Material · Carbon, Alloy & Tool Steels
Low-Carbon Steel 1018
The friendly mild steel: welds beautifully, case-hardens to a glassy skin, costs less than anything.
Price index: $
Material properties
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 440 MPa (cold drawn) |
| Yield strength | 370 MPa (cold drawn) |
| Hardness | 126 HB |
| Density | 7.87 g/cm³ |
Choose it when
The right call for brackets, spacers and weldment components where stiffness and low cost matter more than raw strength — and for cheap wear pins via carburizing (58–62 HRC skin over a tough core).
Look elsewhere when
When the part carries real stress: 370 MPa yield trails 1045 (530 MPa) and is barely half of Q&T 4140, and it cannot through-harden. It also rusts bare — always plan a coating.
Compatible finishes
As-Machined
The baseline finish: straight off the machine, fastest and cheapest.
Black Oxide
Black with zero dimensional change: the gauge-and-tool finish for precision steel.
Zinc Plating
The economy rust-stopper: sacrificial zinc keeps protecting even when scratched.
Nickel Plating (Electrolytic)
Bright, polishable nickel for decorative protection and contact underlayers.
Electroless Nickel Plating (ENP)
Plating without electricity: dead-uniform thickness everywhere, bores and threads included.
Hard Chrome Plating
The hardest plated surface in the shop: ~65 HRC chrome for sliding and abrasive service.
Powder Coating
Baked-on polymer armor: any RAL color, outdoor-proof, the toughest cosmetic coating.
Wet Painting
Any color, any gloss, any substrate: the flexible coat for plastics and appearance prototypes.
PTFE Coating (Teflon)
The slippery armor: fluoropolymer for low friction, non-stick release and chemical inertness.
Laser Marking
Permanent identification with zero dimensional change: serials, logos and codes burned in, not stuck on.
Typical applications
- Machine brackets and bases
- Weldment inserts and bosses
- Case-hardened pins and pivots
- Spacers and general hardware
Compared with similar grades
| Property | Low-Carbon Steel 1018 | Carbon Steel 1045 | Structural Steel A36 | Alloy Steel 4140 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 440 MPa (cold drawn) | 625 MPa (cold drawn) | 400–550 MPa | ~1000 MPa (Q&T) |
| Yield strength | 370 MPa (cold drawn) | 530 MPa (cold drawn) | 250 MPa (min) | ~655–800 MPa (Q&T) |
| Hardness | 126 HB | 179–229 HB | ~120 HB | 28–32 HRC (pre-hard) |
| Density | 7.87 g/cm³ | 7.85 g/cm³ | 7.85 g/cm³ | 7.85 g/cm³ |
| Price index | $ | $$ | $ | $$ |
| Machinability | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 |
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