Steel Y15
GB Y15
Y15 is a resulfurized and rephosphorized free-machining carbon steel equivalent to AISI 1215, in which manganese sulphide inclusions break the chip and lower cutting forces.
Values for the CD condition
Y15 tempers and conditions
Y15 is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. CD is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solution annealed | Softest condition for cold heading, staking or upsetting before final machining. | 240 | 420 | 30 | 120 HB | 11 % IACS |
Hot rolled | Pick for larger diameters, subsequent machining from oversize stock or when maximum ductility is wanted. | 270 | 450 | 26 | 130 HB | — |
Cold Drawn, stress relieved | Use when long slender turned parts must stay straight after heavy metal removal. | 400 | 560 | 13 | 155 HB | 10 % IACS |
CDDefault Cold drawn | Standard stock condition: tight tolerance, straight, bright bar for automatic-lathe production of screws, pins and bushings. | 450 | 600 | 10 | 167 HB | — |
Carburized and hardened | Use when the machined part needs a wear-resistant surface, e.g. small pins, bushes and cam followers. | 480 | 700 | 8 | 60 HRC | 9 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Y15 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
TGP | Turned, ground and polished bar | Surface finish |
What is Y15?
Y15 is a resulfurized and rephosphorized free-machining carbon steel equivalent to AISI 1215, in which manganese sulphide inclusions break the chip and lower cutting forces. It is the default choice for high-volume turned parts on CNC and cam automatics, supplied cold-drawn, hot-rolled, cold-drawn stress-relieved, annealed, turned-ground-and-polished and cold-heading quality. Cold-drawn stock runs about 450 MPa yield, 600 MPa tensile, 10 % elongation and 167 HB with a machinability rating of 95. High sulphur and phosphorus make it effectively unweldable and poor in cold forming; use 1018 where welding or bending matters. Y15 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). Y15 has a yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 600 MPa (87 ksi) — stronger than 52% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
What is Y15 used for?
- Screw machine parts
- Hose and pipe fittings
- Bolts, studs and threaded rod
- Bushings and spacers
- Shaft collars and keys
- Instrument and sensor housings
- Small gear and pinion blanks
Advantages
- Easy to machine — 95/100, better than 100% of steel grades
- Conducts heat well — 51 W/m·K (29.5 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 92% of steel grades
- Low embodied carbon — 1.9 kg CO₂/kg, better than 92% of steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 10 % IACS, better than 83% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 10%, worse than 91% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 20/100, worse than 84% of steel grades
Y15 properties
Typical room-temperature values for Y15-CD; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
Y15 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).
Mechanical15
Y15 has a yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 600 MPa (87 ksi) — stronger than 52% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
Thermal6
Y15 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 51 W/m·K (29.5 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 92% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.9 µm/m·K (6.61 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Y15 conducts electricity at 10 % IACS, better than 83% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (8/100), worse than 99% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Y15 takes about 25 MJ of energy and emits 1.9 kg of CO₂ — less than 82% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability6
Y15's machinability is excellent (95/100, better than 100% of steel grades); weldability poor (20/100); formability poor (30/100).
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. Y15 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Y15
Is Y15 easy to machine?
Excellent — high speeds, small positive-rake tooling and light feeds give short broken chips and bright finish; ideal for CNC/cam automatics and threading.
Can Y15 be welded?
Avoid welding: high S and P cause hot cracking and porosity; if unavoidable use low-hydrogen filler, preheat 150 °C and expect reduced joint properties.
Can Y15 be formed, bent or molded?
Only light cold bending/knurling in the drawn state; anneal first for heading or upsetting, and orient bends across sulphide stringers with care.
Manufacturability
The process limits FabDigit applies to Y15. Every Y15 part is priced by an engineer; design inside these and the quote comes back without a redesign loop.
CNC machining
| Machinability | Excellent95 / 100 |
|---|---|
| ISO material group | P.2 |
| Cutting speed (rough / finish) | 180 / 210 m/min |
| Minimum wall | 0.8 mm |
| Minimum internal radius | 1 mm |
| Drill depth limit | 5× diameter |
| Best surface (machined / polished) | Ra 1.6 / — |
| Hardenable after machining | No |
Y15 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 | 0.1 – 0.18 | 0.14 |
| Simax only | ≤ 0.15 | 0.08 |
| Mn | 0.8 – 1.2 | 1 |
| Pdeliberately rephosphorised for chip breaking | 0.05 – 0.1 | 0.07 |
| SMnS inclusions give free-cutting behaviour | 0.23 – 0.33 | 0.28 |
| Crresidual | ≤ 0.15 | |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.25 | |
| Curesidual | ≤ 0.25 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on Y15?
Not weather resistant — protect with oil, black oxide, zinc/nickel plating or phosphate; can be carburised and hard chrome plated for wear surfaces.
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).
Plating
CVD Coating
Black / Phosphate
Thermal Spray
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Steel Y15 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Similar grades
- 1215
How much does Y15 cost?
Y15 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.
Y15 — frequently asked
What is Y15 used for?
Y15 is typically used for screw machine parts, hose and pipe fittings, bolts, studs and threaded rod, bushings and spacers, shaft collars and keys and instrument and sensor housings. In short: free-machining carbon bar.
What is the yield strength of Y15?
Y15 has a typical yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 600 MPa (87 ksi) — stronger than 52% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is Y15 easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated excellent (95/100, better than 100% of steel grades). Excellent — high speeds, small positive-rake tooling and light feeds give short broken chips and bright finish; ideal for CNC/cam automatics and threading.
Can Y15 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). Avoid welding: high S and P cause hot cracking and porosity; if unavoidable use low-hydrogen filler, preheat 150 °C and expect reduced joint properties.
What surface finishes work on Y15?
Not weather resistant — protect with oil, black oxide, zinc/nickel plating or phosphate; can be carburised and hard chrome plated for wear surfaces.
Can Y15 be formed, bent or molded?
Only light cold bending/knurling in the drawn state; anneal first for heading or upsetting, and orient bends across sulphide stringers with care.
What is the maximum service temperature of Y15?
Y15 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 Y15-CD and Y15-A?
CD is the default condition — standard stock condition: tight tolerance, straight, bright bar for automatic-lathe production of screws, pins and bushings. A: softest condition for cold heading, staking or upsetting before final machining. Yield strength is 450 MPa in CD versus 240 MPa in A.
How much does Y15 cost?
Y15 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.
Can FabDigit make parts in Y15?
Yes — Y15 is available for CNC machining; every part is priced by an engineer rather than instantly. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASTM A29/A29M — Steel Bars, Carbon and Alloy, Hot-Wrought (grade 1215) — ASTM (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 16 — Machining (free-machining steels) — ASM International (1989)
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.