Introduction
In the field of mechanical processing, #45 steel (also known as C45 or 1045 steel) is widely recognized as a workhorse material. With its balanced strength, toughness, and affordability, it has become a go-to choice for manufacturing load-bearing and structural parts used across various industries. Its excellent overall performance allows it to maintain a leading position among medium carbon steels.
1. Composition and Mechanical Properties
#45 steel is a high-quality medium carbon steel containing approximately 0.42%–0.50% carbon, along with small amounts of manganese, silicon, and trace elements. This composition achieves an ideal balance between strength and toughness — it offers a tensile strength of around 600 MPa, good impact resistance, and moderate hardness after heat treatment.
Unlike high-carbon steels that tend to be brittle, #45 steel retains ductility while providing better wear resistance and deformation resistance than low-carbon steels. This makes it ideal for components that endure medium to low loads and require durability over long operating cycles.
2. Excellent Machinability
One of the biggest advantages of #45 steel is its ease of machining. It cuts with relatively low resistance — roughly 70% that of high-carbon steel — reducing tool wear and improving production efficiency.
#45 steel is highly compatible with CNC machines and supports multiple processes including turning, milling, drilling, and tapping. It does not require complex cooling systems and produces clean, uniform chips. After simple heat treatment, its hardness can be adjusted to an optimal level, and the finished surface achieves both high dimensional accuracy and smooth texture, meeting the requirements for shafts, flanges, and gears.
3. Cost Efficiency
In addition to its performance, #45 steel offers an excellent cost-to-performance ratio.
It costs roughly half to two-thirds of alloy steels with similar mechanical strength. This affordability makes it an ideal material for small to medium-batch production, where balancing performance and cost is essential.
4. Common Applications
Thanks to its versatility, #45 steel appears in almost every corner of the machinery manufacturing field:
- Drive shafts for machine tools, ensuring stable power transmission.
- Motor end caps and flanges, providing precise connections between housings and internal components.
- Gears, bolts, and pins, which rely on its wear resistance and stability.
- Main spindles, crankshafts, and piston rods, where strength and fatigue resistance are key.
Its combination of mechanical strength, machinability, and cost efficiency makes it a standard material choice in CNC machining workshops worldwide.
Conclusion
With its balanced mechanical properties, excellent machinability, and cost efficiency, #45 steel continues to be the backbone of the mechanical processing industry.
As manufacturing evolves toward higher precision and automation, #45 (C45) steel remains a reliable and timeless material — providing strong, stable, and affordable support for both general and specialized machinery. Contact us for more information!