Grade EN31

EN31 steel is a high-carbon, high-chromium alloy steel widely recognized for its exceptional hardness, wear resistance, and strength after heat treatment. It is one of the most commonly used steels for bearing manufacturing and precision engineering applications where durability and performance are critical. Due to its high carbon and chromium content, EN31 delivers superior resistance to abrasion and surface wear.

After proper heat treatment, EN31 can achieve very high hardness levels ranging from 60 to 66 HRC, making it ideal for components exposed to rolling contact, friction, and repeated stress. This high hardness, combined with excellent compressive strength, ensures long service life even under demanding conditions such as high-speed rotation and heavy loads.

Tool Steel

EN31 also provides good fatigue resistance, which is essential for components like bearings, cams, and rollers that operate under cyclic loading. While its toughness is moderate compared to alloy steels like EN19 or EN24, it offers better performance than plain carbon steels in wear-intensive applications.

Due to its dimensional stability and consistent performance after heat treatment, EN31 is widely used across automotive, machinery, toolroom, and bearing industries. It is particularly suited for precision components where accuracy, hardness, and wear resistance are essential.

Key Properties

  • Very High Hardness (60–66 HRC): Achieves exceptional hardness after heat treatment, ideal for wear-critical applications.
  • Excellent Wear Resistance: Suitable for rolling, sliding, and abrasive wear conditions.
  • High Strength & Fatigue Resistance: Performs well under cyclic loading and high rotational stress.
  • Moderate Toughness: Better than plain carbon steels but lower than alloy steels like EN19 and EN24.
  • Dimensional Stability: Maintains precision after heat treatment, ideal for bearings and tools.
  • Medium Machinability: Easy to machine in annealed condition; difficult after hardening.
  • Poor Weldability: Not recommended for welding due to high carbon content.

Common Applications

  • Ball bearings, roller bearings, and bearing races
  • Needle rollers and bushes
  • Gears and pinions
  • High-wear automotive components
  • Shafts, axles, and spindles
  • Precision measuring tools
  • Punches, dies, and forming rolls
  • Tappets, cams, and cam followers
  • Knives, blades, and cutting tools
  • Ball screws and linear motion components
  • Press tools and machine tool parts

PUROHIT STEEL is a trusted name in the tool steel industry, with humble beginnings dating back to 1965 and over three decades of expertise in delivering high-quality materials and solutions. Today, the group operates multiple well-established units, maintaining a vast inventory ranging from hot work and cold work tool steels to specialized materials. Known for reliability and strong technical support, PUROHIT STEEL caters to the diverse requirements of small, medium, and large-scale industries. The company specializes in manufacturing moulds and tooling components using premium grades such as Grade EN31 which is ideal for applications including injection moulds (medium to large size), blow moulds, low-pressure die-casting dies, automotive moulds, tooling plates, extrusion dies, machine parts, shafts, and general tooling components. With a focus on quality, performance, and precision, PUROHIT STEEL continues to deliver durable and efficient tooling solutions.