Material

Carbon Steel

Plain-carbon and alloy steels for shafts, gears and structural parts.

Material decision support

How this alloy behaves in your project.

Below is what we tell buyers about this alloy: where it pays for itself, where it costs you in cycle time or tooling, and which records to specify for shipment. Compare against your operating environment and tolerance stack before you finalize the print.

Carbon and alloy steel for CNC-machined shafts, mounting parts and load-bearing equipment components. Low-carbon, medium-carbon and alloy steels differ in machinability and heat-treatment response. Specify grade and delivery condition.

Reference grades

Grades to consider for Carbon Steel

CodeNotes
1018Low-carbon — case-hardenable
1020Low-carbon — general purpose
1045Medium-carbon — shafts & gears
4140Alloy — through-hardenable
4340Alloy — high strength
A36Structural — plate & bar
A572 Gr50High-strength structural
8620Alloy — case-hardenable gears
9310Alloy — aerospace gears

Typical uses

Typical uses for Carbon Steel

Shafts & gears

For shafts, specify grade, delivery condition, hardness after heat treatment and journal finish. Distortion allowance should be in the process plan.

Structural & frames

For frames, specify weldment versus billet, rust protection and which faces are machined datums.

Tooling & fixtures

For fixtures, specify wear surfaces, hardness and whether the plate is a one-off tool or a repeat item.

How we work

Materials, tolerances, equipment

Carbon and alloy steel for CNC-machined shafts, mounting parts and load-bearing equipment components. Low-carbon, medium-carbon and alloy steels differ in machinability and heat-treatment response. Specify grade and delivery condition.

How should I select the grade?

Low-carbon, medium-carbon and alloy steels differ in machinability and heat-treatment response. Specify grade and delivery condition. Material availability, stock size and certificate requirements are confirmed during quotation; a listed grade is not a stock guarantee.

What affects machining and inspection?

Review heat treatment, rust protection, distortion and final hardness. Functional tolerances depend on part geometry, material condition, fixturing and measurement method, not only the material family.

What should I specify for finishing?

State the finish standard, thickness, color or texture, masking and functional surfaces. Consider coating build in fits and threads. Approve any material or finishing substitution in writing.

Material quotation checklist

Send the exact grade and condition, 2D drawing, STEP model, quantity, critical features, service environment and traceability requirements. Tecpreva can review machining suitability and proposed alternatives before production.

Bring a drawing

Discuss your Carbon Steel part with us.

Send the CAD file, required grade, quantity and operating conditions. We will review material availability and machining feasibility before confirming a production route and quote.

Request a quote