ASM CS-248 PDF

1050, 1053, C50, C50E, and C50R are wrought medium-carbon (carbon = 0.47–0.55%) non-alloy steels that are used in the normalized, cold worked, quenched and tempered, or austempered condition. 1050, 1053, C50E, and C50R may also be flame or induction hardened, nitrided, or nitrocarburized. These steels are widely used for moderately and highly stressed parts that require higher strength levels than can be achieved by the lower carbon grades, and where the expense of an alloy steel is not justified. Owing to their low hardenability, their use in the quench hardened and tempered condition is not recommended for large sizes, as the improvement in mechanical properties over the normalized condition is insufficient to justify the additional cost of heat treatment.