A Closer Look at Medium Carbon Steel

Fastener Materials: A Closer Look at Medium Carbon Steel

What is the best material to use as a fastening solution for your next project? There are a lot of things to consider when asking yourself that question because you have a lot of options.

Many of our options include steel fasteners. The main options you have for steel are Low Carbon Steel, Medium Carbon Steel, Alloy Steel, Stainless Steel, or Austenitic Stainless Steel. Each of these materials have benefits and drawbacks and certain situations in which they perform best.

Carbon Steel
The vast majority of fasteners that are manufactured use carbon steel. This is because it is inexpensive, but also because it has a broad range of strength capabilities. The mechanical properties of these fasteners are based on the amount of carbon in the fastener; that is why these fasteners are classified into one of three groups: low carbon steel, medium carbon steel or alloy steel. Let’s take a closer look at Medium Carbon Steel.

Medium Carbon Steel
Medium carbon steel has a carbon content between 0.25% and 0.65%. It can be easily heat treated for added strength with very low risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement after plating. It has a tensile strength between 100,000 psi and 120,000 psi (690 MPa to 830 MPa).

SAE Grade 5 (metric class 8.8) is generally made from medium carbon steel with AISI grades 1038, 1040, 1045, 1541, 5132, and 5135 falling into this category.

If you still can’t decide what material you want to use for a fastener, contact us at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com. If you have any questions about finding the right fastener for your project, reach out because we are here to help!