Steel C60E
EN C60E · AISI/SAE 1060 · GB 60
C60E (1.1221, AISI 1060) is a high-carbon non-alloy engineering steel with about 0.60 % C, supplied under the EN quenched-and-tempered carbon steel family.
Reference datasheet — C60E 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
C60E tempers and conditions
C60E is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard. +QT is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 8 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spheroidize annealed | Spheroidized structure for best cold heading, deep machining and dimensional stability before hardening. | 340 | 620 | 23 | 11 HRC | 11 % IACS |
Annealed | Softest supply condition — pick for maximum machinability or before heavy cold work / final hardening. | 350 | 660 | 20 | 200 HB | 49 W/m·K |
Normalized | Uniform fine pearlitic structure with moderate strength — the usual condition for machined parts not needing full Q&T. | 410 | 760 | 14 | 225 HB | 48 W/m·K |
Hot rolled | Cheapest mill condition for stock that will be fully heat treated by the customer. | 420 | 780 | 13 | 230 HB | — |
+QTDefault Quenched and tempered | Standard high-strength condition for shafts, gears, cams and wear parts in sections up to about 40 mm. | 620 | 900 | 14 | 28 HRC | 46 W/m·K |
Cold drawn and stress relieved to a specified hardness range | Bright bar delivered inside a narrow hardness band for automatic machining with predictable distortion. | 620 | 780 | 11 | 21 HRC | 10 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Bright bar with tight tolerance and raised strength — good for as-machined parts, but residual stresses may distort on cutting. | 700 | 830 | 9 | 24 HRC | — |
+QT | Choose when maximum hardness and wear resistance matter (springs, blades, wear plates, hand tools) and toughness is secondary. | 1,650 | 2,000 | 3 | 58 HRC | — |
What is C60E?
C60E (1.1221, AISI 1060) is a high-carbon non-alloy engineering steel with about 0.60 % C, supplied under the EN quenched-and-tempered carbon steel family. In the +QT condition it reaches 620 MPa yield, 900 MPa tensile, 14 % elongation and 270 HB (28 HRC), which is why it is used for springs, gears and wear discs from bar, strip and forged blanks. The trade-offs are poor weldability (score 22), low cold formability (score 20), no corrosion resistance and a service ceiling near 350 °C. Where welding or forming is required, C45E is the nearer choice. C60E 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). C60E has a yield strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 78% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 14% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
What is C60E used for?
- Leaf and coil springs
- Gears
- Wear-resistant discs
- Agricultural blades
Advantages
- High electrical conductivity — 10 % IACS, better than 83% of steel grades
- High strength — 620 MPa (89.9 ksi), better than 78% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 65/100, better than 78% of steel grades
Limitations
- Low fracture toughness — 45 MPa·√m (41 ksi·√in), worse than 90% 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
- Limited ductility — 14%, worse than 75% of steel grades
C60E properties
Typical room-temperature values for C60E-+QT; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
C60E 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
C60E has a yield strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 78% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 14% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
C60E is rated for continuous service to 350°C (662 °F). It conducts heat at 46 W/m·K (26.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 71% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.3 µm/m·K (6.28 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
C60E conducts electricity at 10 % IACS, better than 83% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of C60E takes about 26 MJ of energy and emits 2.1 kg of CO₂ — less than 64% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability8
C60E'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. 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. C60E is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with C60E
Is C60E easy to machine?
Machine in +A/+AC or +N condition with carbide tooling and rigid setups; at 250–300 HB (+QT) expect ~45 % of 1212 speeds, and grind rather than cut above 50 HRC.
Can C60E be welded?
Poor weldability (CE ≈ 0.7–0.8): preheat 250–350 °C, use low-hydrogen consumables, control interpass temperature and temper/stress relieve at 600–650 °C immediately after welding.
Can C60E be formed, bent or molded?
Cold forming only in spheroidize-annealed condition with generous bend radii; hot forge 1100–850 °C then normalize or slow-cool to avoid quench cracks; harden 820–850 °C water or oil, temper 400–650 °C for Q&T or 150–250 °C for wear parts.
C60E 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 C60E | 0.57 – 0.65 | 0.6 |
| Si | ≤ 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mn | 0.6 – 0.9 | 0.75 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | |
| SC60R variant: 0.020–0.040 S | ≤ 0.04 | |
| Crresidual | ≤ 0.4 | |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.4 | |
| Moresidual; Cr+Mo+Ni ≤ 0.63 | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Curesidual; GB/T 699 steel 60 allows <=0.25 | ≤ 0.3 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on C60E?
No natural corrosion protection — specify oiling, black oxide, phosphate, zinc/Zn-Ni plating, hard chrome or paint; induction hardening and shot peening are common to raise surface and fatigue performance.
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 C60E in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- AISI / SAE
- 1060
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 1.1221
- GB (China)
- 60
How much does C60E cost?
C60E is a budget-cost steel ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
C60E — frequently asked
What is C60E used for?
C60E is typically used for leaf and coil springs, gears, wear-resistant discs and agricultural blades. In short: high-strength carbon spring steel; wear resistance without alloying; poor weldability and formability.
What is the yield strength of C60E?
C60E has a typical yield strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 78% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is C60E easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades). Machine in +A/+AC or +N condition with carbide tooling and rigid setups; at 250–300 HB (+QT) expect ~45 % of 1212 speeds, and grind rather than cut above 50 HRC.
Can C60E be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (22/100). Poor weldability (CE ≈ 0.7–0.8): preheat 250–350 °C, use low-hydrogen consumables, control interpass temperature and temper/stress relieve at 600–650 °C immediately after welding.
What surface finishes work on C60E?
No natural corrosion protection — specify oiling, black oxide, phosphate, zinc/Zn-Ni plating, hard chrome or paint; induction hardening and shot peening are common to raise surface and fatigue performance.
Can C60E be formed, bent or molded?
Cold forming only in spheroidize-annealed condition with generous bend radii; hot forge 1100–850 °C then normalize or slow-cool to avoid quench cracks; harden 820–850 °C water or oil, temper 400–650 °C for Q&T or 150–250 °C for wear parts.
What is the maximum service temperature of C60E?
C60E is rated for continuous use to about 350°C (662 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does C60E cost?
C60E is a budget-cost steel ($), 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 10083-2 Steels for quenching and tempering — Non-alloy steels — CEN (2006)
- SAE J403 / AISI 1060 chemical composition — SAE International (2014)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- Machinery's Handbook (machinability ratings, heat-treat data) — Industrial Press (2020)
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.