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E: enquiry@qilumetal.com
E: enquiry@qilumetal.com
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Grade: DIN 1.2162 21MnCr5
1.2162 (21MnCr5) is a low-carbon alloy case-hardening steel conforming to the EN 17350 standard, with a precisely engineered chemical composition designed to ensure excellent carburizing response and core toughness. It contains 0.18–0.24% carbon to achieve high surface hardness (≥60 HRC after case hardening), along with 1.10–1.40% manganese and 1.00–1.30% chromium, which significantly enhance hardenability and wear resistance. Silicon is controlled between 0.15–0.35%, while phosphorus and sulfur are strictly limited to a maximum of 0.030% to ensure high purity and stable machinability.
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21MnCr5
Qilu
DIN 21MnCr5 (1.2162) is a high-performance low-carbon alloy steel renowned for its exceptional case-hardening properties, complying with European and international quality standards. With a precisely controlled carbon content of 0.18–0.24%, this material achieves a perfect balance of ultra-high surface hardness and superior core toughness after professional carburizing and heat treatment. Its outstanding hardenability ensures uniform performance even in large or complex workpieces, while excellent machinability reduces production complexity and costs for manufacturers.
Widely recognized in the global manufacturing industry, 21MnCr5 is the first choice for high-stress, wear-resistant mechanical components. It delivers reliable durability and stable performance in extreme working conditions, and is widely applied in automotive manufacturing, heavy machinery, wind power, mining, and oil drilling industries. All our 21MnCr5 products adopt advanced steelmaking and forging processes, and pass strict ultrasonic testing to ensure zero internal defects and meet the quality requirements of international supply chains.
Country | ISO | Germany |
Standard | ISO 4957 | DIN17350 |
Grade | 21MnCr5 | 21MnCr5/1.2162 |
Note: 20MnCr5 is the approximate equivalent of 21MnCr5 in Chinese national standard, with slight differences in chemical composition, and the performance can be matched by fine-tuning the heat treatment process.
After carburizing and heat treatment, the surface hardness of 21MnCr5 reaches a minimum HRC60, forming a dense and wear-resistant surface layer that resists friction and impact; the core remains tough and ductile, effectively absorbing dynamic loads and avoiding brittle fracture of components. This structural characteristic makes it an ideal material for parts subjected to both wear and impact forces.
The scientific alloy ratio (Cr:1.00-1.30%, Mn:1.10-1.40%) ensures that the material can achieve uniform hardening from the surface to the core, even for large-size workpieces (Φ600mm forged bars) and complex structural parts, without local hardness differences. In the annealed state (HB≤217), it has good cutting and forming performance, which can realize precise processing of various shapes, shorten production cycles, and reduce processing costs.
Chromium and manganese elements form a stable alloy phase in the material, which significantly improves the wear resistance of the surface layer after heat treatment, and can maintain long-term performance in high-contact frequency working conditions (such as gear meshing, shaft rotation). It also has certain resistance to mild corrosive media, extending the service life of components and reducing maintenance frequency and costs.
Adhering to EN 17350 (ISO 4957 equivalent) and DIN 17350 standards, the chemical composition and mechanical properties of our 21MnCr5 products are strictly controlled within the standard range, with small batch-to-batch fluctuations. The products are suitable for international manufacturing projects and global supply chain supporting, and can meet the quality certification requirements of different countries and regions.
We provide a variety of product forms and surface processing solutions, and can customize the size, finish and heat treatment state according to customer requirements. The material has good forging and rolling performance, and can be processed into various structural parts to adapt to the personalized needs of different industries.
Grade | C | Si | Mn | P | S | Cr |
21MnCr5/1.2162 | 0.18-0.24 | 0.15-0.35 | 1.10-1.40 | 0.030Max | 0.030Max | 1.00-1.30 |
Note: The chemical composition can be fine-tuned according to customer's special application requirements, and the performance test report is provided with each batch of products.
