Steel Y30
GB Y30
Y30 is a medium-carbon resulfurized free-cutting steel (GB grade, equivalent to AISI 1132) that trades some machinability for strength compared with the Y12/Y15 grades.
Reference datasheet — Y30 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 CD condition
Y30 tempers and conditions
Y30 is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard. CD is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 8 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solution annealed | Softest condition; choose when maximum dimensional stability or cold forming after machining is needed. | 280 | 500 | 23 | 160 HB | — |
Hot rolled | Lowest-cost stock for larger diameters that will be fully machined or heat treated later. | 320 | 545 | 17 | 170 HB | — |
Normalized | Uniform fine pearlitic structure for consistent machining response and better toughness than as-rolled heavy sections. | 340 | 570 | 19 | 180 HB | — |
Cold drawn, stress relieved | Pick when slender turned or milled parts must stay straight after asymmetric metal removal. | 490 | 620 | 13 | 190 HB | — |
CDDefault Cold drawn | Standard stocked condition: tight tolerance, bright surface and higher yield strength for automatic-lathe production parts. | 540 | 640 | 10 | 197 HB | — |
Induction hardened | Used on finished Y30 shafts/journals needing a hard wear surface over a tough core. | 560 | 700 | 10 | 54 HRC | 8.8 % IACS |
quenched and tempered, medium strength | Choose for moderately loaded machined shafts and fittings that still need reasonable toughness. | 700 | 860 | 15 | 26 HRC | — |
quenched and tempered, high strength | Highest practical through-hardened strength for Y30; use where wear and load beat the need for impact toughness. | 830 | 1,000 | 12 | 32 HRC | — |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Y30 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
TG&P | Turned, ground and polished bar | Surface finish |
What is Y30?
Y30 is a medium-carbon resulfurized free-cutting steel (GB grade, equivalent to AISI 1132) that trades some machinability for strength compared with the Y12/Y15 grades. Default properties are 540 MPa yield, 640 MPa tensile, 10 % elongation and 197 HB (93 HRB), with a machinability score of 72 and formability of only 25. It is supplied hot-rolled, annealed, normalized, cold-drawn, stress-relieved, turned-ground-and-polished, induction-hardened or quenched and tempered to 24–28 and 30–34 HRC. High sulfur makes it unsuitable for welded assemblies and poor in cold heading; choose 1045 where welding or transverse ductility matters. Y30 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). Y30 has a yield strength of 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 640 MPa (92.8 ksi) — stronger than 70% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
What is Y30 used for?
- Shafts
- Bolts
- Studs
Advantages
- Easy to machine — 72/100, better than 97% of steel grades
- Low embodied carbon — 1.9 kg CO₂/kg, better than 92% of steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 9.6 % IACS, better than 78% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 10%, worse than 91% of steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 50 MPa·√m (45.5 ksi·√in), worse than 86% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 25/100, worse than 77% of steel grades
Y30 properties
Typical room-temperature values for Y30-CD; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
Y30 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
Y30 has a yield strength of 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 640 MPa (92.8 ksi) — stronger than 70% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
Thermal6
Y30 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 47 W/m·K (27.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 75% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.7 µm/m·K (6.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Y30 conducts electricity at 9.6 % IACS, better than 78% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (11/100), worse than 73% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Y30 takes about 25 MJ of energy and emits 1.9 kg of CO₂ — less than 82% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability7
Y30's machinability is very good (72/100, better than 97% of steel grades); weldability poor (25/100); formability poor (25/100).
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. Y30 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Y30
Is Y30 easy to machine?
Excellent for high-speed automatic turning — MnS inclusions give short chips and clean threads; run generous speeds with sharp carbide and coolant, and expect ~75 % of AISI 1212 rate.
Can Y30 be welded?
Not recommended for structural welds; high sulfur plus medium carbon promotes hot cracking and porosity — if unavoidable, preheat 150–250 °C, use low-hydrogen filler and post-weld stress relieve.
Can Y30 be formed, bent or molded?
Limited cold formability and poor transverse ductility; do bending/heading with generous radii or work hot at 1050–1200 °C, avoiding finishing below ~850 °C.
Y30 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 | 0.27 – 0.35 | 0.31 |
| Si | 0.15 – 0.35 | 0.25 |
| Mncombines with S to form free-cutting MnS | 0.7 – 1 | 0.85 |
| Sintentional free-machining addition | 0.08 – 0.2 | 0.14 |
| P | ≤ 0.06 | 0.03 |
| Crresidual | ≤ 0.15 | |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.25 | |
| Curesidual | ≤ 0.25 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on Y30?
Takes zinc/nickel plating, black oxide, phosphating and paint well after degreasing; sulfide inclusions can leave micro-pits or streaks on mirror-polished or hard-chromed 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).
Organic Coating
Black / Phosphate
Thermal Spray
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Steel Y30 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Similar grades
- 1132
How much does Y30 cost?
Y30 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.
Y30 — frequently asked
What is Y30 used for?
Y30 is typically used for shafts, bolts and studs. In short: stronger than Y12/Y15 grades; heat-treatable to 34 HRC; free-cutting 1132 equivalent.
What is the yield strength of Y30?
Y30 has a typical yield strength of 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 640 MPa (92.8 ksi) — stronger than 70% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is Y30 easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (72/100, better than 97% of steel grades). Excellent for high-speed automatic turning — MnS inclusions give short chips and clean threads; run generous speeds with sharp carbide and coolant, and expect ~75 % of AISI 1212 rate.
Can Y30 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (25/100). Not recommended for structural welds; high sulfur plus medium carbon promotes hot cracking and porosity — if unavoidable, preheat 150–250 °C, use low-hydrogen filler and post-weld stress relieve.
What surface finishes work on Y30?
Takes zinc/nickel plating, black oxide, phosphating and paint well after degreasing; sulfide inclusions can leave micro-pits or streaks on mirror-polished or hard-chromed surfaces.
Can Y30 be formed, bent or molded?
Limited cold formability and poor transverse ductility; do bending/heading with generous radii or work hot at 1050–1200 °C, avoiding finishing below ~850 °C.
What is the maximum service temperature of Y30?
Y30 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 Y30-CD and Y30-A?
CD is the default condition — standard stocked condition: tight tolerance, bright surface and higher yield strength for automatic-lathe production parts. A: softest condition; choose when maximum dimensional stability or cold forming after machining is needed. Yield strength is 540 MPa in CD versus 280 MPa in A.
How much does Y30 cost?
Y30 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.
Sources
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.16 — Machining — ASM International (1989)
- SAE J403 / AISI 1132 resulfurized carbon steel composition — SAE International (2014)
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.