LOW ALLOYS

Low Alloy Steel

Low alloy steel is the commercial name for ordinary steel to which a small amount of other chemical elements have been added. These alloying elements rarely exceed 5%, compared to, for example, austenitic stainless steel, which can contain up to 50% alloying elements. Low alloys are mainly used in areas where ordinary carbon steel is used but where specific properties are desired. Through the composition of the alloy, together with various treatments, properties such as improved strength, heat resistance and weldability can be achieved. 

Low-alloy steel generally has a high carbon content, which results in poor weldability and lower corrosion resistance. However, this can be improved by various hardening processes and alloying additions. There is also special low alloy steel with very low carbon content, with improved cold working and corrosion resistant properties.

Typical applications for low alloy steel include oil and gas drilling equipment, as well as general engineering components such as bolts, shafts and gear. Most of our low alloy products are hardened and tempered and come in the shape of solid round bars or hollow bars. Read more about our low alloys in the section below. 

Advantages of low alloy steel

• High yield and creep strength
• Good heat resistance
• Easily cold worked
• Cost-effective

Our Low Alloys

AISI 4130

AISI 4130 is a low alloy steel containing chromium and molybdenum as strengthening agents. It has low carbon content, resulting in good weldability. 4130 is supplied hardened and tempered in the shape of round bars and is commonly used for drilling equipment in the oil and gas industry. 

AISI 4140

AISI 4140 is a medium hardened general-purpose steel with a 1% chromium and 1% molybdenum content, giving it high tensile strength and moderate weldability. The hardened and tempered steel is suitable for oil and gas downhole tools used in production and completion processes. In hardened condition, 4140 can also be used for machine parts exposed to heavy wear.

AISI 4145H

AISI 4145 H is a low alloy tempered steel containing chromium and molybdenum. It has improved hardenability and is most commonly used in the high strength condition (min.110 KSI yield). The low alloy steel is suitable for applications such as downhole oil drilling tools and engineering components exposed to heavy strain (i.e. gear, bolts and shafts). 

AISI 4330 V

AISI 4330 V is a high strength low alloyed steel that contains chromium, nickel, molybdenum and vanadium. The chemical composition offers improved hardening properties and the ability to achieve higher tensile strengths and impact. Downhole tools and drilling jars in the oil and gas industries are typical applications for this type of low alloy steel.

Find the right low alloy steel for your projects

At Sverdrup Steel, we have more than 30 years of experience in low alloys, titanium, duplex and stainless steel. No matter the project or industry, we have the high performance material you need. Our technical experts are ready to advise you on a wide range of technical topics and come up with recommendations. You can also use our tools for calculating and converting values such as PREN, material weight and steel hardness.