Products

Grade EN8

EN8 is a medium-carbon, medium-strength unalloyed engineering steel widely used for general mechanical engineering applications. Known for its excellent balance of strength, toughness, and machinability, EN8 is ideal for components that require higher strength than mild steel but do not need the alloying cost of EN19 or EN24. EN8 is typically supplied in the normalized condition, though it can be heat-treated for improved mechanical properties. The grade is very popular in the automotive, fabrication, machinery, and manufacturing sectors because of its reliability and affordability.

Key Properties of EN8 Steel

1. Medium Strength & Toughness

EN8 provides significantly better strength than mild steel, making it suitable for medium-duty applications such as shafts, gears, and axles.

2. Good Machinability

Machinable in normalized or annealed condition, allowing efficient turning, milling, drilling, and threading.

3. Heat Treatable

EN8 responds well to:
a. Hardening & tempering (achieves 45–50 HRC)
b. Normalizing
c. Flame or induction hardening for high surface hardness (up to 55–60 HRC)
This makes it ideal for parts that require wear-resistant surfaces with a tough core.

4. Good Weldability (With Precautions)

Weldable with proper preheating and stress relief. Not as easy to weld as low-carbon steels due to higher carbon content.

5. Moderate Wear Resistance

Suitable for components exposed to friction, shock, and medium wear conditions.

Common Applications

EN8 is one of the most widely used engineering steels for medium duty components. Applications include:
1. Transmission shafts & axle shafts
2. Gears, sprockets & pinions
3. Bolts, studs & general fasteners
4. Connecting rods
5. Machine tool spindles
6. Crankshafts & camshafts
7. Keys, hubs & couplings
8. Hand tools & automotive components
9. Rollers, pins & general-purpose machinery parts

Summary

EN8 is a dependable, versatile medium-carbon steel offering an ideal combination of strength, toughness, and ease of machining. Its ability to be flame-hardened or fully heat-treated makes it suitable for a wide range of engineering components. For industries requiring strong, wear-resistant, yet cost-effective steel, EN8 is one of the most commonly selected materials.