Steel GE360
EN 1.0597
GE360 (1.0597) is the highest-strength grade in the EN general-purpose cast carbon steel series, deriving its strength from carbon content alone rather than alloying additions.
Reference datasheet — GE360 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 +N condition
GE360 tempers and conditions
GE360 is supplied in 6 conditions, soft to hard. +N is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | Pick when maximum machinability and dimensional stability matter more than strength, e.g. before heavy roughing. | 300 | 570 | 16 | 160 HB | 9.8 % IACS |
As fabricated | Lowest-cost condition for non-critical, lightly loaded parts where the specified mechanical minima are not certified. | 320 | 620 | 8 | 185 HB | 9.5 % IACS |
Stress relieved | Use after welding or heavy machining of large castings to cut residual stress with almost no strength loss. | 380 | 660 | 13 | 190 HB | 9.5 % IACS |
Normalized and tempered | Normalize plus temper when slightly better toughness and stress state are wanted in thick sections without quenching. | 395 | 670 | 14 | 190 HB | 9.5 % IACS |
+NDefault Normalized | Standard supply condition: refines the as-cast structure and meets the GE360 strength/elongation minima at lowest heat-treat cost. | 400 | 690 | 12 | 195 HB | 9.5 % IACS |
Quenched and tempered | Choose for the highest strength/toughness combination in moderate wall thickness (gears, sprockets, crusher parts). | 470 | 760 | 14 | 20 HRC | — |
What is GE360?
GE360 (1.0597) is the highest-strength grade in the EN general-purpose cast carbon steel series, deriving its strength from carbon content alone rather than alloying additions. In the default condition it offers 400 MPa yield, 690 MPa tensile, 12% elongation and about 195 HB, and is supplied as sand or investment castings in conditions from as-cast (F) through +A, +SR, +N, +NT and +QT. The trade-offs are limited ductility, a machinability rating of 45, a carbon equivalent of roughly 0.5–0.6 that forces preheat, no inherent corrosion resistance and a 400 °C service ceiling. Where similar strength with better toughness and weldability is needed, G24Mn6 is the nearest alternative. GE360 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). GE360 has a yield strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) and a tensile strength of 690 MPa (100 ksi) — weaker than 60% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
What is GE360 used for?
- Heavy-duty machine castings
- Mill housings
- Crusher parts
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 1.9 kg CO₂/kg, better than 92% of steel grades
- Conducts heat well — 48 W/m·K (27.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 79% of steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 9.5 % IACS, better than 75% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 15/100, worse than 87% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 12%, worse than 84% of steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 60 MPa·√m (54.6 ksi·√in), worse than 78% of steel grades
GE360 properties
Typical room-temperature values for GE360-+N; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
GE360 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
GE360 has a yield strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) and a tensile strength of 690 MPa (100 ksi) — weaker than 60% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
GE360 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 48 W/m·K (27.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 79% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12.3 µm/m·K (6.83 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
GE360 conducts electricity at 9.5 % IACS, better than 75% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (12/100), worse than 53% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of GE360 takes about 22 MJ of energy and emits 1.9 kg of CO₂ — less than 99% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 85%.
Manufacturability7
GE360's machinability is fair (45/100, worse than 65% of steel grades); weldability fair (50/100); formability poor (15/100).
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. GE360 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with GE360
Is GE360 easy to machine?
Machines like normalized 1045: carbide tooling, 120–180 m/min turning, watch for hard skin, scale and sand inclusions on the as-cast surface.
Can GE360 be welded?
Weldable with low-hydrogen electrodes or MAG but CEV ≈0.5–0.6 — preheat 150–250 °C, control interpass, and stress relieve at 600–650 °C after major repair welds.
Can GE360 be formed, bent or molded?
Sand or investment cast at ~1560–1600 °C with generous risering/chills; feed heavy sections to avoid shrinkage porosity and hot tears, allow ~2 % pattern shrink.
GE360 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cmedium-carbon; upper limit governs weldability | ≤ 0.45 | 0.4 |
| Si | ≤ 0.6 | 0.45 |
| Mn | ≤ 1.2 | 0.9 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | 0.02 |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Crresidual | ≤ 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.4 | 0.1 |
| Moresidual | ≤ 0.15 | 0.05 |
| Curesidual | ≤ 0.4 | 0.15 |
| Vresidual | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on GE360?
No inherent corrosion resistance — shot blast then paint, zinc-rich primer, phosphate, or hot-dip galvanize; can be flame/induction hardened or hard chrome plated on wear faces.
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 GE360 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 1.0597
How much does GE360 cost?
GE360 is a standard-cost steel ($$), cheaper than about 71% 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.
GE360 — frequently asked
What is GE360 used for?
GE360 is typically used for heavy-duty machine castings, mill housings and crusher parts. In short: strongest plain-carbon cast steel; cast equivalent of normalized 1045; lower ductility than Mn grades.
What is the yield strength of GE360?
GE360 has a typical yield strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) and a tensile strength of 690 MPa (100 ksi) — weaker than 60% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is GE360 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, worse than 65% of steel grades). Machines like normalized 1045: carbide tooling, 120–180 m/min turning, watch for hard skin, scale and sand inclusions on the as-cast surface.
Can GE360 be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (50/100). Weldable with low-hydrogen electrodes or MAG but CEV ≈0.5–0.6 — preheat 150–250 °C, control interpass, and stress relieve at 600–650 °C after major repair welds.
What surface finishes work on GE360?
No inherent corrosion resistance — shot blast then paint, zinc-rich primer, phosphate, or hot-dip galvanize; can be flame/induction hardened or hard chrome plated on wear faces.
Can GE360 be formed, bent or molded?
Sand or investment cast at ~1560–1600 °C with generous risering/chills; feed heavy sections to avoid shrinkage porosity and hot tears, allow ~2 % pattern shrink.
What is the maximum service temperature of GE360?
GE360 is rated for continuous use to about 400°C (752 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between GE360 +N and GE360-F?
+N is the default condition — standard supply condition: refines the as-cast structure and meets the GE360 strength/elongation minima at lowest heat-treat cost. F: lowest-cost condition for non-critical, lightly loaded parts where the specified mechanical minima are not certified. Yield strength is 400 MPa in +N versus 320 MPa in F.
How much does GE360 cost?
GE360 is a standard-cost steel ($$), cheaper than about 71% 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 10293 — Steel castings for general engineering uses — CEN (2015)
- DIN 1681 — Cast steels for general engineering purposes (GS-38…GS-60) — DIN (1985)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys (cast carbon steels) — ASM International (1990)
- Steel Castings Handbook — Steel Founders' Society of America / ASM (1995)
- GB/T 11352 — (comparable ZG grades) — SAC (2009)
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.