
GCr15 Steel | 52100
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GCr15 steel is a widely used high-carbon chromium bearing steel and is also considered a low-alloy cold work mold steel. It is a representative grade among high-carbon chromium-bearing steels. This steel can be either water or oil quenched, depending on the application and desired properties.
1. Chemical Composition(GB / T 18254—2002)
C | Si | Mn | Cr | P | S | V |
0.95 ~ 1.05 | 0.15 ~ 0.35 | 0.25 ~ 0.45 | 1.40 ~ 1.65 | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 | - |
2. GCr15 Steel Critical Point Temperature
Ponto crítico | Ac1 | Accm | Ar1 | Senhora |
Temperature (Approx. Value)/°C | 745 | 900 | 700 | 246 |
3. GCr15 Steel Forging Process Specification
Item | Temperatura de aquecimento/°C | Temperatura inicial de forjamento/°C | Temperatura final de forjamento/°C | Resfriamento |
Lingote de aço | 1150 ~ 1200 | 1100 ~ 1150 | 800 ~ 880 | First air-cool to 700°C, then pit-cool |
Tarugo de aço | 1080 ~ 1120 | 1050 ~ 1100 | 800 ~ 850 | First air-cool to 700°C, then pit-cool |
4. GCr15 Steel Heat Treatment Process Specification
4.1 Pré-aquecimento
Plano Preliminar de Tratamento Térmico | Parâmetros do processo |
Recozimento isotérmico após forjamento | Slowly heat to 770 ~ 790°C, hold for 1 ~ 2h; furnace cool to 680 ~ 700°C, hold for 3 ~ 4h, then furnace cool to below 550°C and air cool. Hardness: 180 ~ 229HBW. |
Revenimento de alta temperatura | Heating temperature: 600 ~ 700°C, hold for 2 ~ 3h; furnace cool or air cool. Hardness: 187 ~ 229HBW. Mainly used to eliminate machining stress before quenching. |
Normalizando | Heating temperature: 930 ~ 950°C, air cool. Hardness: 302 ~ 388HBW. Used to refine the grains of overheated steel and eliminate network carbides. |
Têmpera e revenimento | Quenching temperature: 840 ~ 860°C, oil cool; tempering temperature: 660 ~ 680°C, furnace cool or air cool. Hardness: 197 ~ 217HBW. |
4.2 Têmpera
Quenching Process Plan | Parâmetros do processo |
Conventional Quenching Process | Heating temperature: 830 ~ 850°C, oil cool. Hardness: 62 ~ 65HRC. |
Processo de têmpera isotérmica | Heating temperature: 830 ~ 850°C, isothermal quenching at 240 ~ 300°C. Tempering temperature: 180 ~ 200°C. Hardness: 58 ~ 62HRC. |
Observação: To save energy and time, the residual heat from forging can be used for the isothermal quenching process to replace spheroidizing annealing.
Ultra-fine processing of carbides.
Carbide Super-refinement Process
Processo de tratamento térmico | Parâmetros do processo |
Super-refinement Treatment | Solution temperature is 1050°C, followed by isothermal treatment in a salt bath at 300 ~ 350°C to obtain a lower bainite structure. The tempering temperature is around 720°C with a holding time of 2h, but the hardness is too high, leading to difficult machining. An alternative is a short-time spheroidizing process: heat to 720°C and hold for one hour, then raise the temperature to 780°C and hold for one hour, then cool back to 720°C and hold for another one hour. Finally, in furnace cooled to 500°C before removing. This process can obtain ultra-fine spheroidized carbides. |
4.3 Têmpera
Tempering Process Specification
Temperatura de aquecimento/°C | Método de resfriamento | Dureza HRC |
150 ~ 190 | Oil cool or air cool | 58 ~ 62 |
Temperatura de têmpera e dureza
Temperatura de têmpera/°C | Não temperado | 200 | 300 | 400 | 500 | 550 | 600 | 650 |
Dureza HRC | 62 | 61 | 56 | 49 | 40 | 36 | 31 | 28 |
Observação: Oil quenched at 830°C, tempered for two hours.

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5. Propriedades mecânicas
GCr15 is a special steel for bearings. It has good hardenability, hardness, and wear resistance, high contact fatigue strength, and good dimensional stability during quenching and tempering. Tools and molds made with it have high toughness and wear resistance after low-temperature tempering, which can significantly extend their service life.
Relationship between Quenching Temperature, Microstructure, and Performance
Temperatura de têmpera/°C | Mass Fraction of Carbon in Martensite (%) | Retained Austenite Content (volume fraction, %) | Dureza HRC | Bending Strength σbb/MPa | Impact Toughness αK /(J/cm²) |
820 | 0.41, Mainly lath martensite | - | 62.8 | 3234 | 6.67 |
835 | 0.49, Mainly lath martensite | 10.40 | 63.7 | 2724 | 5.19 |
845 | 0.52, Mixture of lath and acicular martensite | 14.70 | 64.1 | 3420 | 5.19 |
855 | 0.55, Mixture of lath and acicular martensite | - | 64.9 | 3263 | 3.53 |
865 | 0.59, Mixture of lath and acicular martensite | 16.90 | 65.1 | 2960 | 3.43 |
875 | 0.67, Mainly acicular martensite | 21.20 | 65.4 | 2739 | 2.55 |
885 | 0.67, Mainly acicular martensite | - | 65.3 | 2450 | 2.45 |
Observação: Tempered at 160°C.
6. Aplicações
- Bearings: Its primary and most widespread application is in the manufacturing of various types of bearings, including races, steel balls, tapered rollers, cylindrical rollers, spherical rollers, and needles.
- Molds and Dies (Cold Work): It is frequently used for cold stamping dies, cold heading dies, drawing dies, extrusion dies, and cutting dies/blades. It’s also suitable for plastic molds, especially those requiring high wear resistance, strength, and ability to handle high loads, and for other molds like rolling dies and powder metallurgy dies.
- Precision Measuring Tools: GCr15 is a preferred material for precision measuring instruments such as gauge blocks, plug gauges, and thread ring gauges.
- Machine Parts: It’s utilized in various machine components, including guide pillars and guide bushings, diesel engine injectors, and precision lead screws.
- Other Applications: It’s also used for spring collets and as a material for general cutting tools.
7. Equivalent Material
Perguntas frequentes
GCr15 steel is a high-carbon chromium bearing steel and a low-alloy cold work mold steel. It is widely used due to its excellent hardness, wear resistance, and high contact fatigue performance after heat treatment.
After quenching, GCr15 steel typically achieves a hardness of ≥62 HRC, 61-65 HRC, or ≥63 HRC. After standard low-temperature tempering (150-190°C), its hardness generally ranges from 58-62 HRC to 61-65 HRC. For instance, GCr15, when oil quenched from 845°C and tempered at 150°C, can reach 61-65 HRC.
GCr15 and 52100 steel are essentially the same material, serving as direct equivalents under different international standards. GCr15 is the Chinese designation, while 52100 is the American ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) designation.
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