En352 alloy steel

Introduction

We manufacture forging ingots, billets, and blooms in alloy steel specifically for En352, tailored for heavy-duty case hardening applications.

En352 is a low carbon nickel–chromium alloy steel widely used for components requiring a very hard, wear-resistant surface combined with a tough and shock-resistant core. It is designed for highly stressed automotive and engineering parts subjected to continuous wear, impact, and cyclic loading.

The high nickel content provides excellent core toughness and fatigue resistance, while chromium improves hardenability and wear resistance after carburizing. En352 offers good machinability in the annealed condition and maintains dimensional stability after heat treatment, making it suitable for forging and precision machining processes.

This steel delivers superior surface durability, core strength, and long service life for demanding industrial applications.

Chemical composition

Element Content (%) Function / effect
Carbon (c) 0.10 – 0.20 Ensures tough and ductile core
Manganese (mn) 0.40 – 0.70 Improves hardenability and strength
Silicon (si) Max 0.35 Increases strength
Nickel (ni) 3.00 – 3.50 Improves toughness and fatigue resistance
Chromium (cr) 1.00 – 1.40 Improves hardenability and wear resistance
Phosphorus (p) Max 0.035 Impurity; controlled for toughness
Sulphur (s) Max 0.035 Impurity; controlled for machinability

Mechanical properties (typical, depending on condition & heat treatment)

  • Core tensile strength: 750 – 950 MPa
  • core yield strength: 500 – 700 MPa
  • surface hardness (carburized): 58 – 62 hrc
  • core hardness: 190 – 230 hb
  • impact toughness: very high fatigue resistance: excellent

    • Heat treatment

    • annealing: improves machinability before carburizing.
    • carburizing: introduces carbon at high temperature to obtain a hard, wear-resistant surface.
    • quenching: rapid cooling to achieve a hard martensitic case.
    • tempering: relieves internal stresses while maintaining surface hardness and core toughness.

    The heat treatment cycle can be optimized based on required case depth and service conditions.

    Key features and benefits

    • excellent case hardening response: very hard surface with tough core
    • high impact and fatigue resistance: suitable for heavy shock loads
    • superior wear resistance: extended component life
    • good machinability in annealed condition
    • dimensional stability after heat treatment
    • suitable for forging and machining processes

    Typical applications

    • heavy-duty gears and pinions
    • transmission and differential components
    • camshafts and crankshaft gears
    • automotive and tractor parts
    • engineering components subjected to severe wear and load

    Equivalent steel grades

    • En352 has several international equivalents, including:
    • en36b – close equivalent
    • din 1.5752 (approximate)
    • 17CrNimo6 – application-based comparison

    Why choose En352 for your application?

    En352 offers an excellent combination of surface hardness, core toughness, and fatigue resistance. Its higher nickel content compared to En351 makes it especially suitable for heavily loaded components requiring long service life and reliable performance under shock and wear conditions.

    Comparison table for similar grades

    Grade Carbon (%) Key applications Heat treatment Comments
    En352 0.10 – 0.20 Heavy gears, transmission parts Carburizing + q&t Higher ni, very high toughness
    En351 0.10 – 0.20 Gears, automotive parts Carburizing + q&t Slightly lower ni
    En36 0.12 – 0.18 Heavy-duty gears Carburizing Widely used ni-cr steel
    17CrNimo6 0.14 – 0.19 Heavy transmission parts Carburizing Higher alloy alternative

    Summary

    En352 is a nickel–chromium low carbon alloy steel optimized for case hardening applications in automotive and heavy engineering industries. It provides a very hard, wear-resistant surface, an exceptionally tough core, and dependable performance for critical components.