1020 Carbon Steel Technical Data

1020 is a hot rolled mild steel plate which is produced to a specific chemistry. The higher carbon range of 1020 improves the machinability of this grade. Good formability and weldability are also characteristic.  1020 is one of the very commonly used plain carbon steels. It has a nominal carbon content of 0.20% with approximately 0.50% manganese. It is a good combination of strength and ductility and may be hardened or carburized.  It is often used in the case hardened condition.  Machinability is good at 65% compared to 1112 carbon steel as 100% baseline.

1020 may be hardened by heating to 1500 - 1600 F and then water quenching. It should then be tempered. More often it is used as case hardened by carburizing . The cost of doing any heat treatment to such a low carbon steel often precludes doing so for the modest return in mechanical properties obtained.  Forge at 2300 down to 1800 F.  Hot work in the range of 900 to 1200 F.

1020 steel is readily cold worked by all conventional methods. A stress relief anneal may be needed after extensive cold work.

A full anneal is done at 1600 to 1800 F followed by slow furnace cooling. This will give a tensile strength of about 65 ksi. A stress relief anneal may be done at 1000 F.

Temper, following heat treatment and quenching, at 600 to 1000 F depending upon strength level desired. A 1000 F temper gives a tensile strength of 90 ksi.

1020 steel hardens by cold working an by heat treatment, quenching and tempering

• Carbon: .18/.23

• Manganese: .30/.60

• Phosphorus: .04 max.

• Sulphur: .05 max.

• Tensile Strength: 55,000 psi.

• Yield Strength: 30,000 psi.

• Elongation in 2": 25%

• Reduction in Area: 50%

• Brinnell Hardness: 137

• Readily weldable by all of the standard methods.

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