AISI 1050 Carbon Steel Springs
Coiling Technologies is a certified custom spring manufacturer. We produce custom sizes for a variety of springs and applications in heavier industries, including oil refining, military equipment, and the automotive industry.
No matter the demand, our team at Coiling Technologies will work to produce a product that exceeds expectations. We use only high-quality, high-performance materials such as AISI 1050 carbon steel to manufacture our springs. Our springs are manufactured for industrial usage, so we take pride in the toughness and durability of our products.
AISI 1050 Carbon Steel Features & Benefits
AISI 1050 is a medium carbon, medium tensile steel with good strength, toughness, and wear resistance. It is higher in strength than some closely related materials like 1020, 1040.
The benefits of this material are that it is easily formable, strong, and cost effective in heavy industrial applications. AISI 1050 contains no chromium and offers no inherent corrosion resistance, so springs going into wet, washdown, or outdoor service require a protective finish such as powder coating or a phosphate conversion coating.
| Technical Specification | AISI 1050 |
|---|---|
| Nominal Composition |
C: 0.47 - 0.55 Mn: 0.60 - 0.90 Fe: 98.46 - 98.92 |
| Density |
0.284 lb./in3 |
| Modulus of Elasticity (E) |
29.7x 103 ksi |
| Modulus of Rigidity (G) |
11.6 x 103 ksi |
| Electrical Resistivity |
163µΩ.cm |
| Thermal Conductivity |
346 Btu/(hr/ft2/in/°F) |
| Min Size |
0.010 in (0.250 mm) |
| Max Temp |
95oC (200oF) |
| Uses |
It is used for general purpose application |
Applications for AISI 1050 Carbon Steel
Due to its mix of useful properties, this material is utilized for a very large variety of applications. AISI 1050 spring steel is most commonly known to be used for blades and related products for its strength. When it comes to AISI 1050 springs, these are usually found low stressed applications or static load applications.
Some more applications include but are not limited to:
- Heavy equipment/Die machinery
- Electronics
- General use machinery
- Wire forms and springs
- Medical equipment
- Flat springs
Industries
Although there are many, some of the most common industries that AISI 1050 carbon steel springs are used in are the mechanical equipment and warehouse industries and the automotive industry.
Industries that commonly benefit:
- Oil and petroleum refining
- Automotive
- Agriculture
- Military
- Aerospace
- Technology
- Medical
Types of Springs:
- Custom springs
- Die springs
- Compression springs
- Torsion springs
- Disc springs
- Suspension springs
- Wire forms
- Drawbar springs
- Extension springs
- Wave springs
Coiling Technologies: Your Trusted AISI 1050 Carbon Steel Spring Manufacturer
Coiling Technologies manufactures custom springs to meet the meticulous demands of industrial customers. With products made to your size specifications and a wide variety of materials and options to choose from, we can help you create the right product for your needs.
Our customization is unbeatable, and with our springs’ high-performance and quality, you can count on us to deliver exactly what you need every time. Contact us today!
AISI 1050 Carbon Steel Springs FAQs
What is AISI 1050 carbon steel and where does it fit among spring materials?
AISI 1050 is a medium carbon, medium tensile steel. The published nominal composition is 0.47 to 0.55 percent carbon and 0.60 to 0.90 percent manganese, with iron making up the balance at 98.46 to 98.92 percent. That carbon level puts it above 1020 and 1040 in strength, toughness, and wear resistance while keeping the material formable enough to coil and heat treat economically. It carries no chromium, nickel, or molybdenum, so its properties come almost entirely from carbon content and thermal processing rather than from alloying. For springs, that makes 1050 a low cost choice where loads are modest and the operating environment is dry and near ambient.
What kinds of springs and parts are made from 1050 spring steel?
The published use for the grade is general purpose application. AISI 1050 is best known in blades and similar flat products where strength carries the design, and in spring work it lands in low stressed and static load service. Listed applications include heavy equipment and die machinery, electronics, general use machinery, wire forms and springs, medical equipment, and flat springs. Coiling Technologies coils custom springs, die springs, compression springs, torsion springs, disc springs, suspension springs, wire forms, drawbar springs, extension springs, and wave springs, and 1050 can be formed into any of those where the load and temperature suit it.
What is the maximum service temperature for an AISI 1050 spring?
The specification table lists a maximum temperature of 95 degrees C (200 degrees F). That is the lowest ceiling in the carbon and low alloy family, and it is a real design limit rather than a conservative footnote. Above it, a plain carbon steel spring begins to relax under sustained load, so a spring holding a fixed deflection loses force over time even though nothing looks wrong on inspection. If your duty cycle sees sustained temperature above 200 degrees F, move to a chrome vanadium or chrome silicon grade, and step to stainless or a nickel alloy for the ranges above those.
What is the smallest wire size available in AISI 1050?
Minimum size in the specification table is 0.010 in (0.250 mm). Small diameters in a medium carbon steel put surface condition at the front of the discussion, because at 0.010 in a decarburized skin or a drawing lap consumes a meaningful fraction of the load bearing cross section. Surface defects are where fatigue cracks start in carbon steel, so state the surface quality you need on the drawing instead of assuming it. Coiling Technologies performs non-destructive testing in house and can inspect incoming material and finished springs against your written requirements before parts ship.
Does a 1050 spring need stress relieving after coiling?
Yes. Cold coiling leaves residual tensile stress on the outside surface of the wire, which is exactly where a compression or extension spring is most highly loaded in service. A stress relief after coiling lowers that residual stress, stabilizes free length, and cuts the amount of set the spring takes on first compression. Temperature and time have to be matched to the wire condition, since excess heat pulls tensile strength back out of the material. Coiling Technologies heat treats in house, so forming and thermal processing stay under one quality system with no outside vendor in the loop.
Is AISI 1050 corrosion resistant?
No. AISI 1050 contains no chromium and forms no passive oxide film, so it rusts in humid air and corrodes quickly where salt spray or condensation is present. A 1050 spring going outdoors, into a washdown area, or into a marine environment needs protection: powder coating, phosphate and oil, zinc plating, or another conversion coating. Coiling Technologies applies powder coating in house. Electroplating raises a second concern, because hydrogen absorbed during plating can embrittle a hardened carbon steel spring and cause delayed fracture unless the parts are baked soon afterward. Specify the finish on your drawing.
What documentation comes with a 1050 spring order?
Coiling Technologies can supply material certifications showing chemistry and mechanical property data, dimensional inspection reports with measured values against your drawing tolerances, first article inspection documentation, load test data, and traceability from the finished spring back to incoming raw material. That package matters more with plain carbon steel than buyers expect, since 1050 has no alloy safety margin and its performance depends on heat treatment being right. CTI holds ISO 9001:2015 certification and is audited regularly, and products are analyzed before and during production against the customer specification.
