C15
1.0401Low-carbon unalloyed case-hardening steel. The simplest and most economical case-hardening grade. Used for lightly loaded gears, pins, bushings, rivets, and small machine parts where a hard wear-resistant surface with a soft tough core is needed.
International equivalents
| Flag | Standard | Country | Grade | Number | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 | AISI | USA | AISI 1015 | G10150 | REF |
| 🇪🇺 | EN | Europe | C15 | 1.0401 | 100% |
| 🇯🇵 | JIS | Japan | S15C | — | 97% |
| 🇨🇳 | GB | China | 15 | — | 95% |
Sources: ASTM A29, EN 10084:2008, JIS G4051, GB/T 699
Chemical composition comparison (wt%)
Side-by-side: C15 (EN) (EN 10084:2008) vs S15C (JIS)
| Element | C15 (EN) | S15C (JIS) | Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 0.12–0.18% | — | — |
| Si | 0–0.4% | — | — |
| Mn | 0.3–0.6% | — | — |
| P | 0–0.025% | — | — |
| S | 0–0.035% | — | — |
Mechanical properties
Carburized QT
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness HRC | 55–60 | HRC |
As Received
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness HB | ≤ 170 | HB |
| Elastic Modulus | ≥ 210 | GPa |
| Density | ≥ 7.85 | g/cm3 |
Normalized
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile Strength | 370–510 | MPa |
| Yield Strength | ≥ 230 | MPa |
Heat treatment
| Process | Temperature | Medium | Holding Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| carburizing | 880–920 °C | — | Depends on case depth | Typical case depth 0.3-0.8mm |
| quenching | 800–840 °C | water | min 30 min | Water quench for unalloyed grade |
| tempering | 150–200 °C | air | 60-120 min | Low-temperature temper |
Compatibility verdict
C15 and S15C: 97% composition match
Close equivalents but NOT identical.
Related materials
S355JR
1.0045High-strength low-alloy structural steel with minimum yield strength of 355 MPa. Standard grade for bridges, buildings, cranes, and general structural applications. Impact tested at +20°C (JR).
S690QL
1.8928High-strength quenched and tempered fine-grain structural steel with minimum yield strength of 690 MPa. Used for heavily loaded structures like mobile cranes, mining equipment, bridges, and pressure vessels.
S275JR
1.0044Medium-strength structural steel with minimum yield strength of 275 MPa. Bridges the gap between S235JR and S355JR. Used for general structural applications, lattice towers, masts, and light crane components. Impact tested at +20°C (JR).
Not sure which material fits?
🤖 Ask AI Advisor →All data is for reference only. Equivalents indicate similarity, not identity. Always verify against the applicable specification for safety-critical applications. materialref.com accepts no liability for decisions based on this data.