Heat Treatment | Hardness |
Annealed (+A) | HB217Max |
| Hardening and Tempering (+HT) | HRC60 Min |
| Quenched and tempred (+QT) | HRC28-32(Common Range) |
Product type | Size range | Length |
Hot rolled bar | Φ10-Φ190mm | 2000-5800mm |
Hot forged bar | Φ200-Φ600mm | 2000-5800mm |
Hot rolled plate/sheet | T:10-60mm; W:310-810mm | 2000-5800mm |
Hot forged plate | T:70-250mm; W:310-810mm | 2000-5800mm |
Hot Forged block | T: 260-500mm; W: 300-1000mm | 2000-5800mm |
Surface Finish | Turned | Milled | Grinding(Best) | Polished(Best) | Peeled(Best) | Black Forged | Black Rolled |
Tolerance | +0/+3mm | +0/+3mm | +0/+0.05mm | +0/+0.05mm | +0/+0.1mm | +0/+5mm | +0/+1mm |
Straighness | 1mm/1000mm max. | 3mm/1000mm max. | |||||
We adopt international advanced steelmaking processes to ensure the purity and internal quality of the material, and the oxygen content is controlled at a low level to avoid internal porosity and inclusions:
Standard process: EF+LF+VD / EAF+LF+VD
High-purity process: EF+LF+VD+ESR / EAF+LF+VD+ESR (for high-precision, high-reliability components)
Strict temperature control throughout the forging process to ensure the grain refinement and structural uniformity of the material:
Preheating temperature: 700-900℃ (slow heating to avoid thermal stress)
Initial forging temperature: 1150-1200℃
Final forging temperature: ≥850℃ (avoid low-temperature forging cracking)
Cooling method: Air cooling (uniform cooling to prevent internal stress)
Annealing
Heat the material to 850-880℃, keep warm for a certain time according to the workpiece size, slowly cool to below 600℃ in the furnace, and then take out for air cooling. The annealed material has low hardness and good machinability, which is suitable for cutting and forming processing.
Quenching & Tempering
Heat to 840-870℃ in a salt bath furnace (uniform heating, no oxidation on the surface)
Oil quenching (rapid cooling to form martensite structure, improve hardness)
Temper at 550-580℃ in the furnace (eliminate internal stress, adjust toughness)
Cool in water or oil (according to the component size and performance requirements)
The tempering hardness curve of 21MnCr5 shows that the surface hardness decreases with the increase of tempering temperature (820℃ oil quenching as the base). It is recommended to select the appropriate tempering temperature according to the actual working conditions of the components.
All 21MnCr5 products pass strict ultrasonic testing to ensure zero internal defects, and the testing standards comply with:
EN10228-3 Class III
Sep 1921-84 D/D
Many customers often compare 21MnCr5 with 16MnCr5 when selecting materials. The two are both case-hardening steels, but there are essential differences in composition and performance, suitable for different application scenarios:
| Comparison Index | 21MnCr5/1.2162 | 16MnCr5 |
| Carbon Content | 0.18-0.24% (Medium low carbon) | 0.14-0.19% (Low carbon) |
| Core Strength | Higher (better bearing capacity) | Slightly lower |
| Surface Hardness | HRC60 Min (higher wear resistance) | HRC58 Min |
| Hardenability | Stronger (suitable for large workpieces) | General (suitable for small and medium workpieces) |
| Machinability | Excellent (annealed HB≤217) | Better (lower hardness in annealed state) |
| Applicable Load | High stress, heavy load | Medium stress, light to medium load |
| Typical Application | Heavy-duty gears, large shafts, high-load bearings | Small gears, light-duty shafts, precision pins |
Selection Suggestion: If the component is subjected to high stress, heavy load and large size, select 21MnCr5; if it is a small and medium-sized component with medium load and high processing precision requirements, 16MnCr5 can be selected.
