EN1APb at a Glance
- Grade
- EN1APb — leaded free-cutting steel, also written EN1A(L) or EN1A Pb
- Nominal composition
- C 0.07–0.15%, Mn 0.90–1.30%, S 0.20–0.30%, Pb 0.15–0.35%
- Equivalents
- AISI 12L14 / 12L13 · DIN 11SMnPb30 (1.0718) · JIS SUM22L
- Supply condition
- Cold drawn / bright; hot rolled on request
- Product forms
- Bright bars, hexagons, rounds and RCS
- Typical uses
- High-volume turned parts, fasteners, studs, pins, connectors and precision fittings
What is EN1APb steel?
EN1APb is a low-carbon, resulphurised and leaded free-cutting steel designed to machine faster and cleaner than any plain-carbon bar. It is the leaded version of EN1A: the same high-manganese, high-sulphur free-cutting base with 0.15–0.35% lead added, giving it the AISI equivalent 12L14 and the German designation 11SMnPb30 (1.0718). The lead disperses as fine particles that act as an internal lubricant and chip-breaker, so the steel cuts with lower tool wear, better surface finish and reliable short chips on automatic lathes and CNC.
Buyers reach for EN1APb when the part count is high and the operation is turning, drilling or threading rather than heavy loading. It is not a structural or through-hardening steel — carbon is deliberately low. Where machinability and volume matter more than strength, EN1APb typically holds the tightest tolerances at the fastest cycle times of any grade in the free-cutting family.
EN1APb chemical composition
EN1APb carries the free-cutting additions — high manganese, high sulphur and lead — over a low-carbon base. The figures below are the standard leaded free-cutting envelope; the exact heat chemistry is confirmed on the mill test certificate that ships with every dispatch.
| Element | % by weight | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 0.07–0.15 | Low, to keep the steel soft and free-machining |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.90–1.30 | Combines with sulphur to form free-cutting manganese sulphides |
| Silicon (Si) | 0.10 max | Kept low to avoid hard inclusions that wear tooling |
| Sulphur (S) | 0.20–0.30 | Deliberately high — forms chip-breaking MnS stringers |
| Phosphorus (P) | 0.07 max | Adds a little strength and improves surface finish |
| Lead (Pb) | 0.15–0.35 | Disperses as an internal lubricant for the fastest cutting speeds |
Sulphur and phosphorus are additions here, not impurities — the high sulphur is what makes the grade free-cutting. Confirm the exact heat analysis on the MTC.
EN1APb mechanical properties
EN1APb reaches its working strength through cold drawing, not heat treatment. The typical cold-drawn values below cover the common bright-bar sizes; actual figures vary with bar diameter and draft, and are confirmed on the heat-wise mill test certificate.
| Property | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 430–700 MPa |
| Yield strength | 340–450 MPa |
| Elongation | 7–14% |
| Hardness | 150–200 HB |
| Condition | Cold drawn / bright; lower strength and higher ductility in the hot-rolled condition |
Strength falls as bar size increases because larger sections take a smaller cold-draw reduction. State your size on the RFQ so the mechanicals quoted match the bar you receive.
What is EN1APb equivalent to?
EN1APb maps directly onto the leaded free-cutting grades in every major standard — the same steel appears under different designations depending on the drawing. Use the equivalent that names the standard the part is designed to; Ambhe Ferro cross-references any of them.
| Standard | Designation |
|---|---|
| American (AISI / SAE) | 12L14 / 12L13 |
| German (DIN / EN, W.-Nr.) | 11SMnPb30 (1.0718) |
| Japanese (JIS) | SUM22L / SUM23L |
| Unleaded base grade | EN1A — its non-leaded free-cutting cousin (1215) |
The unleaded base grade is EN1A (230M07); the leaded route on the main site is EN1A(L). For a full breakdown of the difference, see EN1APb vs EN1A below.
EN1APb heat treatment and processing
EN1APb is a free-cutting steel, not a hardening steel — its low carbon means it will not respond to conventional quench-and-temper hardening. Strength is developed by cold drawing during finishing, and the main heat operations of interest are forging and an optional stress relief.
| Operation | Temperature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Forging | 1100–1280 | Cool slowly after forging |
| Stress relieve | 550–660 | Optional, after heavy machining to control distortion |
| Through hardening | Not applicable | Carbon too low for quench hardening |
| Surface hardening | Carbonitriding possible | Occasionally used for a thin wear-resistant skin |
Do not specify EN1APb where the finished part must be through-hardened for load-bearing strength — choose a medium-carbon or alloy grade instead (see grade selection below).
Machinability of EN1APb
EN1APb is among the most machinable steels available: on a scale where free-cutting 12L14 is rated at roughly 160% of B1112, it turns, drills and threads faster than plain-carbon steel while producing short, self-breaking chips and a bright surface finish. That is the whole reason to pay the premium — on a high-volume automatic-lathe job, the faster cycle time and longer tool life usually outweigh the higher bar cost.
