×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Machinability of 1040 Steel

Machinability of 1040 Steel

Machinability of 1040 Steel

(OP)
I would like to have a part machined from 1040 steel and I'm wondering if this material has a good machinability rating? Ideally I would like to have a tensile strength of at least 100 KSI for a 5" x 12" x 2.5" sheet, and I'm wondering how I would provide a material call out for this on the drawing? I want to order the material from a supplier without heat treating post-machining, and I am aware that there are several different ways that 1040 can be processed so I'm wondering how to call out the right material.

Thanks,
Chris

RE: Machinability of 1040 Steel

I'm not sure how much success you will have tryig to achieve 100 KSI minimum Tensile strength with 1040 steel. With a 2.5" section, it is not going to respond to a quench and temper heat treatment very well. Normailzed, I wouldn't expect much more than 90 KSI tenilse.

As far as machineability goes, it really depends on the machinng operation. Are you talking about turning operations with carbide tools, or intricate milling using HSS tools? Neither one is going to be that difficult for 100 KSI 1040.

rp

RE: Machinability of 1040 Steel

(OP)
So if i'm ordering this material from a supplier, would it usually be normalized? If so, how would I call this out on a drawing? Let's say the machinist gets the drawing and he goes to order the material, at a minimum what information do I need to specify for him? Also, would you recommend a readily available and cost effective steel with a tensile strength of 100 KSI or more that is easily machinable?

RE: Machinability of 1040 Steel

Why have you chosed 1040? Generally, steel plate in the thickness you have (2.5") is made from a grade that is suitable for welding, since welding is a common assembly process used for joining these sections. 1040 in not one of the more weldable grades, so I would think you would have trouble sourcing it.

Carbon and low alloy steels in the 100 KSI tensile range are all going to have similar machinability ratings, of course, depending on your machining operation. Is this a high volume job with high-speed machining operations, or a small production run of a specialized part. If it's a small run, I don't think the difference is machinability is going to matter.

As for materials, check out steel suppliers in your area to see what kind of material is available; I really don't have time to run that down for you. You might try ASTM A514, Standard Specification for High-Yield-Strength, Quenched and Tempered Alloy Steel Plate, Suitable for Welding. For 2.5" thick material, this is 100 KSI minimum yield material, so the machinability is going to be considerably less than 1040. But, a supplier that can supply A514 material may have some suggestions for lower strength plate.

rp

RE: Machinability of 1040 Steel

Chris,

You need to start by finding suitable materials that are available in 2.5" plate or flat bar. Grade 1045 steel is available as plate according to ASTM A830/A830M, but it is to a chemical composition only, not specified mechanical properties. redpicker's suggestion of ASTM A514 is a good one, since this is one product that is widely used and available, and it has defined mechanical properties. Here is an example of a typical stocklist for a large distributor:

http://www.emjmetals.com/StockList.aspx?ptype=prod...

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources