SAE – AISI 1022 Low Carbon Steel – Composition, Properties and Uses

SAE / AISI 1022 steel is a medium carbon, low alloy steel with various uses in the manufacturing and engineering industries. It is known for its excellent strength, corrosion resistance, heat resistance, machinability, and weldability. In this article, we will explore the composition and physical properties of SAE / AISI 1022 steel as well as its common uses, corrosion resistance, heat resistance, heat treatment methods, machining techniques and welding options.

AISI 1022 Composition

AISI 1022 steel is composed of 0.17-0.23% carbon content with up to 0.60% manganese content and contains other trace elements such as sulfur (0.05%) and phosphorus (0.04%).

AISI 1022 Physical Properties

SAE 1022 low carbon steel has an ultimate tensile strength of 690 MPa (100 ksi) making it one of the stronger steels used in engineering applications. The density of this type of steel is 7800 kg/m³ (493 lb/ft³).

SAE/AISI 1022 Steel Uses

Due to its strength and versatility, SAE/AISI 1022 steel can be used in many applications including automotive components such as drive shafts, gears and springs; structural components such as beams and columns; tools such as cutting tools; fasteners such as bolts and nuts; pressure vessels such as boilers; pipes; agricultural equipment; industrial machinery parts; oilfield equipment; medical implants; valves; pumps; sporting goods equipment; furniture components etc.

SAE/AISI 1022 Chemical Properties

AISI 1022 is a low-carbon steel containing 0.22% carbon and 0.60-0.90% manganese. It’s one of the most commonly used varieties in the AISI / SAE steel family, making it highly desirable for many applications such as bicycle frames, parts of machines and tools, components in the automotive industry, and more. Aside from its excellent weldability and machinability qualities due to its ductility, AISI 1022 is also popular for its greater hardness compared to other low-carbon steels and higher strength with medium-level ductility – making it a great choice for various industries seeking strong yet pliable materials.

SAE/AISI 1022 Mechanical Properties

With a youthful hardenability, SAE-AISI 1022 carbon steel is an ideal low carbon steel for general purpose uses. It has a medium-low tensile strength of 414 MPa and a yield strength of 379 MPa to compare with other comparable low carbon steel grades such as 1010 and 1020. This makes it well-suited for simple applications such as shafts, pins and rods where slight hardness is preferred, but durability is still important. Its elongation in 2” at break is 20% minimum, while its reduction of area AISI 1022 stands at 45%. It has machinability ratings of 65% compared to 1112 steel alloys, making it one of the most preferred global tooling materials for part production requiring good surface finish quality.

Mechanical Properties	Metric	Imperial
Hardness, Brinell	111	111
Hardness, Knoop (Converted from Brinell Hardness)	128	128
Hardness, Vickers (Converted from Brinell Hardness)	112	112
Tensile Strength, Ultimate	380 MPa	55100 psi
Tensile Strength, Yield	205 MPa	29700 psi
Elongation at Break	25.0 %	25.0 %
Reduction of Area	50.0 %	50.0 %
Bulk Modulus (Typical for steel)	140 GPa	20300 ksi
Poissons Ratio	0.290	0.290
Shear Modulus (Typical for steel)	80.0 GPa	11600 ksi

Corrosion Resistance

Corrosion resistance for SAE/AISI 1022 steel depends on the environment it is exposed to. Still, generally speaking, it performs well in most environments due to the low carbon content, which helps prevent rust from forming on the surface of the metal.

Heat Resistance

SAE/AISI 1022 steel has good heat resistance making it ideal for applications where high temperatures are encountered regularly or where the metal must withstand continuous exposure to extreme temperatures without becoming brittle or losing its strength or hardness.

Heat Treatment Methods

SAE/AISI 1022 can be heat treated using either annealing or normalizing processes depending on what properties need to be obtained from the material after treatment. Annealing involves heating the material at a high temperature before cooling slowly while normalizing requires heating at a lower temperature followed by faster cooling than annealing does.

SAE – AISI 1022 Machining

Machining with SAE/AISI 1022 steel can be both challenging and rewarding. This low carbon steel has good ductility, high strength, and easy formability. It has excellent shock resistance making it ideal for use in parts exposed to wear or impact. Its good machinability makes it easy to turn, mill, or drill – however fabricating holes will require greater attention and can require specialized drills for precision work. Heat treating SAE/AISI 1022 effectively increases the strength and hardness of parts produced by machining this material. Overall, SAE/AISI 1022 is an excellent choice when precision machining and superior strength are necessary elements of the part being constructed.

Welding

Welding options for SAE/AISI 1022 include gas metal arc welding (GMAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) and flux-cored arc welding (FCAW). All three processes require preheating before welding begins in order to reduce cracking during welding due to thermal shock, which can occur when cold material is subjected to intense heat during welding processes. Preheat temperatures should remain between 150°C – 350°C depending on thickness of material being welded but should not exceed 400°C otherwise temper embrittlement may occur rendering the welded joint useless due to loss of ductility or toughness after welding has been completed successfully

Conclusion

In conclusion, SAE/AISI 1022 is a strong medium carbon low alloy steel that has versatile applications in many industries thanks to its excellent strength, corrosion resistance, heat resistance, machinability and weldability characteristics making it suitable for use in automotive components like drive shafts or gears, structural components like beams or columns, tools like cutting tools, fasteners like bolts or nuts, pressure vessels like boilers, pipes, agricultural equipment, industrial machinery parts, oilfield equipment, medical implants, valves, pumps, sporting goods equipment, furniture components etc. Proper heat-treating methods can maintain its strength even under extreme temperatures, enabling it to be used in many different environments. Finally, with proper preheating before welding processes, GMAW, SMAW, or FCAW can be used safely without fear of cracking due to thermal shock. This makes SAE/AISI 1022 an ideal choice when looking for a strong, durable material suitable for many different applications.