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 87% of steel grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 5/100, worse than 100% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 5/100, worse than 100% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 2/100, worse than 100% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 1%, worse than 99% of steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 150°C (302 °F), worse than 99% of steel grades
C60 Hardened properties
Typical room-temperature values for C60 Hardened; 21 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are C60 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
C60 Hardened has a density of 7.84 g/cm³ (0.283 lb/in³), lighter than 78% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F).
Mechanical17
C60 Hardened has a yield strength of 1,650 MPa (239 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,100 MPa (305 ksi) — stronger than 99% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
Thermal6
C60 Hardened is rated for continuous service to 150°C (302 °F). It conducts heat at 43 W/m·K (24.8 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 51% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.3 µm/m·K (6.28 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
C60 Hardened conducts electricity at 8.2 % IACS, better than 61% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of C60 Hardened takes about 25 MJ of energy and emits 2.1 kg of CO₂ — less than 82% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 25%.
Manufacturability6
C60 Hardened's machinability is not recommended (5/100, worse than 100% of steel grades); weldability not recommended (5/100); formability not recommended (2/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with C60 Hardened
Is C60 easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed or normalized state with carbide tooling and generous coolant; above ~35 HRC switch to CBN/grinding.
Can C60 be welded?
Poor weldability (CE ≈ 0.75) — preheat 250–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables and immediate post-weld temper, otherwise expect underbead cracking.
Can C60 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold form only when spheroidize annealed and with generous bend radii; hot forge 1100–850 °C and always cool slowly or normalize afterwards.
What surface finishes work on C60?
No corrosion resistance — protect with oil, black oxide, phosphate, zinc plating or paint; hardened surfaces take a fine polish and grind well.
C60 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 |
|---|---|---|
| CEN 10083-2 C60; AISI 1060 is 0.55–0.65 | 0.57 – 0.65 | 0.6 |
| Si | ≤ 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mn | 0.6 – 0.9 | 0.75 |
| PC60E ≤0.030 | ≤ 0.05 | — |
| SC60E ≤0.035; C60R 0.020–0.040 | ≤ 0.05 | — |
| Crresidual | ≤ 0.4 | — |
| Moresidual | ≤ 0.1 | — |
| Niresidual; Cr+Mo+Ni ≤0.63 | ≤ 0.4 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
C60 Hardened — frequently asked
What is C60 Hardened used for?
C60 Hardened is typically used for springs, wear plates, cutting tools, high-strength shafts and agricultural blades. In short: high hardness after quench-temper; wear and edge retention; not for welded structures.
What is the yield strength of C60 Hardened?
C60 Hardened has a typical yield strength of 1,650 MPa (239 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,100 MPa (305 ksi) — stronger than 99% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 11 listed tempers.
Is C60 Hardened easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (5/100, worse than 100% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed or normalized state with carbide tooling and generous coolant; above ~35 HRC switch to CBN/grinding.
Can C60 Hardened be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (5/100). Poor weldability (CE ≈ 0.75) — preheat 250–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables and immediate post-weld temper, otherwise expect underbead cracking.
What surface finishes work on C60 Hardened?
No corrosion resistance — protect with oil, black oxide, phosphate, zinc plating or paint; hardened surfaces take a fine polish and grind well.
Can C60 Hardened be formed, bent or molded?
Cold form only when spheroidize annealed and with generous bend radii; hot forge 1100–850 °C and always cool slowly or normalize afterwards.
What is the maximum service temperature of C60 Hardened?
C60 Hardened is rated for continuous use to about 150°C (302 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between C60 +N and C60-HR?
+N is the default condition — default engineering condition: uniform fine pearlite, predictable strength, good base for later hardening. HR: cheapest stock form for parts that will be fully heat treated after machining. Yield strength is 420 MPa in +N versus 370 MPa in HR.
Sources
- EN 10083-2 Steels for quenching and tempering — Non-alloy steels (C60, 1.0601) — CEN (2006)
- ASTM A576 / SAE J403 (AISI 1060) — ASTM / SAE (2017)
- JIS G 4051 (S60C) — JISC (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.