SAE 1010 steel (1.0301): properties, composition, equivalents
SAE 1010 (UNS G10100) is the low-carbon workhorse: 0.08–0.13 % C, 0.30–0.60 % Mn, tensile 325–365 MPa, elongation 20–28 %. Full chemistry, EN C10 / 1.0301 and JIS S10C equivalents, cold forming and carburizing data.
What is SAE 1010?
SAE 1010 sits at the bottom of the plain-carbon ladder, and that is exactly why it is everywhere. With 0.10 % carbon the steel is soft, ductile and completely weldable; it cold heads into bolts, roll forms into tube, draws into wire and takes a carburized case when a hard surface is needed on a soft core. It is not a strength grade and was never meant to be — a hot-rolled 1010 bar yields around 180 MPa, less than structural S235.
The designation comes from the SAE-AISI four-digit system: the first two digits describe the alloy family (10 = plain carbon, no alloying), the last two the nominal carbon content in hundredths of a percent. So 1010 is a plain carbon steel with about 0.10 % C. ASTM A29 is the standard that governs bar; sheet and strip in the same chemistry are ordered against A1011 or A1008 by forming class rather than by the 1010 number, which is a frequent source of confusion in enquiries.
The European equivalent is C10 (1.0301) under EN 10084, a case-hardening standard, and the Japanese equivalent is S10C under JIS G4051. Both are close enough on chemistry to be treated as the same steel; what differs is the surrounding standard's requirements for hardenability and case depth.
SAE 1010 chemical composition
| Element | Mass % | Note |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.08 – 0.13 | |
| Mn | 0.3 – 0.6 | |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | |
| S | ≤ 0.05 |
That is the whole specification — four elements. Silicon is not specified for 10xx bar grades unless the steel is killed, in which case 0.15–0.35 % is usual. The 10xx family means plain carbon: the last two digits are the carbon content in hundredths of a percent, so 1010 is nominally 0.10 % C.
SAE 1010 mechanical properties
| Thickness / condition | Yield strength ReH / Rp0.2 MPa (ksi) | Tensile strength Rm MPa (ksi) | Elongation A % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hot rolled bar | 180 (26.1) | 325 (47.1) | 28 | 95 HB |
| cold drawn bar | 305 (44.2) | 365 (52.9) | 20 | 105 HB |
| annealed | 170 (24.7) | 310 (45.0) | 32 | 90 HB |
| normalized (925 °C) | 205 (29.7) | 365 (52.9) | 30 | 110 HB |
Typical values — ASTM A29 does not guarantee mechanical properties for bar, only chemistry. Sheet and strip carry mechanical requirements through A1011 and A1008.
Impact toughness
SAE 1010 requires a minimum Charpy V-notch energy of 0 J at 20 °C °C (not specified). No impact requirement. 1010 is a forming and carburizing grade; where notch toughness is specified the design belongs in a structural or pressure standard.
SAE 1010 equivalent grades
| Grade | System | Match | Why / differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| C10 | EN (European) | Near | EN 10084 C10 / 1.0301: 0.07–0.13 % C, 0.30–0.60 % Mn — the same steel in European designation, used as a case-hardening grade. The EN standard adds hardenability and case-depth requirements that SAE 1010 does not carry. |
| S10C | JIS (Japan) | Near | JIS G4051 S10C: 0.08–0.13 % C, 0.30–0.60 % Mn, Si 0.15–0.35. Practically identical chemistry with silicon specified. |
| 1008 | ASTM / ASME | Functional | SAE 1008 (0.10 % C max) is one step softer and is preferred for the deepest drawing and for wire that will be cold headed. 1010 is the better compromise when the part also has to hold a thread or a form. |
| 1015 / 1018 | ASTM / ASME | Functional | One and two steps up in carbon. 1018 (0.15–0.20 % C) is the usual choice when 1010 is too soft to hold a machined feature — it is the most common carburizing and general machining bar in the US. |
| DC01 | EN (European) | Functional | For cold-rolled sheet the practical European counterpart is DC01 rather than C10, because sheet is specified by forming behaviour, not by bar chemistry. |
Identical = same composition and mechanical limits within rounding. Near = one limit differs (e.g. carbon max or impact temperature). Functional = interchangeable for most uses after an engineering check. Full cross-reference for SAE 1010 →
Old and superseded designations
| Old name | Standard | Note |
|---|---|---|
| C10 | EN 10084 / DIN 17210 | the European case-hardening equivalent, 1.0301 |
| CK10 | DIN 17210 | the cleaner (low P and S) version |
| S10C | JIS G4051 | Japanese machine structural carbon steel |
Product forms and tolerance standards
Product forms: hot-rolled bar and coil, cold-drawn bar, hot- and cold-rolled sheet and strip, welded tube, wire and fasteners.
