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60Si2Mn Spring Steel / 65 Mn Spring Steel

60Si2Mn Spring Steel / 65 Mn Spring Steel

60Si2Mn Spring Steel / 65 Mn Spring Steel

(OP)
Hey guys! New to the board!

I've recently started a weightlifting equipment business with 3 partners. Our goal right now is to manufacture barbells and bumper plates with the eventual goal to expand our line to other pieces of equipment that are beneficial to increasing sports specific athletic performance. However, we are weightlifters first, so the two pieces of equipment central to our business is of course barbells and weights.

Since we are starting out small, we have been sourcing materials and equipment overseas. 60Si2Mn spring steel and 65 Mn spring steel both seem to be popular with the Chinese. I found tensile and yield strength values on 60Si2Mn spring steel, although I'm not sure how accurate they are as the source is from one of the manufacturers. I would suppose these values would be reliant on the type of heat treatment given to that specific sample of alloy. Anyways, tensile and yield strength values for 60Si2Mn spring steel are listed below:

Tensile Strength: 1274 MPa (130)
Yield Strength: 1176 MPa (120)

I haven't been able to find any values for the 65 Mn spring steel. I have several questions for you guys. I'd like to apologize upfront if any of my questions seem vague or uninformed, I'm obviously not an expert in this field and am very new to metallurgy in general. I'll try my best to format these questions correctly.

First, I'd like to know if there is anyone on here who is familiar with these two alloys? If so, do the tensile and yield strength numbers I posted above for 60Si2Mn look somewhat accurate? Are there American equivalents to these steels? If not, would anybody happen to know of a good, flexible, strong steel available in the US that might be a viable substitute? Is there a reliable database of some sort that I could look through myself to get some of this info?

My purpose with asking these questions is to really educate myself on the properties of these alloys. Tensile and yield strength is not the entire story with barbells. A bar must be strong and durable, so those numbers need to be fairly high (the values I gave above are very good for a quality barbell, around the industry standard), but the material must also be flexible to allow for what is known in the weightlifting world as "whip", which from what I understand basically refers to the bars ability to store elastic energy. My guess is the requirements of both whip and strength being present, that is why spring steel is popular for these applications. Thanks in advance guys for any help provided!

John

RE: 60Si2Mn Spring Steel / 65 Mn Spring Steel

These are very different materials. 60Si2Mn is a silicon (1.50 - 2.00 Si) high carbon steel while 65Mn is a high-carbon steel equivalent to Type 1566. In any event, strength will depend on heat treatment and product form. It looks like the strength properties for 60Si2Mn are the minimums for quench-and-tempered cold drawn/hot rolled flat bar (actual values are 1275 MPa min TS/1180 MPa min YS). Equivalent 65Mn is specified as 980 MPa min TS/785 MPa min YS. Both are specified in Chinese standard G/B 1222. Note that minimum elongation of 60Si2Mn (5%) is lower than the minimum for 65Mn (8%).

Aaron Tanzer
www.lehightesting.com

RE: 60Si2Mn Spring Steel / 65 Mn Spring Steel

(OP)
Thanks for the reply sir!

The lower minimum elongation value indicates that the 60Si2Mn is potentially a more brittle steel correct? But then the higher tensile and yield strength values indicate a stronger steel as well, if properly prepared as you noted. While doing research I stumbled upon www.matweb.com. Very informative website. I've been reading a lot about modulus of elasticity, bulk modulus and sheer modulus as well, which, from what I am gathering are all going to be very important considering my application (barbells). Thanks again!

RE: 60Si2Mn Spring Steel / 65 Mn Spring Steel

I would not use the term "more brittle". 60Si2Mn is less ductile, a common trade-off for being a higher-strength steel.

Aaron Tanzer
www.lehightesting.com

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