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In 1941, the SAE Iron and Steel Division, in collaboration with the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), made a major change in the method of expressing composition ranges for the SAE steels. The plan, as now applied, is based in general on narrower cast or heat analysis ranges plus certain product analysis allowances on individual samples, in place of the fixed ranges and limits without tolerances formerly provided for carbon and other elements in SAE steels. For years the variety of chemical compositions of steel has been a matter of concern in the steel industry. It was recognized that production of fewer grades of steel could result in improved deliveries and provide a better opportunity to achieve advances in technology, manufacturing practices, and quality, and thus develop more fully the possibilities of application inherent in those grades.

The purpose of this SAE Recommended Practice is to describe the terms yield strength and yield point. Included are definitions for both terms and recommendations for their use and application.

This SAE Recommended Practice is intended to provide basic information on properties and characteristics of high-strength carbon and alloy steels which have been subjected to special die drawing. This includes both cold drawing with heavier-than-normal drafts and die drawing at elevated temperatures.

The figures in this SAE Information Report illustrate the principle that, regardless of composition, steels of the same cross-sectional hardness produced by tempering after through hardening will have approximately the same longitudinal1 tensile strength at room temperature. Figure 1 shows the relation between hardness and longitudinal tensile strength of 0.30 to 0.50% carbon steels in the fully hardened and tempered, as rolled, normalized, and annealed conditions. Figure 2 showing the relation between longitudinal tensile strength and yield strength, and Figure 3 illustrating longitudinal tensile strength versus reduction of area, are typical of steels in the quenched and tempered condition. Figure 3 shows the direct relationship between ductility and hardness and illustrates the fact that the reduction of area decreases as hardness increases, and that, for a given hardness, the reduction of area is generally higher for alloy steels than for plain carbon steels.

This SAE Information Report provides a list of those SAE steels which, because of decreased usage, have been deleted from the standard SAE Handbook listings. Included are alloy steels from SAE J778 deleted since 1936, carbon steels from SAE J118 deleted since 1952, and all EX-steels deleted from SAE J1081. Information concerning SAE steels prior to these dates may be obtained from the SAE office on request. With the issuance of this report, SAE J778, Formerly Standard SAE Alloy Steels, and SAE J118, Formerly Standard SAE Carbon Steels, will be retired since they are now combined in SAE J1249. In the future, new assignments to SAE J1081, Chemical Compositions of SAE Experimental Steels, will be given “PS” (Potential Standard) numbers rather than “EX” numbers. The steels listed in Tables 1 and 2 are no longer considered as standard steels. Producers should be contacted concerning availability.

In 1941, the SAE Iron and Steel Division in collaboration with the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) made a major change in the method of expressing composition ranges for the SAE steels. The plan, as now applied, is based in general on narrower ladle analysis ranges plus certain product (check) analysis allowances on individual samples, in place of the fixed ranges and limits without tolerances formerly provided for carbon and other elements in SAE steels (reference SAE J408). ISTC Divison 1 has developed a procedure which allows for the maintenance of the grade list in this SAE Standard. This will involve conducting an industry-wide survey to solicit input. This survey will be conducted at a frequency deemed necessary by the technical committee. Criteria have been established for the addition to or deletion of grades from the grade table.

This SAE Information Report describes the processing and fabrication of carbon and alloy steels. The basic steelmaking process including iron ore reduction, the uses of fluxes, and the various melting furnaces are briefly described. The various types of steels: killed, rimmed, semikilled, and capped are described in terms of their melting and microstructural differences and their end product use. This document also provides a list of the commonly specified elements used to alloy elemental iron into steel. Each element’s structural benefits and effects are also included. A list of the AISI Steel Products Manuals is included and describes the various finished shapes in which steel is produced.

All carbon and alloy H-band steels are shown, along with their corresponding minimum and maximum hardenability limits, for which sufficient hardenability data have been established and for grades which use the standard end-quench test. As hardenability data are accumulated for other grades, this SAE Standard will be revised to include such grades.

In 1941, the SAE Iron and Steel Division, in collaboration with the American Iron and Steel Institute, made a major change in the method of expressing composition ranges for the SAE steels. The plan, as now applied, is based in general on narrower cast or heat analysis ranges plus certain product analysis allowances on individual samples, in place of the fixed ranges and limits without tolerances formerly provided for carbon and other elements in SAE steels. To avoid the possibility of confusion and conflict between SAE and AISI steel designations, all proposed changes in compositions or additions or deletions of numbers will be coordinated between the two organizations. For years the variety of chemical compositions of steel has been a matter of concern in the steel industry.

This SAE Information Report provides a list of those SAE steels which, because of decreased usage, have been deleted from the standard SAE Handbook listings. Included are alloy steels from SAE J778 deleted since 1936, carbon steels from SAE J118 deleted since 1952, and all EX-steels deleted from SAE J1081. Information concerning SAE steels prior to these dates may be obtained from the SAE office on request. With the issuance of this report, SAE J778, Formerly Standard SAE Alloy Steels, and SAE J118, Formerly Standard SAE Carbon Steels, will be retired since they are now combined in SAE J1249. In the future, new assignments to SAE J1081, Chemical Compositions of SAE Experimental Steels, will be given "PS" (Potential Standard) numbers rather than "EX" numbers. The steels listed in Tables 1 and 2 are no longer considered as standard steels. Producers should be contacted concerning availability. The last column lists the date a steel was last listed as standard in the SAE Handbook.

