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65Mn Spring Steel Strip

The manganese spring steel that hardens deeper than plain 65# — C 0.62–0.70%, Mn 0.90–1.20%, quenched and tempered to 42–50 HRC. Supplied spheroidized for blanking diaphragm springs, circlips, washers and agricultural blades.

● Stocked — check availability C 0.62–0.70% · Mn 0.90–1.20% H&T 42–50 HRC GB/T 1222 / ASTM A682 / JIS SUP6
At a glance65Mn is a manganese spring steel per GB/T 1222, cross-referenced to ASTM A682 and JIS G4801 SUP6. It carries 0.62–0.70% C and 0.90–1.20% Mn — the elevated manganese gives it significantly better hardenability than plain 65# steel, allowing through-hardening in thicker sections. After quenching (810–840°C oil) and tempering (350–500°C), it reaches 42–50 HRC. Primary uses: automotive clutch diaphragm springs, wave and Belleville washers, circlips, agricultural cutter blades. Precision cold-rolled strip 0.20–4.0 mm, slit from 6 mm, spheroidized or H&T, MTC on every coil. Typical/indicative, confirm at RFQ.
Where 65Mn sits

Manganese-boosted hardenability in a lean spring steel

65Mn sits between plain carbon spring steel (65#, SAE1065) and alloy spring steel (50CrV4). The extra manganese buys deeper hardening without chromium and vanadium cost — why it dominates medium-section spring applications in China and across Asia.

65Mn vs. 65# plain carbon

65# steel (0.30–0.60% Mn) hardens only in thin sections — above ~1.5 mm the core stays soft. 65Mn's 0.90–1.20% Mn pushes the critical diameter up, giving through-hardening in sections up to ~3–4 mm. For diaphragm springs and washers over 1.5 mm thick, 65Mn is the correct call.

65# for thin strip; 65Mn for thicker sections.

65Mn vs. 50CrV4 (alloy spring)

50CrV4 adds Cr and V for deeper hardening and superior fatigue life — the grade for automotive valve springs and suspension coils under millions of cycles. 65Mn is the leaner, lower-cost choice for flat springs, washers and blades where fatigue cycles are moderate.

65Mn for flat springs & washers; 50CrV4 for high-fatigue coils.

65Mn vs. SAE1078 (high carbon)

SAE1078 (0.72–0.85% C) is optimized for saw blades and cutting edges where maximum hardness matters. 65Mn prioritizes hardenability and toughness over peak hardness — the better choice for springs that must flex without cracking.

65Mn for springs; 1078 for blades and edges.
Chemistry

Chemical composition — 65Mn per GB/T 1222

The elevated manganese is the defining feature — it improves hardenability and refines the pearlite structure. Actual heat chemistry confirmed on MTC.

Element65Mn (%)Notes
Carbon (C)0.62 – 0.70Primary hardening and spring-force element
Silicon (Si)0.17 – 0.37Deoxidizer; contributes to elastic limit
Manganese (Mn)0.90 – 1.20Key alloying element — improves hardenability vs. plain 65#
Phosphorus (P)≤ 0.035Residual; controlled for toughness and fatigue
Sulfur (S)≤ 0.035Residual; controlled for shear-face quality

Reference: GB/T 1222. Values typical per standard, actual confirmed on MTC. Compare with other spring grades in our spring steel standards comparison.

Mechanicals

Properties by delivery condition

Supplied in two conditions: spheroidized for blanking and forming, or hardened-and-tempered for finished spring properties.

ConditionHardness (typ.)Tensile (typ.)Typical use
Spheroidized (soft annealed)≤ 220 HB540 – 650 MPaFine blanking, cold forming — part quenched afterwards
Hardened & tempered42 – 50 HRC1,000 – 1,300 MPaDiaphragm springs, washers, circlips, blades

Indicative only. Hardness depends on section size, quench medium and tempering. Elevated Mn ensures through-hardening in sections up to ~3–4 mm (oil quench). Typical per standard, actual confirmed on MTC.

Equivalents

Approximate equivalents in other standards

65Mn's manganese content is higher than most plain-carbon spring equivalents. Confirm hardenability against your governing standard before substitution.

StandardGradeNotes
GB (China)65MnBase reference (GB/T 1222)
ASTM (USA)A682 Grade 1065 (approx.)Plain carbon spring steel; lower Mn than 65Mn — confirm hardenability
JIS (Japan)SUP6 (approx.)JIS G4801; Si-Mn spring steel with similar hardenability
DIN (Germany)65Mn4 (approx.)Manganese spring steel; confirm against EN standards

Equivalents are approximate. 65Mn's Mn content (0.90–1.20%) is higher than AISI 1065 (0.30–0.60%), so hardenability differs. For safety-critical springs, confirm full chemistry and hardenability against your governing spec and the MTC.

