Carbon Equivalent Calculator
Carbon equivalent, or CE, is one number that sums up how much carbon and alloying elements a steel contains. Enter the percentages from the mill certificate and the result follows.
- Free
- Works offline after your first visit
- Saves on this device
- No sign-up
- Updated
How it works
This uses the IIW formula: carbon, plus manganese divided by six, plus chromium, molybdenum and vanadium divided by five, plus nickel and copper divided by fifteen. Each element is its percent by weight.
The result is in the same percent units as the inputs, so a typed 0.18 for carbon counts as 0.18 percent. It is one input to welding decisions, and the arithmetic here is all it shows.
Worked example
A steel with 0.18% carbon, 1.2% manganese, 0.1% chromium, 0.05% molybdenum, 0.01% vanadium, 0.1% nickel and 0.2% copper has a carbon equivalent of 0.432.
Questions
Where do I find the percentages?
The mill certificate, also called a mill test report, lists the chemistry for each batch of steel. Leave an element at 0 if it is not listed.
Does a higher number mean the steel is poor?
No. It is only the result of a formula. Welding procedures use it along with thickness and other factors.
Why are some elements divided?
Each element pulls the carbon equivalent up by a different amount, so the formula scales them. The divisors come from the IIW formula.
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