The material's "hard surface and tough core" performance is perfectly adapted to the working characteristics of automotive transmission and chassis parts, and is the core material for key automotive components:
Gears: Transmission gears, differential gears, engine timing gears, reducer gears
Shaft parts: Output shafts, half shafts, spline shafts, clutch shafts
Chassis & steering parts: Piston pins, steering linkages, ring gears, suspension connecting pins
Suitable for large-scale mechanical equipment working in harsh conditions, providing reliable structural support and wear resistance:
Heavy-duty gearboxes: Large gears and drive shafts for wind turbines, mining machinery, marine transmissions
Bearing parts: Bearing rings, rolling elements for high-load, impact-bearing working conditions
Power parts: Connecting rods of internal combustion engines and compressors, high-strength crankshafts
Mining equipment: Scraper chains, conveyor sprockets, crusher wear parts
Adapt to the high-strength, wear-resistant requirements of energy exploration and production equipment:
Oil drilling tools: Drill collars, drill pipe joints, wellhead equipment wear parts
Wind power equipment: Wind turbine gearbox parts, generator shafts, yaw system components
Hydropower equipment: Turbine transmission parts, water pump shaft sleeves
Leverage good machinability and heat treatment performance to make various molds and precision parts:
Molds: Cores and inserts for plastic die-casting molds, stamping mold wear parts
Hydraulic equipment: High-stress pins, control levers, valve core components of hydraulic systems
Precision machinery: Textile machinery parts, printing machinery wear parts, robot transmission parts
A1: It mainly complies with the European standard EN 17350, and the international equivalent standard is ISO 4957; the German domestic standard is DIN 17350, and the material number is 1.2162.
A2: 20MnCr5 is the approximate equivalent of 21MnCr5 in China's national standard, with a slightly lower carbon content (0.17-0.23%) and a narrow manganese content range. The performance of 20MnCr5 can be close to that of 21MnCr5 by adjusting the carburizing and heat treatment process parameters.
A3: Yes. For parts that require both surface wear resistance and core toughness (such as gears and shafts), 21MnCr5 (after case hardening) has better surface wear resistance and core toughness than 40Cr (after quenching and tempering), and is a better alternative material.
A4: After heat treatment, the surface can be subjected to phosphating, galvanizing, and nitriding (secondary nitriding can further improve wear resistance) and other processes; it is not recommended to perform high-temperature surface treatment, so as to avoid reducing the surface hardness of the components.
Inquire Now: If you have any requirements for the size, finish, heat treatment state of DIN 21MnCr5 (1.2162) or need technical consultation on material selection and processing, please contact us!
DIN 21MnCr5 (1.2162) is a high-performance low-carbon alloy steel renowned for its exceptional case-hardening properties, complying with European and international quality standards. With a precisely controlled carbon content of 0.18–0.24%, this material achieves a perfect balance of ultra-high surface hardness and superior core toughness after professional carburizing and heat treatment. Its outstanding hardenability ensures uniform performance even in large or complex workpieces, while excellent machinability reduces production complexity and costs for manufacturers.
Widely recognized in the global manufacturing industry, 21MnCr5 is the first choice for high-stress, wear-resistant mechanical components. It delivers reliable durability and stable performance in extreme working conditions, and is widely applied in automotive manufacturing, heavy machinery, wind power, mining, and oil drilling industries. All our 21MnCr5 products adopt advanced steelmaking and forging processes, and pass strict ultrasonic testing to ensure zero internal defects and meet the quality requirements of international supply chains.
Country | ISO | Germany |
Standard | ISO 4957 | DIN17350 |
Grade | 21MnCr5 | 21MnCr5/1.2162 |
Note: 20MnCr5 is the approximate equivalent of 21MnCr5 in Chinese national standard, with slight differences in chemical composition, and the performance can be matched by fine-tuning the heat treatment process.
After carburizing and heat treatment, the surface hardness of 21MnCr5 reaches a minimum HRC60, forming a dense and wear-resistant surface layer that resists friction and impact; the core remains tough and ductile, effectively absorbing dynamic loads and avoiding brittle fracture of components. This structural characteristic makes it an ideal material for parts subjected to both wear and impact forces.
