Steel CRGO · supply condition
Steel CRGO Cold Rolled
Properties of the Cold Rolled condition, compared with the other CRGO tempers.
Semi-finished mill condition (or customer-supplied hard strip): high strength and hardness but poor magnetic properties — must be decarburized/high-temperature annealed before use as a core.
What is CRGO Cold Rolled?
CRGO Cold Rolled is CRGO supplied in the Cold Rolled condition — semi-finished mill condition (or customer-supplied hard strip): high strength and hardness but poor magnetic properties — must be decarburized/high-temperature annealed before use as a core. CRGO Cold Rolled has a yield strength of 570 MPa (82.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) — stronger than 74% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 125 GPa (18.1 Msi). CRGO Cold Rolled has a density of 7.65 g/cm³ (0.276 lb/in³), lighter than 97% of steel grades. It melts at 1,480°C (2,696 °F). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Cold Rolled is available on request or by drawing note.
Limitations
- Low stiffness — 125 GPa (18.1 Msi), worse than 99% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 3%, worse than 99% of steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 200°C (392 °F), worse than 93% of steel grades
- Poor heat conductor — 22 W/m·K (12.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 93% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 15/100, worse than 87% of steel grades
CRGO Cold Rolled properties
Typical room-temperature values for CRGO Cold Rolled — 8 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every CRGO temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the steel grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical3
CRGO Cold Rolled has a density of 7.65 g/cm³ (0.276 lb/in³), lighter than 97% of steel grades. It melts at 1,480°C (2,696 °F).
Mechanical12
CRGO Cold Rolled has a yield strength of 570 MPa (82.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) — stronger than 74% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 125 GPa (18.1 Msi).
Thermal6
CRGO Cold Rolled is rated for continuous service to 200°C (392 °F). It conducts heat at 22 W/m·K (12.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 93% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12 µm/m·K (6.67 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
CRGO Cold Rolled conducts electricity at 3.6 % IACS, worse than 85% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is poor (18/100), better than 83% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of CRGO Cold Rolled takes about 40 MJ of energy and emits 2.6 kg of CO₂ — more than 91% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 15%.
Manufacturability7
CRGO Cold Rolled's machinability is fair (35/100, worse than 83% of steel grades); weldability poor (30/100); formability poor (15/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other CRGO tempers and conditions
CRGO is also supplied in 3 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the CRGO overview.
- AnnealedDefaultStandard commercial condition: magnetic properties and coating are final, use as-slit/as-punched with only a light stress-relief anneal after cutting.305 MPa yield · 180 HV
- Cold RolledSemi-finished mill condition (or customer-supplied hard strip): high strength and hardness but poor magnetic properties — must be decarburized/high-temperature annealed before use as a core.570 MPa yield · 26 HRC
Working with CRGO Cold Rolled
Is CRGO easy to machine?
Normally slit, punched, guillotined or laser/EDM cut rather than machined; the ceramic-like coating and Si content are abrasive, so use carbide/coated tooling and sharp, well-maintained dies to avoid burrs that short laminations.
Can CRGO be welded?
TIG/laser welding is possible for core clamping tabs but locally destroys texture, coating and interlaminar insulation and raises core loss — keep welds off the flux path.
Can CRGO be formed, bent or molded?
Formability is limited and highly anisotropic; restrict to shearing, slitting and gentle radii along the rolling direction, then stress-relief anneal (~800 °C, decarburizing-free atmosphere) to recover punching-induced loss.
What surface finishes work on CRGO?
Supplied ready-coated (C-5/C-6 phosphate-type insulating layer); do not pickle or blast; protect cut edges with varnish, oil or core-plate paint against rust.
CRGO 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Siraises resistivity, lowers eddy-current loss | 2.9 – 3.4 | 3.1 |
| Cafter decarburization anneal | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Mn | 0.03 – 0.2 | 0.1 |
| SMnS inhibitor in CGO route | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | 0.01 |
| AlAlN inhibitor in HiB route | ≤ 0.04 | 0.03 |
| N | ≤ 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Cuinhibitor addition in some HiB routes | ≤ 0.6 | 0.1 |
| Fe | balance | — |
CRGO Cold Rolled — frequently asked
What is CRGO Cold Rolled used for?
CRGO Cold Rolled is typically used for power transformer cores, distribution transformer cores, wound and stacked core laminations, reactor and choke cores, instrument and current transformer cores and large rotating-machine laminations. In short: grain-oriented electrical coil.
What is the yield strength of CRGO Cold Rolled?
CRGO Cold Rolled has a typical yield strength of 570 MPa (82.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) — stronger than 74% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is CRGO Cold Rolled easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (35/100, worse than 83% of steel grades). Normally slit, punched, guillotined or laser/EDM cut rather than machined; the ceramic-like coating and Si content are abrasive, so use carbide/coated tooling and sharp, well-maintained dies to avoid burrs that short laminations.
Can CRGO Cold Rolled be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (30/100). TIG/laser welding is possible for core clamping tabs but locally destroys texture, coating and interlaminar insulation and raises core loss — keep welds off the flux path.
What surface finishes work on CRGO Cold Rolled?
Supplied ready-coated (C-5/C-6 phosphate-type insulating layer); do not pickle or blast; protect cut edges with varnish, oil or core-plate paint against rust.
Can CRGO Cold Rolled be formed, bent or molded?
Formability is limited and highly anisotropic; restrict to shearing, slitting and gentle radii along the rolling direction, then stress-relief anneal (~800 °C, decarburizing-free atmosphere) to recover punching-induced loss.
What is the maximum service temperature of CRGO Cold Rolled?
CRGO Cold Rolled is rated for continuous use to about 200°C (392 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between CRGO Annealed and CRGO-HiB?
Annealed is the default condition — standard commercial condition: magnetic properties and coating are final, use as-slit/as-punched with only a light stress-relief anneal after cutting. HiB: choose for lowest core loss and highest induction (e.g. 30Q120/27QG100 class) in energy-efficient distribution and power transformers; mechanical properties as annealed. Yield strength is 305 MPa in Annealed versus 300 MPa in HiB.
Can FabDigit make parts in CRGO Cold Rolled?
Yes — CRGO Cold Rolled is available for sheet metal with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASTM A876 — Flat-Rolled, Grain-Oriented, Silicon-Iron, Electrical Steel, Fully Processed Types — ASTM International (2018)
- IEC 60404-8-7 — Magnetic materials: grain-oriented steel sheet and strip — IEC (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties of Magnetically Soft Materials — ASM International (1990)
- Grain-oriented electrical steel (TRAN-COR H / conventional GO) product data — Cleveland-Cliffs (AK Steel) (2022)
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.