Buy Key Steel Online in Australia
Key Steel — Metric & Imperial Keyway Stock for Shaft and Hub Locking
Key steel is precision-ground bar stock used to machine keys for shaft-and-hub connections — locking pulleys, sprockets, gears, couplings and other drive components onto rotating shafts. AIMS Industrial stocks metric and imperial key steel in square and rectangular sections from Goliath, Precision Brand, Precision and Finer Power Transmissions. Manufactured to AS 1654 / ISO 773 dimensional standards.
For background on key types, keyway design, parallel vs Woodruff keys and shaft sizing, see our keyways, keys and key steel size chart.
Metric key steel
Metric key steel is available in square sections from 3 mm to 25 mm and rectangular sections in a wide range of widths and thicknesses, supplied in 300 mm lengths. Zinc-plated carbon steel is the standard grade for general drive applications. 304 stainless steel is available for corrosive or food-grade environments. Metric key dimensions conform to AS 1654 / ISO 773 — the international standard for parallel keys and keyways.
Imperial key steel
Imperial key steel is available in square and rectangular sections supplied in 12" (approximately 300 mm) lengths. Zinc-plated carbon steel and 304 stainless steel options are stocked. Imperial key dimensions follow standard keyway and keyseat specifications for inch-dimensioned shafts (BS 4235 / ANSI B17.1) — commonly required when fitting imported or older Australian equipment with imperial shaft systems.
Precision key steel
Precision Brand key steel is available as precision-ground square and rectangular bar in metric sizes — offering closer dimensional tolerances than standard commercial bar. Precision key stock is particularly suited to high-speed or reversing drive applications where a loose key joint would create backlash and accelerated wear, and to OEM production where matched-fit keys are required.
Selection guidance
Key steel selection follows the standard rule: key width is approximately ¼ of shaft diameter, key height is ½ of key width for rectangular keys (or equal to width for square keys). Always verify against AS 1654 dimensions for the specific shaft diameter — the standard prescribes the exact key cross-section and length for each shaft size. For applications requiring more than the standard key length, multiple keys or splines may be specified. For high-load reversing drives, taper keys, gib-head keys or feather keys may replace standard parallel keys.
Companion ranges at AIMS
Key steel sits within our broader raw materials range. For precision shim material in similar gauge, see shims and shim stock. For the related drive components — pulleys, sprockets and couplings that mount via keyways — see V-belt pulleys, timing pulleys, couplings and taper lock bushes. For pre-cut key stock in standard sizes, see key stocks.
Need a specific section, length, grade or precision tolerance? Call (02) 9773 0122 or contact our team — we'll match shaft size, drive load and service environment to the right key steel grade.