What it becomes

Parts made from 65Mn strip

Clutch diaphragm springs

2.0–4.0 mm 65Mn strip, blanked into diaphragm spring shapes with finger slots, then quenched and tempered to 44–48 HRC. The manganese-enhanced hardenability ensures the full section hardens evenly — critical for consistent diaphragm spring force. See our clutch disc spring guide.

Wave & Belleville washers

0.3–1.5 mm strip, stamped into wave or conical washer shapes, then Q&T to 45–50 HRC for maximum set resistance. 65Mn is preferred over plain carbon because through-hardening gives uniform spring force across the washer cross-section, preventing permanent set under repeated compression.

Circlips & retaining rings

0.5–2.0 mm spheroidized strip, fine-blanked to circlip geometry, then hardened and tempered. The clean shear face from the spheroidized condition ensures the circlip seats properly in the groove, and the 65Mn hardness gives the radial spring force needed for secure retention.

Agricultural cutter blades

1.5–3.0 mm 65Mn strip for sickle sections, mower blades and cutter bars. Blanked and formed in the soft state, then Q&T to 45–50 HRC for a tough, wear-resistant cutting edge that resists chipping in field use. 65Mn's toughness makes it more durable than higher-carbon blade steels in impact-loaded cutting. See our saw blade steel guide.

From coil to component

Processing we do in-house before delivery

Spheroidizing annealing

Full cycle conditioning the carbide structure for clean fine blanking and cold forming. Read more in our spheroidizing guide.

Precision cold rolling

Multi-pass rolling to your gauge tolerance, with controlled surface finish. Thickness tolerances agreed per order and documented on the MTC.

Slitting & CTL

Width tolerance and burr managed on our line — coils for progressive dies, sheets for blanking feeders. Narrow widths from 6 mm.

Hardening & tempering

H&T strip to a specified hardness band for finished spring properties. Flatness managed through tension leveling; decarburization depth controlled and reported.

Spec questions

65Mn, asked and answered

Why is 65Mn preferred over plain 65# steel for springs?
65Mn adds 0.90–1.20% manganese (vs. 0.30–0.60% in plain 65# steel), significantly improving hardenability. This means 65Mn through-hardens more reliably in thicker sections for consistent spring force. The higher manganese also refines the pearlite structure, improving fatigue resistance.
What hardness does 65Mn reach after quenching and tempering?
After austenitizing at 810–840°C, oil quenching, and tempering at 350–500°C, 65Mn typically reaches 42–50 HRC, depending on section size. Thin strip (≤1.5 mm) achieves the upper end more readily. We supply H&T strip to a specified hardness band, or spheroidized strip for in-house heat treatment.
Can 65Mn strip be fine-blanked?
Yes, when supplied in a fully spheroidized (soft-annealed) condition with controlled hardness. 65Mn is a common choice for blanked spring components — diaphragm springs, wave washers and circlips — the part is blanked in the soft state and then quenched and tempered to finished spring properties. Consistent spheroidization across the coil keeps blanking tool life predictable and the shear face clean. Read our fine blanking material selection guide.
What are the equivalents of 65Mn?
Approximate equivalents: ASTM A682 Grade 1065 (USA, plain carbon spring steel — note 65Mn has higher Mn), JIS SUP6 (Japan, G4801 — silicon-manganese spring steel with similar hardenability), DIN 65Mn4 (Germany, approximate). These are approximate — 65Mn's manganese content is higher than AISI 1065, so hardenability differs. For safety-critical springs, confirm full chemistry and hardenability against your governing specification and the MTC.
Further reading

From the Knowledge Hub

Fine Blanking Quality Metrics Guide: Shear Surface, Burr, Flatness & Tolerance

For 65Mn spring strip and hardened parts: burr height limits by thickness, flatness and camber tolerances, surface roughness Ra, dimensional accuracy and inspection methods — the quality metrics that determine whether your spring and blanking parts meet specification.

How do you control decarburization on 65Mn spring strip?
Annealing cycles run in controlled atmosphere limit surface decarburization, checked on process samples. For springs where the surface is the load-bearing zone (diaphragm springs, washers), decarb depth directly affects fatigue life. Tell us at RFQ if your part is hardened without machining the surface, and we will confirm measured decarb depth on the inspection report.
Related steel families

Explore related product families

These grade families share material, processing or application territory with 65Mn.

spring steel strip family guide

65Mn / 50CrV4 / C67S / C75S grades with high elastic limit and fatigue resistance for springs and washers.

high carbon steel strip for blades and edges

SAE1070 / SAE1078 / SK5 grades with higher carbon for saw blades, cutting edges and spring components.

alloy structural steel strip for high-fatigue parts

42CrMo / 40Cr grades with Cr-Mo alloying for deep hardening and high fatigue strength.

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