Dimensional tolerances: Bar to ASTM A29; cold-drawn to A108. Sheet products are usually ordered against A1011 (hot) or A1008 (cold) rather than by the 1010 number..
Key property values
SAE 1010 tensile strength
325 MPa (47 ksi) hot rolled, 365 MPa (53 ksi) cold drawn. Yield 180 MPa hot rolled, 305 MPa cold drawn — cold work nearly doubles the yield while cutting elongation from 28 % to 20 %.
Hardness
95 HB hot rolled, 105 HB cold drawn, 90 HB annealed. After carburizing and quenching the case reaches 58–62 HRC with a core that stays around 150 HB.
Carburizing
The main heat treatment for this grade. Carburize at 900–925 °C, direct quench or reheat to 780–820 °C and quench in oil or water, then temper at 150–200 °C. Case depths of 0.5–1.5 mm are routine; core strength stays low, which is what makes it a *case-hardening* rather than a through-hardening steel.
Cold forming
Excellent. Bends flat on itself in sheet, cold heads without intermediate annealing in wire, and deep draws when supplied as sheet to a drawing class. Work hardening is modest, so multi-stage forming rarely needs an anneal between operations.
Physical data
Density 7.87 kg/dm³; modulus 205 GPa; thermal conductivity 49.8 W/mK at 20 °C; specific heat 448 J/kgK; electrical resistivity 0.143 µΩ·m.
Weldability
Among the most weldable steels in production. Carbon equivalent is about 0.20, so no preheat, no interpass control and no post-weld heat treatment are needed at any thickness normally supplied. MIG, TIG, stick, resistance and laser welding all work with standard mild-steel consumables (ER70S-6, E7018). The one caution is that the weld metal is usually stronger than the base metal, so a welded joint in 1010 fails in the parent plate rather than the weld — which matters when designing a test coupon.
Machining, forming and heat treatment
Machinability rating about 55 % of B1112, and the difficulty is softness rather than hardness: 1010 tears and builds up on the tool edge rather than chipping cleanly. Use sharp positive-rake tooling, high surface speeds and plenty of coolant, or specify a resulfurized grade (1117, 12L14) where the part is machined rather than formed. Cold-drawn bar machines noticeably better than hot-rolled because the surface is harder and the chip breaks earlier.
Typical applications
- Cold-headed fasteners, rivets, nails and wire products
- Welded tube and roll-formed sections
- Carburized pins, bushings, shafts and small gears
- Pressed and deep-drawn sheet parts, enclosures and covers
- Automotive brackets, clips and non-structural body parts
- Chain, wire mesh and general low-stress fabrication
Frequently asked questions
What is SAE 1010 steel?
A plain low-carbon steel with 0.08–0.13 % carbon and 0.30–0.60 % manganese, used for cold forming, welding and case hardening. Tensile strength is about 325 MPa hot rolled and 365 MPa cold drawn.
What is the equivalent of SAE 1010?
EN 10084 C10 / 1.0301 in Europe and JIS G4051 S10C in Japan; both share the chemistry. For cold-rolled sheet the practical European counterpart is DC01, because sheet is specified by forming class rather than bar chemistry.
What is the difference between 1010 and 1018?
Carbon: 1010 has 0.08–0.13 %, 1018 has 0.15–0.20 %. 1018 is stronger, machines better and is the default general-purpose bar in the US; 1010 forms and cold heads better and is the better carburizing base when core strength does not matter.
Can SAE 1010 be hardened?
Not through-hardened — the carbon is too low. It is case hardened by carburizing at 900–925 °C followed by quench and low temper, giving a 58–62 HRC case over a soft core.
Is 1010 steel weldable?
Yes, exceptionally. The carbon equivalent is around 0.20, so no preheat or post-weld heat treatment is required by any common process.
What does the number 1010 mean?
In the SAE-AISI system the first two digits give the alloy family — 10 means plain carbon with no alloying — and the last two give the nominal carbon content in hundredths of a percent, so 1010 is about 0.10 % C.
Related grades
Verified against ASTM A29/A29M-20; ASTM A29/A29M-20 Table 1; SAE J403 chemical compositions; EN 10084:2008 (for the C10 comparison). Last checked: September 2026.