The scientific alloy ratio (Cr:1.00-1.30%, Mn:1.10-1.40%) ensures that the material can achieve uniform hardening from the surface to the core, even for large-size workpieces (Φ600mm forged bars) and complex structural parts, without local hardness differences. In the annealed state (HB≤217), it has good cutting and forming performance, which can realize precise processing of various shapes, shorten production cycles, and reduce processing costs.
Chromium and manganese elements form a stable alloy phase in the material, which significantly improves the wear resistance of the surface layer after heat treatment, and can maintain long-term performance in high-contact frequency working conditions (such as gear meshing, shaft rotation). It also has certain resistance to mild corrosive media, extending the service life of components and reducing maintenance frequency and costs.
Adhering to EN 17350 (ISO 4957 equivalent) and DIN 17350 standards, the chemical composition and mechanical properties of our 21MnCr5 products are strictly controlled within the standard range, with small batch-to-batch fluctuations. The products are suitable for international manufacturing projects and global supply chain supporting, and can meet the quality certification requirements of different countries and regions.
We provide a variety of product forms and surface processing solutions, and can customize the size, finish and heat treatment state according to customer requirements. The material has good forging and rolling performance, and can be processed into various structural parts to adapt to the personalized needs of different industries.
Grade | C | Si | Mn | P | S | Cr |
21MnCr5/1.2162 | 0.18-0.24 | 0.15-0.35 | 1.10-1.40 | 0.030Max | 0.030Max | 1.00-1.30 |
Note: The chemical composition can be fine-tuned according to customer's special application requirements, and the performance test report is provided with each batch of products.
Heat Treatment | Hardness |
Annealed (+A) | HB217Max |
| Hardening and Tempering (+HT) | HRC60 Min |
| Quenched and tempred (+QT) | HRC28-32(Common Range) |
Product type | Size range | Length |
Hot rolled bar | Φ10-Φ190mm | 2000-5800mm |
Hot forged bar | Φ200-Φ600mm | 2000-5800mm |
Hot rolled plate/sheet | T:10-60mm; W:310-810mm | 2000-5800mm |
Hot forged plate | T:70-250mm; W:310-810mm | 2000-5800mm |
Hot Forged block | T: 260-500mm; W: 300-1000mm | 2000-5800mm |
Surface Finish | Turned | Milled | Grinding(Best) | Polished(Best) | Peeled(Best) | Black Forged | Black Rolled |
Tolerance | +0/+3mm | +0/+3mm | +0/+0.05mm | +0/+0.05mm | +0/+0.1mm | +0/+5mm | +0/+1mm |
Straighness | 1mm/1000mm max. | 3mm/1000mm max. | |||||
We adopt international advanced steelmaking processes to ensure the purity and internal quality of the material, and the oxygen content is controlled at a low level to avoid internal porosity and inclusions:
Standard process: EF+LF+VD / EAF+LF+VD
High-purity process: EF+LF+VD+ESR / EAF+LF+VD+ESR (for high-precision, high-reliability components)
Strict temperature control throughout the forging process to ensure the grain refinement and structural uniformity of the material:
Preheating temperature: 700-900℃ (slow heating to avoid thermal stress)
Initial forging temperature: 1150-1200℃
Final forging temperature: ≥850℃ (avoid low-temperature forging cracking)
Cooling method: Air cooling (uniform cooling to prevent internal stress)
Annealing
Heat the material to 850-880℃, keep warm for a certain time according to the workpiece size, slowly cool to below 600℃ in the furnace, and then take out for air cooling. The annealed material has low hardness and good machinability, which is suitable for cutting and forming processing.
Quenching & Tempering
Heat to 840-870℃ in a salt bath furnace (uniform heating, no oxidation on the surface)
Oil quenching (rapid cooling to form martensite structure, improve hardness)
Temper at 550-580℃ in the furnace (eliminate internal stress, adjust toughness)
Cool in water or oil (according to the component size and performance requirements)
The tempering hardness curve of 21MnCr5 shows that the surface hardness decreases with the increase of tempering temperature (820℃ oil quenching as the base). It is recommended to select the appropriate tempering temperature according to the actual working conditions of the components.
