What are the advantages of using 60Si2CrA to manufacture rail elastic clips?
Using 60Si2CrA spring steel to manufacture rail elastic clips offers multiple significant advantages, primarily stemming from its optimized chemical composition design. By controlling the silicon content between 1.5% and 2.0%, this material significantly enhances the steel's elastic limit and yield ratio. This allows the clip to store more elastic potential energy under the same deformation conditions, thereby providing a more durable and stable clamping force.
| Material | 60Si2MnA | 60Si2CrA | 55Si2Mn | 38Si7 |
| Chemical composition(%) | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.60-2.00, Cr:≤0.35, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.40-0.70, Si:1.40-1.80,Cr:0.70-1.00 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.52-0.60, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.50-2.00,Cr:≤0.35 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.35-0.42, Mn:0.50-0.80, Si:1.50-1.80, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 |
| Model | Diameter | Weight | Material |
| Type III | Ø18 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E1609 | Ø16 | 0.43 kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E1809 | Ø20 | 0.61kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E1813 | Ø18 | 0.62kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2001 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2007 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2009 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2039 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2055 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2056 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2063 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR85 Rail Clip | Ø13 | 0.25kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR309A | Ø19 | 0.85kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR401 | Ø20 | 0.97kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR415 | Ø20 | 0.95kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR601A | Ø20 | 1.03kg/pc | 38Si7 |
| SKL 1 | Ø13 | 0.48kg/pc | 60Si2CrA |
| SKL 3 | Ø13 | 0.48kg/pc | 60Si2CrA |
| SKL 12 | Ø13 | 0.53kg/pc | 38Si7 |
| SKL 14 | Ø13 | 0.53kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Special Rail Clip | Ø13 | 0.48kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Russia Rail Clip | Ø18 | 0.58kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Deenik Clip | Ø25 | 0.49-0.68kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Single Anti- | Ø20 | 0.25kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Theft |
Simultaneously, the addition of chromium (content 0.5%-0.8%) effectively improves the steel's hardenability and temper resistance, ensuring the clip achieves uniform mechanical properties across its entire cross-section after heat treatment, avoiding issues like low core strength due to insufficient hardening depth.
In terms of mechanical properties, 60Si2CrA exhibits exceptional comprehensive performance. After proper heat treatment, its tensile strength can reach 1600-1800 MPa, yield strength exceeds 1400 MPa, while elongation remains above 8%. This combination of high strength and good plasticity ensures the clip neither undergoes plastic deformation under extreme loads nor possesses sufficient impact toughness. Practical tests show that clips made from 60Si2CrA have a fatigue life approximately 25%-30% higher than those made from common 60Si2MnA material, capable of retaining over 90% of the initial clamping force even after 3 million load cycles.
This material also demonstrates excellent environmental adaptability. The addition of chromium not only improves mechanical properties but also enhances the material's resistance to corrosion fatigue, effectively delaying the initiation of stress corrosion cracks in harsh environments like dampness and salt spray.
The elastic clips manufactured by GNEE RAIL using 60Si2CrA material, through precisely controlled quenching temperature and tempering processes, maintain a stable hardness in the ideal range of HRC 42-46, perfectly balancing elasticity and wear resistance requirements. They are particularly suitable for application scenarios with extremely high demands on clip performance, such as high-speed railways and heavy-haul lines.
