Our steel
Ten grades, four technical families
Grouped by what the steel has to do — weld, machine fast, carry load, or take a hard case over a tough core. Every grade has its own page with full chemistry, properties and equivalents.
Family 01
Low Carbon / General Purpose Steel
Weldable, formable and economical — the workhorse grades for general engineering.
Family 02
Medium Carbon Steel
Through-hardenable strength for shafts, axles and spindles that carry real load.
Family 03
Free Cutting Steel
Built to be cut fast — the highest-volume grades on any automatic turning shop floor.
Family 04
Highest valueCase Hardening Alloy Steel
Hard surface, tough core — the alloy grades behind gears, pinions and transmissions.
Quick reference
All 10 grades at a glance
| Grade | Family | Machinability | Weldability | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS | Low Carbon | 65 · Good | Excellent | Fabricated frames and welded assemblies |
| SAE 1018 | Low Carbon | 70 · Good | Excellent | Carburised pins, bushes and shafts |
| EN8 | Medium Carbon | 60 · Moderate | Fair | Drive shafts and axles |
| EN8D | Medium Carbon | 60 · Moderate | Fair | Hardened and tempered shafts |
| EN8M | Medium Carbon | 80 · Very Good | Limited | High-volume turned shafts and studs |
| EN1A | Free Cutting | 95 · Excellent | Not recommended | Nuts, bolts and fasteners |
| EN1A PB | Free Cutting | 145 · Excellent | Not recommended | High-speed multi-spindle automatic turning |
| 16MnCr5 | Case Hardening | 58 · Moderate | Limited | Gears, gear blanks and pinions |
| 16MnCr5H | Case Hardening | 58 · Moderate | Limited | Automotive transmission gears and pinions |
| 20MnCr5 | Case Hardening | 52 · Fair | Limited | Heavily loaded gears and pinions |
Tell us what you need
Tell us the grade, shape, size and quantity — or just tell us what you are manufacturing and we will suggest the grade.