All 21MnCr5 products pass strict ultrasonic testing to ensure zero internal defects, and the testing standards comply with:
EN10228-3 Class III
Sep 1921-84 D/D
Many customers often compare 21MnCr5 with 16MnCr5 when selecting materials. The two are both case-hardening steels, but there are essential differences in composition and performance, suitable for different application scenarios:
| Comparison Index | 21MnCr5/1.2162 | 16MnCr5 |
| Carbon Content | 0.18-0.24% (Medium low carbon) | 0.14-0.19% (Low carbon) |
| Core Strength | Higher (better bearing capacity) | Slightly lower |
| Surface Hardness | HRC60 Min (higher wear resistance) | HRC58 Min |
| Hardenability | Stronger (suitable for large workpieces) | General (suitable for small and medium workpieces) |
| Machinability | Excellent (annealed HB≤217) | Better (lower hardness in annealed state) |
| Applicable Load | High stress, heavy load | Medium stress, light to medium load |
| Typical Application | Heavy-duty gears, large shafts, high-load bearings | Small gears, light-duty shafts, precision pins |
Selection Suggestion: If the component is subjected to high stress, heavy load and large size, select 21MnCr5; if it is a small and medium-sized component with medium load and high processing precision requirements, 16MnCr5 can be selected.
The material's "hard surface and tough core" performance is perfectly adapted to the working characteristics of automotive transmission and chassis parts, and is the core material for key automotive components:
Gears: Transmission gears, differential gears, engine timing gears, reducer gears
Shaft parts: Output shafts, half shafts, spline shafts, clutch shafts
Chassis & steering parts: Piston pins, steering linkages, ring gears, suspension connecting pins
Suitable for large-scale mechanical equipment working in harsh conditions, providing reliable structural support and wear resistance:
Heavy-duty gearboxes: Large gears and drive shafts for wind turbines, mining machinery, marine transmissions
Bearing parts: Bearing rings, rolling elements for high-load, impact-bearing working conditions
Power parts: Connecting rods of internal combustion engines and compressors, high-strength crankshafts
Mining equipment: Scraper chains, conveyor sprockets, crusher wear parts
Adapt to the high-strength, wear-resistant requirements of energy exploration and production equipment:
Oil drilling tools: Drill collars, drill pipe joints, wellhead equipment wear parts
Wind power equipment: Wind turbine gearbox parts, generator shafts, yaw system components
Hydropower equipment: Turbine transmission parts, water pump shaft sleeves
Leverage good machinability and heat treatment performance to make various molds and precision parts:
Molds: Cores and inserts for plastic die-casting molds, stamping mold wear parts
Hydraulic equipment: High-stress pins, control levers, valve core components of hydraulic systems
Precision machinery: Textile machinery parts, printing machinery wear parts, robot transmission parts
A1: It mainly complies with the European standard EN 17350, and the international equivalent standard is ISO 4957; the German domestic standard is DIN 17350, and the material number is 1.2162.
A2: 20MnCr5 is the approximate equivalent of 21MnCr5 in China's national standard, with a slightly lower carbon content (0.17-0.23%) and a narrow manganese content range. The performance of 20MnCr5 can be close to that of 21MnCr5 by adjusting the carburizing and heat treatment process parameters.
A3: Yes. For parts that require both surface wear resistance and core toughness (such as gears and shafts), 21MnCr5 (after case hardening) has better surface wear resistance and core toughness than 40Cr (after quenching and tempering), and is a better alternative material.
A4: After heat treatment, the surface can be subjected to phosphating, galvanizing, and nitriding (secondary nitriding can further improve wear resistance) and other processes; it is not recommended to perform high-temperature surface treatment, so as to avoid reducing the surface hardness of the components.
Inquire Now: If you have any requirements for the size, finish, heat treatment state of DIN 21MnCr5 (1.2162) or need technical consultation on material selection and processing, please contact us!
