Steel C60E +U (Hot rolled)
Finish state
EN C60E · AISI/SAE 1060 · GB 60
Cheapest mill condition for stock that will be fully heat treated by the customer.
Values for the +U condition
Other C60E tempers and conditions
C60E is listed in 8 conditions; see the grade overview at C60E.
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 |
+UThis page 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 +U?
C60E +U is C60E supplied in the +U condition — cheapest mill condition for stock that will be fully heat treated by the customer. C60E +U has a yield strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 780 MPa (113 ksi) — weaker than 53% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 13% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). C60E +U 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). +QT is the default condition FabDigit quotes; +U is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High electrical conductivity — 10 % IACS, better than 83% 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
- Limited ductility — 13%, worse than 78% of steel grades
C60E +U properties
Typical room-temperature values for C60E +U; 12 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are C60E reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
C60E +U 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 +U has a yield strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 780 MPa (113 ksi) — weaker than 53% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 13% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
C60E +U 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 +U 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 +U 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 +U's machinability is fair (45/100, worse than 65% of steel grades); weldability poor (22/100); formability poor (28/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with C60E +U
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.
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.
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 | — |
C60E +U — frequently asked
What is C60E +U used for?
C60E +U 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 +U?
C60E +U has a typical yield strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 780 MPa (113 ksi) — weaker than 53% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is C60E +U easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, worse than 65% 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 +U 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 +U?
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 +U 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 +U?
C60E +U 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.
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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.