Steel S20C-HR (Hot rolled)
Supply condition
JIS S20C
Cheapest form for welded structures and parts to be fully machined or later heat treated.
Values for the HR condition
Other S20C tempers and conditions
S20C is listed in 7 conditions; see the grade overview at S20C.
Compare all 7 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solution annealed | Softest, most ductile state — pick for deep drawing, severe cold bending or before carburizing. | 240 | 395 | 34 | 111 HB | — |
HRThis page Hot rolled | Cheapest form for welded structures and parts to be fully machined or later heat treated. | 260 | 420 | 30 | 121 HB | — |
Normalized | Uniform fine grain and predictable properties — the condition JIS specifies minimum strengths against (≥402 MPa UTS). | 280 | 450 | 30 | 131 HB | — |
Cold drawn, stress relieved | Use when machined parts must stay straight — residual stress removed at ~550–650 °C with only small strength loss. | 350 | 470 | 18 | 137 HB | — |
CDDefault Cold drawn | Default stocked form: higher strength, tight tolerance and good surface for shafts, pins and turned parts. | 400 | 500 | 14 | 143 HB | — |
Carburized, quenched and low-temperature tempered | Choose for wear surfaces (gears, pins, bushings): hard 0.5–1.2 mm case on a tough, low-strength core. | 400 | 600 | 15 | 60 HRC | — |
Quenched and tempered | Only worth it on small sections — low carbon limits hardenability, giving modest strength gains over normalizing. | 420 | 560 | 22 | 170 HB | — |
What is S20C-HR?
S20C-HR is S20C supplied in the HR condition — cheapest form for welded structures and parts to be fully machined or later heat treated. S20C-HR has a yield strength of 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) — weaker than 92% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi). S20C-HR has a density of 7.86 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 90% of steel grades. It melts at 1,490°C (2,714 °F). CD is the default condition FabDigit quotes; HR is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Readily welded — 95/100, 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
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 30%, better than 93% of steel grades
- Forms and bends easily — 78/100, better than 91% of steel grades
Limitations
- Low strength — 260 MPa (37.7 ksi), worse than 92% of steel grades
S20C-HR properties
Typical room-temperature values for S20C-HR; 13 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are S20C reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
S20C-HR has a density of 7.86 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 90% of steel grades. It melts at 1,490°C (2,714 °F).
Mechanical16
S20C-HR has a yield strength of 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) — weaker than 92% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
Thermal6
S20C-HR is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 51.9 W/m·K (30 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 96% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.7 µm/m·K (6.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
S20C-HR conducts electricity at 10.8 % IACS, better than 94% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of S20C-HR takes about 25 MJ of energy and emits 2 kg of CO₂ — less than 82% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 25%.
Manufacturability8
S20C-HR's machinability is fair (50/100, worse than 53% of steel grades); weldability excellent (95/100); formability very good (78/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with S20C-HR
Is S20C easy to machine?
Free machining at moderate speeds but gummy in the annealed state — cold-drawn bar, positive rake and sharp tooling give the best finish; expect burrs.
Can S20C be welded?
Excellent weldability by all arc processes with no preheat up to ~25 mm; carbon equivalent ≈ 0.3, use E70xx/ER70S-x filler.
Can S20C be formed, bent or molded?
Bends, headers and stamps readily when annealed or hot rolled; cold-drawn bar needs generous bend radii or intermediate anneal.
What surface finishes work on S20C?
Not anodizable — protect by zinc plating, black oxide, phosphate + oil, nitrocarburizing or paint; carburize and grind where wear resistance is needed.
S20C 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 |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.18 – 0.23 | 0.2 |
| Si | 0.15 – 0.35 | 0.25 |
| Mn | 0.3 – 0.6 | 0.45 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | |
| S | ≤ 0.04 | |
| Curesidual, max | ≤ 0.3 | |
| Niresidual, max | ≤ 0.2 | |
| Crresidual, max; Ni+Cr ≤ 0.35 | ≤ 0.2 | |
| Fe | balance |
S20C-HR — frequently asked
What is S20C-HR used for?
S20C-HR is typically used for general fabrication, brackets and welded plate. In short: cold-drawn machining bar.
What is the yield strength of S20C-HR?
S20C-HR has a typical yield strength of 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) — weaker than 92% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is S20C-HR easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (50/100, worse than 53% of steel grades). Free machining at moderate speeds but gummy in the annealed state — cold-drawn bar, positive rake and sharp tooling give the best finish; expect burrs.
Can S20C-HR be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (95/100). Excellent weldability by all arc processes with no preheat up to ~25 mm; carbon equivalent ≈ 0.3, use E70xx/ER70S-x filler.
What surface finishes work on S20C-HR?
Not anodizable — protect by zinc plating, black oxide, phosphate + oil, nitrocarburizing or paint; carburize and grind where wear resistance is needed.
Can S20C-HR be formed, bent or molded?
Bends, headers and stamps readily when annealed or hot rolled; cold-drawn bar needs generous bend radii or intermediate anneal.
What is the maximum service temperature of S20C-HR?
S20C-HR 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 S20C-CD and S20C-A?
CD is the default condition — default stocked form: higher strength, tight tolerance and good surface for shafts, pins and turned parts. A: softest, most ductile state — pick for deep drawing, severe cold bending or before carburizing. Yield strength is 400 MPa in CD versus 240 MPa in A.
Can FabDigit make parts in S20C-HR?
Yes — S20C-HR is available for CNC machining and sheet metal; every part is priced by an engineer rather than instantly. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- JIS G 4051 — Carbon steels for machine structural use — JISC (2016)
- GB/T 699 — Quality carbon structural steels (20 steel) — SAC (2015)
- ASTM A108 / SAE J403 (1020) — ASTM / SAE (2018)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1: Properties and Selection — Irons, Steels — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.19: Fatigue and Fracture — ASM International (1996)
- worldsteel LCI data for steel bar — World Steel Association (2022)
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.