Stainless Steel 301 · supply condition
Stainless Steel 301 Quarter Hard
Properties of the Quarter Hard condition, compared with the other 301 tempers.
Use where moderate bending is still needed but 304-level strength is not enough.
What is 301 Quarter Hard?
301 Quarter Hard is 301 supplied in the Quarter Hard condition — use where moderate bending is still needed but 304-level strength is not enough. 301 Quarter Hard has a yield strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 950 MPa (138 ksi) — stronger than 88% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 28% and the elastic modulus is 193 GPa (28 Msi). 301 Quarter Hard has a density of 7.88 g/cm³ (0.285 lb/in³), heavier than 59% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,395°C (2,543 °F). Cold Rolled is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Quarter Hard is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 80/100, better than 89% of stainless steel grades
- High strength — 620 MPa (89.9 ksi), better than 88% of stainless steel grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 5.8 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 85% of stainless steel grades
301 Quarter Hard properties
Typical room-temperature values for 301 Quarter Hard — 8 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every 301 temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the stainless steel grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical3
301 Quarter Hard has a density of 7.88 g/cm³ (0.285 lb/in³), heavier than 59% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,395°C (2,543 °F).
Mechanical17
301 Quarter Hard has a yield strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 950 MPa (138 ksi) — stronger than 88% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 28% and the elastic modulus is 193 GPa (28 Msi).
Thermal6
301 Quarter Hard is rated for continuous service to 425°C (797 °F). It conducts heat at 16.2 W/m·K (9.36 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 64% of stainless steel grades. Thermal expansion is 16.9 µm/m·K (9.39 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
301 Quarter Hard conducts electricity at 2.4 % IACS, better than 67% of stainless steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (60/100), worse than 58% of stainless steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 301 Quarter Hard takes about 53 MJ of energy and emits 5.8 kg of CO₂ — less than 67% of stainless steel grades. Typical recycled content is 55%.
Manufacturability7
301 Quarter Hard's machinability is fair (35/100, better than 51% of stainless steel grades); weldability good (65/100); formability good (60/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other 301 tempers and conditions
301 is also supplied in 9 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the 301 overview.
- Cold RolledDefaultMost commonly stocked strip/sheet condition: good strength with usable bendability.570 MPa yield · 27 HRC
- Spring Temper WireCold-drawn round wire for corrosion-resistant compression/extension springs; strength rises as diameter falls.1,450 MPa yield · 48 HRC
- Extra HardThin-gauge strip for flat springs and constant-force parts where the highest strength is required.1,350 MPa yield · 46 HRC
- Full HardMaximum standard strength for spring clips, shims and wear strip; bend only along grain with generous radii.1,100 MPa yield · 42 HRC
- Three-Quarter HardChoose for flat springs and high-strength panels needing only mild forming.1,000 MPa yield · 39 HRC
- Half HardCommon structural/clip temper: high strength with limited 90° bend capability.830 MPa yield · 35 HRC
- Quarter HardUse where moderate bending is still needed but 304-level strength is not enough.620 MPa yield · 28 HRC
- eighth_hardLightly cold-rolled 301 strip/sheet to ASTM A666 1/8-Hard temper — modest strength increase with still-generous bending and forming ductility.500 MPa yield · 225 HB
- sixteenth_hardVery lightly temper-rolled 301 strip/sheet (ASTM A666 1/16-Hard) — small strength gain over annealed while keeping near-annealed formability.400 MPa yield · 200 HB
- AnnealedPick for deep drawing, severe forming or welding; softest and least magnetic condition.280 MPa yield · 165 HB
Working with 301 Quarter Hard
Is 301 easy to machine?
Gummy and strongly work-hardening: use rigid setups, positive-rake sharp carbide, heavy feed, low-to-moderate speed and flood coolant; never let the tool dwell or the surface will harden.
Can 301 be welded?
Readily GTAW/GMAW/resistance welded with 308L/309L filler; keep heat input low, no preheat, avoid slow cooling in 425–870 °C to limit carbide precipitation, and expect loss of cold-worked strength in the HAZ.
Can 301 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent stretch formability in the annealed temper thanks to the very high work-hardening rate (n ≈ 0.4), but forces and springback are high and interstage annealing is often needed; bend hard tempers transverse to the rolling direction only.
What surface finishes work on 301?
Not anodizable — passivate per ASTM A967 after machining/welding; takes bright-anneal, No.4 brush and No.8 mirror polish well and accepts PVD colour or electropolishing.
301 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| C≤0.15 % (higher than 304 — drives work hardening) | ≤ 0.15 | 0.1 |
| Si | ≤ 1 | 0.5 |
| Mn | ≤ 2 | 1.2 |
| P | ≤ 0.05 | — |
| SEN 1.4310 allows ≤0.015 | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Cr | 16 – 18 | 17 |
| Nilow Ni keeps austenite metastable | 6 – 8 | 7 |
| N | ≤ 0.1 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
301 Quarter Hard — frequently asked
What is 301 Quarter Hard used for?
301 Quarter Hard is typically used for flat springs and spring clips, subway and rail car body panels, hose and band clamps, structural formed panels, retaining clips and brackets and spring-temper wire forms. In short: highest strength stainless spring.
What is the yield strength of 301 Quarter Hard?
301 Quarter Hard has a typical yield strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 950 MPa (138 ksi) — stronger than 88% of stainless steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 10 listed tempers.
Is 301 Quarter Hard easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (35/100, better than 51% of stainless steel grades). Gummy and strongly work-hardening: use rigid setups, positive-rake sharp carbide, heavy feed, low-to-moderate speed and flood coolant; never let the tool dwell or the surface will harden.
Can 301 Quarter Hard be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (65/100). Readily GTAW/GMAW/resistance welded with 308L/309L filler; keep heat input low, no preheat, avoid slow cooling in 425–870 °C to limit carbide precipitation, and expect loss of cold-worked strength in the HAZ.
What surface finishes work on 301 Quarter Hard?
Not anodizable — passivate per ASTM A967 after machining/welding; takes bright-anneal, No.4 brush and No.8 mirror polish well and accepts PVD colour or electropolishing.
Can 301 Quarter Hard be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent stretch formability in the annealed temper thanks to the very high work-hardening rate (n ≈ 0.4), but forces and springback are high and interstage annealing is often needed; bend hard tempers transverse to the rolling direction only.
What is the maximum service temperature of 301 Quarter Hard?
301 Quarter Hard is rated for continuous use to about 425°C (797 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in 301 Quarter Hard?
Yes — 301 Quarter Hard is available for sheet metal with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASTM A666 — Annealed or Cold-Worked Austenitic Stainless Steel Sheet, Strip, Plate and Flat Bar — ASTM International (2015)
- EN 10088-2 / EN 10151 — Stainless steels: flat products and spring strip (1.4310) — CEN (2014)
- EN 10270-3 — Steel wire for mechanical springs, stainless spring steel wire — CEN (2011)
- GB/T 3280 / GB/T 20878 (1Cr17Ni7, 12Cr17Ni7) — SAC (2015)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- Outokumpu / Sandvik stainless strip and spring wire datasheets (301, 1.4310) — Outokumpu, Sandvik (2023)
- SMM / Mysteel — SMM / Mysteel (2026)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.