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Alloy steels contain other alloying elements along with carbon, resulting in improved solidity, toughness, fatigue and wear resistance.
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Alloy steel is one of the steel alloys containing different elements such as molybdenum, manganese, nickel, chromium, vanadium, silicon, and boron. These alloying components are included in increased stamina, solidity, wear resistance, and toughness. The amounts of alloying elements may range from 1 to 50%.
Common alloy steel types used for CNC machining are 4140 and 4340.
They have good strength and toughness, which can be further enhanced through quenching and tempering.
4140 is suitable for manufacturing bearings, gears, shafts, and mechanical components. 4340 has better hardness and strength than 4140. 4340 is typically used for manufacturing high-strength, high-load-bearing, and highly wear-resistant parts, such as aircraft engine components, automotive transmission shafts, and construction machinery parts.
Ultimate tensile strength | Yield strength | Young’s modulus (modulus of elasticity) | Elongation at break | Corrosion resistance | Magnetism | Weldability | Application | ||
Alloy Steel 4140 | 355 – 370 MPa | 230 MPa | 208 – 216 GPa | 18 – 26 % | Moderate to Poor | Semi-Magnetic | Moderate | Heavy duty shafts Connecting rods High tensile bolts | Learn More |
Alloy Steel 4340 | 690 – 1080 MPa | 470 – 630 MPa | 205 – 213 GPa | 15 – 22 % | Moderate to Poor | Semi-Magnetic | Moderate | High tensile applications General engineering parts Connecting rods & bolts | Learn More |
Steel is one of the cheapest materials suitable for CNC machining. However, take care to avoid unnecessary machining costs. Below are some cost-saving design tips:
Inexpensive though it may seem, it is necessary to select the best steel for your particular application. Utilizing high-strength alloy steel where moderate steel will certainly work increases costs for no included advantage.
Designing a part to reduce the variety of machining setups can considerably reduce the cost of production. This is particularly true when machining low-cost materials as any cost savings on the material can be quickly removed by costly configurations.
Common alloys include 4140 and4340, known for their strength and toughness.
Yes, heat treatment can further enhance the mechanical properties of alloy steel parts.