1045 Cold Drawn Steel Bar

At Bergsen Metals, we’ve supplied cold-finished carbon steel, stainless steel, and other steel alloy products for 45 years. One of our core product offerings is 1045 cold-rolled steel bars.

What is 1045 Cold Steel?

1045 steel—also referred to as 1045 carbon steel or c1045 steel—is a medium-carbon steel. 1045 steel properties include: 

• Density: 0.284 lb/in3
• Hardness, Rockwell B: 84
• Ultimate tensile strength: 81,900 psi
• Yield tensile strength: 45,000 psi
• Modulus of elasticity: 29,000 ksi

It is available in hot-rolled or cold-rolled variations. The former refers to steel that has been processed at temperatures above its recrystallization point, while the latter refers to steel that has been processed at temperatures below its recrystallization point. Although hot-rolled steel is cheaper to manufacture than cold-rolled steel, it shrinks as it cools. This quality leads to less control over the final shape and size of finished components.

The combined properties of cold-rolled 1045 steel exhibits make the material suitable for use in the manufacture of a variety of industrial parts and products, including axles, bolts, gears, rods, rolls, shafts, torsion bars, and more. 

Fabrication Data for 1045 Carbon Steel

1045 carbon steel is suitable for the following processes: 

• Forging. 1045 steel is forged in temperatures around 2,200° F down to 1,650–1,700° F. The exact forging and finishing temperatures depend on a variety of factors, including part complexity.

• Heat treating. 1045 can be heat treated in a number of ways, including annealing, normalizing, hardening, and tempering. 

• Full annealing for small parts should be performed in temperatures between 1,450–1,600° F and followed by furnace cooling to 1,200° F and soaking and air cooling. 

• Normalizing should be performed in temperatures between 1,650–1,700° F, depending on whether this treatment is done at the beginning or end of the heat treatment stage. It should be followed with still air cooling. 

• Hardening should be performed at temperatures between 1,475–1,550° F and followed by oil or water quenching. 

• Tempering operations that occur after normal hardening and oil/water quenching should be performed at temperatures between 750–1,260° F. 

• Machining. When properly heat treated, 1045 steel offers good machinability. 

• Welding. If the proper welding procedure is utilized, 1045 steel is highly amendable to welding. Material that has been hardened is not recommended for welding operations. 

Carbon Steel Overview

Steel can be broadly classified into two main material categories: carbon steel and alloy steel. The carbon steel category, which accounts for most of all of the steel produced, refers to steels that consist primarily of iron and carbon with only small amounts of other elements.

These materials find use in a wide range industries and applications due to their many advantageous properties. While they generally demonstrate high strength, hardness, malleability, and thermal conductivity, a particular carbon steel material’s characteristics vary depending on its exact composition.

Carbon steel can be further broken down into three subcategories based on carbon content: 

• Low-carbon steel. Low-carbon steels—also referred to as mild steels—contain between 0.04–0.30% carbon. They are highly ductile, which makes them easy to work into different shapes. 

• Medium-carbon steel. Medium-carbon steels contain between 0.31—0.60% carbon. They are stronger and harder than low-carbon steels but also more difficult to work. 

• High-carbon steel. High-carbon steels contain between 0.61—1.50% carbon. They offer greater strength and hardness than both low-carbon and medium-carbon steels at the cost of lower flexibility and workability. 

Contact Bergsen Metals for Your 1045 Cold Steel Needs

If you’re looking for a reliable carbon steel, stainless steel, or other steel alloy supplier, turn to the experts at Bergsen Metals. We provide a broad selection of steel alloy materials—including 1045 cold steel bars. To learn more about our material offerings, contact us today. For pricing details, request a quote.