Steel Low Carbon Steel · finish state
Steel Low Carbon Steel-HDG
Properties of the HDG condition, compared with the other Low Carbon Steel tempers.
Specify for outdoor or damp service where painting is impractical; zinc coating gives sacrificial protection at low cost.
What is Low Carbon Steel-HDG?
Low Carbon Steel-HDG is Low Carbon Steel supplied in the HDG condition — specify for outdoor or damp service where painting is impractical; zinc coating gives sacrificial protection at low cost. Low Carbon Steel-HDG has a yield strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) — weaker than 90% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 22% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi). Low Carbon Steel-HDG has a density of 7.87 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 91% of steel grades. It melts at 1,495°C (2,723 °F). HR is the default condition FabDigit quotes; HDG is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Good corrosion resistance — 35/100, better than 97% of steel grades
- Conducts heat well — 51.9 W/m·K (30 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 96% of steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 10.8 % IACS, better than 94% of steel grades
- Forms and bends easily — 82/100, better than 94% of steel grades
- Easy to machine — 62/100, better than 89% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 200°C (392 °F), worse than 93% of steel grades
- Low strength — 280 MPa (40.6 ksi), worse than 90% of steel grades
- Hard to polish — 45/100, worse than 84% of steel grades
Low Carbon Steel-HDG properties
Typical room-temperature values for Low Carbon Steel-HDG — 8 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every Low Carbon Steel temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the steel grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical3
Low Carbon Steel-HDG has a density of 7.87 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 91% of steel grades. It melts at 1,495°C (2,723 °F).
Mechanical16
Low Carbon Steel-HDG has a yield strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) — weaker than 90% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 22% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
Thermal6
Low Carbon Steel-HDG is rated for continuous service to 200°C (392 °F). It conducts heat at 51.9 W/m·K (30 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 96% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12 µm/m·K (6.67 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Low Carbon Steel-HDG conducts electricity at 10.8 % IACS, better than 94% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (35/100), better than 97% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Low Carbon Steel-HDG takes about 25 MJ of energy and emits 2.1 kg of CO₂ — less than 82% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability8
Low Carbon Steel-HDG's machinability is good (62/100, better than 89% of steel grades); weldability good (65/100); formability very good (82/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other Low Carbon Steel tempers and conditions
Low Carbon Steel is also supplied in 6 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the Low Carbon Steel overview.
- HRDefaultCheapest general-purpose structural stock: plate, angle, channel, merchant bar where surface finish and close tolerance are not needed.250 MPa yield · 120 HB
- CDUse for shafts, pins and machined parts: higher strength, straight bright bar, close diameter tolerance and better chip control than hot rolled.380 MPa yield · 143 HB
- CarburizedUse where a wear-resistant hard skin over a tough soft core is needed — gears, pins, bushings, cam followers.350 MPa yield · 60 HRC
- CRPick for sheet-metal parts needing a clean bright surface, tight thickness tolerance and good deep-drawing behaviour.340 MPa yield · 135 HB
- HDGSpecify for outdoor or damp service where painting is impractical; zinc coating gives sacrificial protection at low cost.280 MPa yield · 125 HB
- NormalizedPick for uniform fine-grain structure and improved toughness/consistency in welded, forged or thick-section parts.265 MPa yield · 126 HB
- AnnealedChoose when maximum ductility and minimum hardness are needed for severe cold forming, deep drawing or before carburising.215 MPa yield · 105 HB
Working with Low Carbon Steel-HDG
Is Low Carbon Steel easy to machine?
Machines easily but gummy in the annealed/hot-rolled state — use cold-drawn bar, positive rake, sharp tooling and generous coolant for good finish; free-machining 1215/12L14 is the alternative if chip control dominates.
Can Low Carbon Steel be welded?
Essentially unrestricted weldability by SMAW/GMAW/GTAW/RSW with E70/ER70S consumables; no preheat needed below ~25 mm, keep hydrogen low and grind galvanizing off the joint area.
Can Low Carbon Steel be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability — deep drawing, roll forming, bending to tight radii (≈1t on CR sheet); allow for springback and for the yield-point elongation/stretcher strains in non-skin-passed sheet.
What surface finishes work on Low Carbon Steel?
Not anodizable; protect with zinc plating, hot-dip galvanizing, phosphate + paint, powder coat, black oxide or oil — bare surfaces flash-rust within hours in humid air.
Low Carbon Steel 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cdefining range for the low-carbon class | 0.05 – 0.25 | 0.18 |
| Mn | 0.25 – 0.9 | 0.55 |
| Sikilled steels only; rimmed grades ≤0.10 | ≤ 0.35 | 0.2 |
| Pimpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | 0.02 |
| Simpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | 0.03 |
| Fe | balance | — |
Low Carbon Steel-HDG — frequently asked
What is Low Carbon Steel-HDG used for?
Low Carbon Steel-HDG is typically used for stamped enclosures and brackets, welded frames and weldments, structural plate, angle and channel, machine bases and skids, general fabrication parts and carburized bushings and pins. In short: workhorse low-carbon plate.
What is the yield strength of Low Carbon Steel-HDG?
Low Carbon Steel-HDG has a typical yield strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) — weaker than 90% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is Low Carbon Steel-HDG easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (62/100, better than 89% of steel grades). Machines easily but gummy in the annealed/hot-rolled state — use cold-drawn bar, positive rake, sharp tooling and generous coolant for good finish; free-machining 1215/12L14 is the alternative if chip control dominates.
Can Low Carbon Steel-HDG be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (65/100). Essentially unrestricted weldability by SMAW/GMAW/GTAW/RSW with E70/ER70S consumables; no preheat needed below ~25 mm, keep hydrogen low and grind galvanizing off the joint area.
What surface finishes work on Low Carbon Steel-HDG?
Not anodizable; protect with zinc plating, hot-dip galvanizing, phosphate + paint, powder coat, black oxide or oil — bare surfaces flash-rust within hours in humid air.
Can Low Carbon Steel-HDG be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability — deep drawing, roll forming, bending to tight radii (≈1t on CR sheet); allow for springback and for the yield-point elongation/stretcher strains in non-skin-passed sheet.
What is the maximum service temperature of Low Carbon Steel-HDG?
Low Carbon Steel-HDG is rated for continuous use to about 200°C (392 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between Low Carbon Steel-HR and Low Carbon Steel-CD?
HR is the default condition — cheapest general-purpose structural stock: plate, angle, channel, merchant bar where surface finish and close tolerance are not needed. CD: use for shafts, pins and machined parts: higher strength, straight bright bar, close diameter tolerance and better chip control than hot rolled. Yield strength is 250 MPa in HR versus 380 MPa in CD.
Can FabDigit make parts in Low Carbon Steel-HDG?
Yes — Low Carbon Steel-HDG is available for CNC machining and sheet metal with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASTM A36/A36M Standard Specification for Carbon Structural Steel — ASTM (2019)
- ASTM A1011/A1018 (hot-rolled sheet) and A1008 (cold-rolled sheet) — ASTM (2018)
- GB/T 700 (Q195/Q215/Q235) — SAC (2006)
- SAE J403 / ASTM A29 chemical compositions of carbon steels (1018, 1020) — SAE / ASTM (2019)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.19 — Fatigue and Fracture — ASM International (1996)
- Machinery's Handbook, machinability ratings — Industrial Press (2020)
- worldsteel Life Cycle Inventory of steel products — World Steel Association (2023)
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.