GCr15 vs AISI 52100 vs SUJ2 vs 100Cr6: Bearing Steel Guide

Choosing the right bearing steel ball material is critical for OEM buyers, procurement engineers, bearing manufacturers, mechanical designers, and industrial sourcing teams.
In this video, we compare four widely used high-carbon chromium bearing steel grades: GCr15, AISI 52100, SUJ2, and 100Cr6. Although these materials share similar carbon-chromium chemistry, they are not simply interchangeable names. Each designation follows different regional standards, documentation requirements, heat treatment expectations, and supplier verification processes.
Material selection directly affects bearing steel ball hardness, wear resistance, rolling-contact fatigue life, load capacity, corrosion suitability, precision grade compatibility, and long-term service performance. Choosing the wrong steel grade can lead to premature wear, surface spalling, mechanical failure, and costly production issues.
This guide explains how GCr15 is commonly used in Chinese supply chains, why AISI 52100 is an international benchmark, how SUJ2 fits Japanese and Asia-Pacific specifications, and why 100Cr6 is important for European OEM documentation and traceability.
For safe sourcing, buyers should verify chemical composition, Rockwell hardness, heat treatment records, mill material certificates, batch traceability, supplier documentation, and compliance with the required OEM drawing or engineering standard.
Read the full article here:
https://www.karinadispatch.com/2026/05/gcr15-vs-aisi-52100-vs-suj2-vs-100cr6.html
00:00 Introduction to bearing steel ball material selection
00:35 Why material choice matters in bearing procurement
01:12 Rolling contact, load transfer, and fatigue risk
01:50 Overview of GCr15, AISI 52100, SUJ2, and 100Cr6
02:28 Why similar steel names are not always identical
03:05 GCr15 bearing steel and Chinese supply chains
03:42 AISI 52100 as an international sourcing benchmark
04:20 SUJ2 bearing steel and Japanese standard requirements
04:58 100Cr6 bearing steel and European documentation
05:35 Hardness, wear resistance, and heat treatment control
06:12 Rolling-contact fatigue and microstructural cleanliness
06:50 When stainless steel or carbon steel may be better
07:28 Application scenarios for bearing steel balls
08:05 Documents OEM buyers should request
08:42 Common mistakes in bearing steel material selection
09:20 Final OEM material selection checklist
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Видео GCr15 vs AISI 52100 vs SUJ2 vs 100Cr6: Bearing Steel Guide канала Chloe E.L. Clark