SAE-AISI 5160 (G51600) Chromium Steel
SAE-AISI 5160 steel is an alloy steel formulated for primary forming into wrought products. 5160 is the designation in both the SAE and AISI systems for this material. G51600 is the UNS number. It can have a moderately low ductility among the SAE-AISI wrought steels in the database.
The properties of SAE-AISI 5160 steel include four common variations. This page shows summary ranges across all of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare SAE-AISI 5160 steel to: SAE-AISI wrought steels (top), all iron alloys (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Brinell Hardness
200 to 340
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
190 GPa 27 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
12 to 18 %
Fatigue Strength
180 to 650 MPa 27 to 94 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.29
Shear Modulus
73 GPa 11 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
390 to 700 MPa 57 to 100 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
660 to 1150 MPa 95 to 170 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
280 to 1010 MPa 40 to 150 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
250 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
420 °C 780 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
1450 °C 2650 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
1410 °C 2570 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
470 J/kg-K 0.11 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
43 W/m-K 25 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
13 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
7.2 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
8.3 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
2.1 % relative
Density
7.8 g/cm3 490 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
1.4 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
19 MJ/kg 8.3 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
50 L/kg 5.9 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
73 to 160 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
200 to 2700 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
13 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
24 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
23 to 41 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
22 to 31 points
Thermal Diffusivity
12 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
19 to 34 points
Alloy Composition
Among alloy steels, the composition of SAE-AISI 5160 steel is notable for containing comparatively high amounts of manganese (Mn) and chromium (Cr). Manganese is used to improve hardenability, hot workability, and surface quality. There is some loss of ductility and weldability, however. Chromium is used to improve corrosion resistance and most mechanical properties (particularly at higher temperatures).
| Fe | 97.1 to 97.8 | |
| Mn | 0.75 to 1.0 | |
| Cr | 0.7 to 0.9 | |
| C | 0.56 to 0.61 | |
| Si | 0.15 to 0.35 | |
| S | 0 to 0.040 | |
| P | 0 to 0.035 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM A295: Standard Specification for High-Carbon Anti-Friction Bearing Steel
ASTM A752: Standard Specification for General Requirements for Wire Rods and Coarse Round Wire, Alloy Steel
ASTM A322: Standard Specification for Steel Bars, Alloy, Standard Grades
Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High Performance Alloys, ASM Handbook vol. 1, ASM International, 1993
ASM Specialty Handbook: Carbon and Alloy Steels, J. R. Davis (editor), 1996
Manufacture and Uses of Alloy Steels, Henry D. Hibbard, 2005
Steels: Processing, Structure, and Performance, 2nd ed., George Krauss, 2015