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ASTM A321 Carbon Steel vs. SAE-AISI 1046 Steel

Both ASTM A321 carbon steel and SAE-AISI 1046 steel are iron alloys. Their average alloy composition is basically identical.

For each property being compared, the top bar is ASTM A321 carbon steel and the bottom bar is SAE-AISI 1046 steel.

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Brinell Hardness 190
190 to 210
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa 190
190
Elongation at Break, % 21
14 to 17
Fatigue Strength, MPa 270
240 to 390
Poisson's Ratio 0.29
0.29
Reduction in Area, % 39
39 to 50
Shear Modulus, GPa 73
72
Shear Strength, MPa 420
410 to 450
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa 670
660 to 740
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa 390
370 to 610

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g 250
250
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C 400
400
Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C 1460
1460
Melting Onset (Solidus), °C 1420
1420
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K 470
470
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K 51
51
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K 12
11

Electrical Properties

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume, % IACS 7.1
11
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific), % IACS 8.1
12

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Base Metal Price, % relative 1.8
1.8
Density, g/cm3 7.8
7.8
Embodied Carbon, kg CO2/kg material 1.4
1.4
Embodied Energy, MJ/kg 18
18
Embodied Water, L/kg 46
46

Common Calculations

Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m3 120
91 to 95
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m3 400
360 to 990
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points 13
13
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points 24
24
Strength to Weight: Axial, points 24
23 to 26
Strength to Weight: Bending, points 22
22 to 23
Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s 14
14
Thermal Shock Resistance, points 21
23 to 25

Alloy Composition

Carbon (C), % 0 to 0.55
0.43 to 0.5
Iron (Fe), % 98.1 to 99.25
98.4 to 98.9
Manganese (Mn), % 0.6 to 0.9
0.7 to 1.0
Phosphorus (P), % 0 to 0.040
0 to 0.040
Silicon (Si), % 0.15 to 0.35
0
Sulfur (S), % 0 to 0.050
0 to 0.050