The gains show up directly on the shop floor: higher permissible cutting speeds, longer tool life across a production run, and a cleaner turned finish that can save a secondary operation. On short-run or lightly loaded work the extra machinability is not worth the lead premium — that is where unleaded EN1A is the better-value choice.
What sizes and forms of EN1APb are available?
Ambhe Ferro supplies EN1APb as round and hexagon bar in both black (hot-rolled) and bright (cold-drawn) condition, plus RCS. Bright round and bright hex are the most common for turned components; non-standard sizes are frequently made to order.
Round
23.5 mm – 80 mm dia. Hot-rolled (black) round bar.
Bright Round
22 mm – 63.5 mm dia. Cold drawn for close tolerance and finish.
Hex
23.5 mm – 52.5 mm across flats. Hot-rolled (black) hexagon.
Bright Hex
22 mm – 50 mm across flats. Cold-drawn bright hexagon for nuts, fittings and turned hex parts.
RCS
55 mm, 63 mm, 75 mm. Round-cornered squares for specific forgings and parts.
Standard length is 5–6 m; custom cut lengths, or multiples, are available on request. MOQ is 5 MT per size. See the full size range and bright bar steel pages on ambhe.com.
Applications of EN1APb
EN1APb is chosen wherever a part is made in volume on turning machines and the priority is fast, accurate machining rather than high strength. Typical uses include:
- High-volume CNC and automatic-lathe turned components
- Fasteners — studs, screws, bolts, dowels and threaded parts
- Pins, spacers, bushes, couplings and precision spindles
- Hydraulic and pneumatic fittings, connectors and adaptors
- Electrical and instrument hardware — terminals, contacts and small housings
- Auto components and machined components that do not carry heavy load
Why source EN1APb from Ambhe Ferro
- We roll it, we don't just stock it. Heat-to-heat consistency from our own rolling mill and bright-bar lines.
- ISO 9001 certified with an in-house QC laboratory — optical emission spectrometry for chemistry, plus tensile, hardness and inclusion checks on every heat.
- Heat-wise mill test certificate on every dispatch, with every bundle tagged by grade, size, heat number and weight.
- Bright conditions to h9 / h11 tolerance — cold drawn for the finish your turning job needs.
- Over 39 years serving the Mumbai–Pune–Nashik corridor, with quick dispatch from our two factories in MIDC Murbad, near Kalyan — about 80 km from Mumbai Port and JNPT.
How to order EN1APb from Ambhe Ferro
Ambhe Ferro is an engineering-steel manufacturer with two factories in MIDC Murbad, near Kalyan — about 80 km from Mumbai Port and JNPT. We roll and finish EN1APb steel at our units and dispatch quickly across the Mumbai–Pune–Nashik corridor and pan-India. Regular dispatches go to buyers in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Vasai–Virar, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Chakan, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Nagpur, Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru; exports are arranged on request. Order as hot-rolled rounds, bright bars, hexagons or RCS against your size and tonnage, with a heat-wise mill test certificate on every dispatch.
EN1APb — commercial terms at a glance
| Minimum order quantity | 5 MT per size |
|---|---|
| Standard length | 5–6 m; custom cut lengths (or multiples) on request |
| Product forms | Hot-rolled rounds, bright bars, hexagons, RCS |
| Supply conditions | Cold drawn (bright); hot rolled on request |
| Size range | Round 23.5–80 mm dia; bright round 22–63.5 mm; hex 23.5–52.5 mm A/F; bright hex 22–50 mm A/F; RCS 55 / 63 / 75 mm |
| Test certificate | Heat-wise mill test certificate with every dispatch |
| Dispatch | Ex-works MIDC Murbad, near Kalyan — about 80 km from Mumbai Port and JNPT; regular dispatch across the Mumbai–Pune–Nashik corridor and pan-India; exports on request |
What to include in your EN1APb enquiry
Enquiries carrying these six details get priced fastest — nothing to clarify, nothing holding up the quotation:
- Grade — EN1APb, 12L14 or 11SMnPb30; name any equivalent designation and we cross-reference
- Product form — round, bright bar, hexagon or RCS
- Size — diameter or across-flats in mm, and cut length if specific
- Condition — cold drawn or hot rolled
- Quantity — tonnage per size (MOQ 5 MT per size)
- Delivery — city and required timeline
Send it on WhatsApp +91 84336 75196, email [email protected], call +91 22 6545 3400, or use the request-a-quote form.
EN1APb — frequently asked questions
What is EN1APb steel?
What is EN1APb used for?
What is the chemical composition of EN1APb?
What are the mechanical properties of EN1APb?
What is EN1APb equivalent to?
Can EN1APb be hardened?
Can EN1APb be welded?
How is EN1APb different from EN1A?
Where can I buy EN1APb in India, and what is the MOQ?
Does EN1APb come with a mill test certificate?
Let's Talk EN1APb
Tell us your grade, form, size, and tonnage. We'll respond with pricing, availability, and lead time — and a mill test certificate on every heat.