CK45 material introduction

CK45 material introduction
45 steel (corresponding to international standards such as German standard C45) is a high-quality carbon structural steel with a carbon content of 0.42% - 0.50%, belonging to the category of medium carbon steel. This material can significantly improve its performance through reasonable heat treatment and is widely used in the field of mechanical manufacturing.
Core characteristics

Mechanical properties: The tensile strength is ≥600MPa, the yield strength is ≥345MPa, the elongation is ≥16%, with both high strength and moderate toughness. After quenching and tempering, the hardness can reach HRC42 - 46, and the surface carburizing treatment can further increase to HRC58, which is suitable for wear-resistant components.
Machining performance: It has good cutting processability. After normalizing, the hardness is ≤197HB, and it is suitable for cold rolling and hot rolling. The hardenability is medium, and the critical diameter of water quenching is 12 - 17mm. It is necessary to pay attention to the risk of water quenching cracking.
Chemical composition: In addition to carbon, it contains 0.17% - 0.37% silicon and 0.50% - 0.80% manganese, and the sulfur and phosphorus contents are both ≤0.035%, ensuring the purity of the material.

Typical applications
It is mainly used to manufacture mechanical components such as gears, shafts, bolts, and couplings, and it performs excellently especially in working conditions that bear alternating loads. Parts requiring high surface hardness can be achieved through carburizing and quenching or high-frequency quenching treatment.
Comparison and differences
Compared with Q235 low-carbon steel, 45 steel has higher strength but slightly poorer weldability, and is suitable for scenarios with strict requirements for mechanical properties. Its cost-performance advantage makes it a commonly used material for mechanical basic parts.
Note: If the "CK45" you mentioned is a German standard material, its characteristics are basically the same as those of Chinese 45 steel (German standard C45), and the above parameters can be referred to for selection.