1. Key Properties:
Medium Carbon Steel: SAE 1050 is a medium-carbon steel with a carbon content of approximately 0.50%. This provides a good combination of strength, hardness, and wear resistance.
Good Hardening Properties: SAE 1050 can be heat treated to achieve higher hardness and strength, especially when quenched and tempered.
Moderate Strength: With its medium carbon content, SAE 1050 offers a balance of strength and toughness, making it suitable for applications where moderate to high strength is needed.
Weldability: While SAE 1050 can be welded, preheating and post-weld heat treatment may be necessary for thicker sections to avoid cracking and ensure the integrity of the weld.
Machinability: SAE 1050 provides good machinability in its annealed state, which is useful for manufacturing a variety of parts.
Wear Resistance: It exhibits excellent wear resistance, especially after appropriate heat treatments, making it suitable for components subject to friction and high wear conditions.
2. Applications/Industries:
Automotive: SAE 1050 is used in automotive components such as gears, shafts, crankshafts, and axles, where moderate to high strength and toughness are required.
Heavy Machinery: The steel is often employed in heavy machinery for parts like spindles, axles, and gears that experience moderate to high stress.
Manufacturing: Used in general engineering applications such as rods, mechanical components, and structural parts requiring medium strength.
Agricultural Equipment: SAE 1050 is common in the agricultural machinery sector for components like drive shafts, gears, and bearings.
Tool Manufacturing: Due to its hardening capability, SAE 1050 is also used for making some tools and dies that require both strength and hardness.
3. Certifications/Standards:
SAE J403: SAE 1050 conforms to the SAE J403 standard for medium-carbon steels, ensuring it meets the required chemical composition and mechanical properties.
ASTM A519: This standard applies to seamless carbon and alloy steel mechanical tubing, which is relevant for SAE 1050 seamless pipes.
ISO 9001: Quality management system certification.
4. Chemical Composition:
Carbon (C): 0.48% – 0.55%
Manganese (Mn): 0.60% – 0.90%
Silicon (Si): 0.15% – 0.35%
Phosphorus (P): 0.040% max
Sulfur (S): 0.050% max
Iron (Fe): Balance
5. Technical Specifications:
Yield Strength:
SAE 1050: 340 MPa (minimum)
Tensile Strength:
SAE 1050: 600–750 MPa
Hardness:
SAE 1050: Approximately 200–250 HB (Brinell hardness), depending on the heat treatment and the final processing.