16MnCr5
1.7131Low-carbon case-hardening steel with manganese and chromium. Excellent for carburizing to produce a hard, wear-resistant surface with a tough core. Standard choice for gears, camshafts, piston pins, and transmission components.
International equivalents
| Flag | Standard | Country | Grade | Number | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 | AISI | USA | AISI 5115 | G51150 | REF |
| 🇪🇺 | EN | Europe | 16MnCr5 | 1.7131 | 100% |
| 🇫🇷 | AFNOR | France | 16MC5 | — | 97% |
| 🇨🇳 | GB | China | 16MnCr5 | — | 95% |
| 🇯🇵 | JIS | Japan | SCr415 | — | 85% |
Sources: ASTM A29, EN 10084:2008, NF EN 10084, GB/T 3077, JIS G4104
Chemical composition comparison (wt%)
Side-by-side: 16MnCr5 (EN) (EN 10084:2008) vs AISI 5115 (AISI) (ASTM A29)
| Element | 16MnCr5 (EN) | AISI 5115 (AISI) | Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 0.14–0.19% | 0.13–0.18% | Partial ⚠️ AISI upper limit 0.01% lower |
| Si | 0–0.4% | — | — |
| Mn | 1–1.3% | 0.7–0.9% | No overlap ❌ |
| P | 0–0.025% | 0–0.035% | OK |
| S | 0–0.035% | 0–0.04% | OK |
| Cr | 0.8–1.1% | 0.7–0.9% | Partial ⚠️ AISI upper limit 0.2% lower |
Mechanical properties
Carburized QT
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile Strength | 800–1100 | MPa |
| Yield Strength | ≥ 590 | MPa |
| Elongation | ≥ 10 | % |
| Hardness HRC | 58–62 | HRC |
As Received
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness HB | ≤ 217 | HB |
| Elastic Modulus | ≥ 210 | GPa |
| Density | ≥ 7.85 | g/cm3 |
Heat treatment
| Process | Temperature | Medium | Holding Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| carburizing | 880–930 °C | — | Depends on case depth required | Gas or pack carburizing. Typical case depth 0.5-1.5mm |
| quenching | 810–840 °C | oil | min 30 min | Direct quench from carburizing or reheat |
| tempering | 150–200 °C | air | 60-120 min | Low-temperature temper to retain surface hardness |
| annealing | 650–700 °C | furnace | Several hours | Soft annealing before machining |
Compatibility verdict
16MnCr5 and AISI 5115: 88% composition match
Close equivalents but NOT identical. Critical differences: C range (0.14–0.19 vs 0.13–0.18), Mn range (1–1.3 vs 0.7–0.9), P range (0–0.025 vs 0–0.035), S range (0–0.035 vs 0–0.04).
For dual certification, melt must hit: C 0.14–0.18, Mn no overlap, P 0–0.025, S 0–0.035
Related materials
50CrV4
1.8160Chromium-vanadium spring/tool steel — identical alloy system to 51CrV4 (1.8159) but recognized as a separate grade in some standards. Dual use: heavy-duty springs (EN 10089) AND cold work tools (knives, shear blades). V improves temper resistance and grain refinement. UTS 1200-1500 QT. Used for heavy leaf springs, stabilizer bars, torsion bars, and cold work cutting tools.
51CrMoV4
1.7701CrMoV alloyed spring steel — THE European automotive suspension spring material. CrMo gives deep hardenability for large coil springs, V adds grain refinement and secondary hardening for fatigue resistance. UTS 1350-1600 MPa QT. Used for hot-formed coil springs (cars, trucks), leaf springs, torsion bars, and stabilizer bars. Excellent sag resistance to 200°C.
20MnCr5
1.7147Manganese-chromium case-hardening steel with higher core strength than 16MnCr5. Used for heavily loaded gears, shafts, camshafts, and transmission components requiring high surface hardness with tough core. Popular in automotive and heavy machinery.
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