Metal
Mild steel (CRCA)
The cheapest formable sheet. Needs a coating.
Published values for unfilled grades at 23 °C unless stated. Confirm against the supplier datasheet for the grade you specify.
What it is
CRCA stands for cold rolled close annealed. It is mild steel, meaning low-carbon steel, processed a particular way: CRCA is low-carbon steel cold rolled to a smooth, dimensionally accurate sheet, then annealed to restore ductility. It forms tightly, welds without preheat, and costs less than any alternative.
It has no corrosion resistance at all. Every CRCA part needs powder coating, plating, or galvanising, and the coating specification is part of the design, not an afterthought.
Where it is used
- Enclosures, cabinets, and chassis
- Brackets, mounts, and structural sheet parts
- Machine guarding and panels
- Automotive body and structural pressings
- Racks and industrial furniture
Processing notes
Laser cuts fast and cheap. Punching is more economical above a few hundred parts.
Bends to 0.5 × thickness inside radius. Springback is small and predictable compared with aluminum or stainless.
Welds by MIG or spot without special procedure. Grind and fill weld seams before coating if the surface is cosmetic.
Available through
CRCA vs hot rolled mild steel
Both are mild steel. The difference is the rolling route, and it decides surface, thickness accuracy and cost. Choose CRCA for thin, visible or formed parts, HR for thick structural parts that are painted or hidden.
| CRCA (cold rolled close annealed) | HR (hot rolled) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it is made | Pickled HR coil, cold rolled to thickness, then annealed | Rolled hot, above the recrystallisation temperature |
| Surface | Smooth, ready for powder coat or plating | Mill scale, needs pickling or blasting before a cosmetic finish |
| Thickness control | Tight, suits precise bends and assemblies | Looser |
| Typical use | Enclosures, cabinets, brackets, 0.5 to 4.0 mm | Thicker structural parts and frames |
| Relative cost | Low | Lower |
| Density | 7.85 g/cm³ | 7.85 g/cm³ |
Neither resists corrosion. Galvanised (GI) sheet is zinc coated CRCA for parts that must be protected before they are painted; stainless 304 is the step up when the part will see moisture without a coating.
What is the full form of CRCA?
Cold rolled close annealed. The steel is cold rolled to thickness, then annealed in closed furnaces so that it regains the ductility cold rolling takes away. In India it is supplied to IS 513; DC01, DC03 and DC04 under EN 10130 are the European equivalents.
Is CRCA the same as mild steel?
CRCA is a form of mild steel. Mild steel describes the chemistry, a low-carbon steel. CRCA describes how the sheet was made. Hot rolled (HR) sheet is also mild steel, with a rougher scaled surface and looser thickness control, and is used for thicker structural parts. If corrosion resistance matters, compare it with stainless in the mild steel vs stainless 304 guide.
What is the density of CRCA sheet?
7.85 g/cm³, or 7,850 kg/m³, the same as other carbon steels. A square metre of 1 mm CRCA sheet weighs about 7.85 kg, so a 1 m by 2 m blank in 1.2 mm weighs about 18.8 kg before cutting.
Design notes
Specify the coating in the same breath as the material. Powder coat over zinc phosphate is the usual industrial default.
Hole to bend distance at least 2.5 × thickness plus radius.
Use standard sheet gauges. Non-standard thicknesses carry a mill order and a lead time.
Grades and variants
- DC01 / IS 513 D, general drawing quality
- DC03 / DC04, deeper drawing grades
- Galvanised (GI), zinc coated, for pre-protected parts
- HR sheet, hot rolled, cheaper, rougher, for thicker structural parts
- EN 10130 equivalents for European supply
Alternatives
If Mild steel (CRCA) is not the right answer
See the full Mild Steel vs Stainless 304 comparison, spec by spec.
Specifying this material?
Send your CAD and target volumes. We come back with a price, a lead time, and any material or design notes that would reduce either.