Restricted hardenability steels have been in use for some time but the specific restrictions for a particular grade depend upon customer needs and vary from mill to mill. Such steels are desirable to provide more controlled heat treatment response and dimensional control for critical parts. Because of increasing interest in steels with restricted hardenability, the SAE Iron and Steel Technical Committee directed Division 8 to prepare a set of standard steels with restricted hardenability. In 1993, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) adopted the twelve SAE restricted hardenability steels and added ten more. SAE decided to include in SAE J1868 the additional 10 steels. In general, steels with restricted hardenability (RH steels) will exhibit a hardness range not greater than 5 HRC at the initial position on the end-quench hardenability bar and not greater than 65% of the hardness range for standard H-band steels (see SAE J1268) in the "inflection" region.

H steels and their corresponding minimum and maximum hardenability limits are shown for all of the carbon and alloy steels for which there are sufficient hardenability data and for grades that can use the standard end quench test. As hardenability data are accumulated for other grades, this SAE Standard will be revised to include such grades.

This SAE Information Report summarizes the characteristics of carburized steels and factors involved in controlling hardness, microstructure, and residual stress. Methods of determining case hardenability are reviewed, as well as methods to test for freedom from non-martensitic structures in the carburized case. Factors influencing case hardenability are also reviewed. Methods of predicting case hardenability are included, with examples of calculations for several standard carburizing steels. A bibliography is included in 2.2. The references provide more detailed information on the topics discussed in this document.

In 1941, the SAE Iron and Steel Division in collaboration with the American Iron and Steel Institute made a major change in the method of expressing composition ranges for the SAE steels. The plan, as now applied, is based in general on narrower ladle analysis ranges plus certain product (check) analysis allowances on individual samples, in place of the fixed ranges and limits without tolerances formerly provided for carbon and other elements in SAE steels (reference J408). To avoid the possibility of confusion and conflict between SAE and AISI steel designations, all proposed changes in compositions, additions, or deletions of numbers will be coordinated between the two organizations. The compositions in this SAE Standard may apply to open hearth and basic oxygen, or electric furnace steels. Grades shown in Tables 1A and 1B with prefix letter E are normally made by the electric furnace process with maximum limits of 0.035% phosphorus and 0.040% sulfur.

Supplementary to the heat or cast analysis, a product analysis may be made on steel in the semifinished or finished form. For definitions and methods of sampling steel for product chemical analysis, refer to SAE J408. A product analysis is a chemical analysis of the semifinished or finished steel to determine conformance to the specification requirements. The range of the specified chemical composition is normally expanded to take into account deviations associated with analytical reproducibility and the heterogeneity of the steel. Individual determinations may vary from the specified heat or cast analysis ranges or limits to the extent shown in Tables 1 through 5. The several determinations of any element in a heat or cast may not vary both above and below the specified range except for lead. Tables 1 through 5 provide permissible limits for various steel forms and composition types.

This SAE Recommended Practice is intended to provide basic information on properties and characteristics of high strength carbon and alloy steels which have been subjected to special die drawing. This includes both cold drawing with heavier-than-normal drafts and die drawing at elevated temperatures.

The figures in this SAE Information Report illustrate the principle that, regardless of composition, steels of the same cross sectional hardness produced by tempering after through hardening, will have approximately the same longitudinal1 tensile strength at room temperature. Figure 1 shows the relation between hardness and longitudinal tensile strength of 0.30 to 0.50% carbon steels in the fully hardened and tempered, as rolled, normalized, and annealed conditions. Figure 2 showing the relation between longitudinal tensile strength and yield strength, and Figure 3 illustrating longitudinal tensile strength versus reduction of area, are typical of steels in the quenched and tempered condition. Figure 3 shows the direct relationship between ductility and hardness and illustrates the fact that the reduction of area decreases as hardness increases, and that, for a given hardness, the reduction of area is generally higher for alloy steels than for plain carbon steels.

Restricted hardenability steels have been in use for some time but the specific restrictions for a particular grade depend upon customer needs and vary from mill to mill. Such steels are desirable to provide more controlled heat treatment response and dimensional control for critical parts. Because of increasing interest in steels with restricted hardenability, the SAE Iron and Steel Technical Committee directed Division 8 to prepare a set of standard steels with restricted hardenability. In general, steels with restricted hardenability (RH steels) will exhibit a hardness range not greater than 5 HRC at the initial position on the end-quench hardenability bar and not greater than 65% of the hardness range for standard H-band steels (see SAE J1268) in the "inflection" region. Generally the restricted hardenability band follows the middle of the corresponding standard H-band. An example of the RH band compared with the standard H-band is given for SAE 4140 in Figure 1.

This document describes the processing and fabrication of carbon and alloy steels. The basic steelmaking process including iron ore reduction, the uses of fluxes, and the various melting furnaces are briefly described. The various types of steels: killed, rimmed, semikilled, and capped are described in terms of their melting and microstructural differences and their end product use. This document also provides a list of the commonly specified elements used to alloy elemental iron into steel. Each element's structural benefits and effects are also included. A list of the AISI Steel Products Manuals is included and describes the various finished shapes in which steel is produced.