Europen High and Low Temperature Steel and Alloy Steel Numbers
1 Introduction
Steel and alloy steel are the two main materials used to produce steel components and parts. Steel is an iron-carbon alloy that, along with alloy steel, is having increasingly larger applications due to its durability, strength and affordability for a wide range of industries. Steel is also used to make components for a variety of applications and conditions, including pipelines, bridges and girders, as well as a range of components and parts for automotive, marine and aerospace industries. Steel and alloy steel vary in terms of their composition and in the processes necessary to produce them, for example heat treating and tempering.
In particular, European high and low temperature steel and alloy steel numbers are used to classify and describe the steel and alloy steel alloys. This article provides an overview of the European high and low temperature steel and alloy steel numbers, which are used to assist in the selection and comparison of steel and alloy steel alloys for specific applications.
2 European Steel Numbers
The European Steel Number (ESN) system includes all steel grades produced in Europe, except for free-cutting steels and heat-resisting steels. It is managed by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA). Each steel grade is assigned a unique ESN consisting of five characters, which begins with the letter P (for steels). The second and third characters indicate the steel type, while the fourth and fifth characters indicate the steel grade.
The three types of steel which can be identified from the ESN include unalloyed steel (with no additional alloying elements), alloy steel (with additional alloying elements) and special steels (having a chemical composition adapted for a particular application). Unalloyed steels are further divided into two groups: low-C carbon steels and high-C carbon steels.
The ESN system also includes additional suffixes which indicate mechanical, thermal, chemical and physical characteristics of steel grades. The most common mechanical suffixes are A for air-cored and H for water-cored alloys.
3 European Low Temperature Steel and Alloy Steel Numbers
European low temperature steel and alloy steel numbers, also known as EURONORM or EN numbers, are used to classify various low temperature steels and alloys. This system is managed by the European Standardization Committee (CEN). Each steel or alloy grade is assigned a unique EN number which consists of four characters and begins with the letter X or L. The second and third characters indicate the type of low temperature steel or alloy, while the fourth character is an indication of the grade.
The type designations of complete EN numbers include:
• X for austenitic stainless steels
• L for low alloy steels
• G for carbon steels
• N for corrosion-resistant steels
• U for high temperature steels
Each type designation is then followed by a grade letter, which indicates the alloy content and other properties of the steel or alloy, such as mechanical strength, impact resistance and hardness.
4 European High Temperature Steel and Alloy Steel Numbers
European high temperature steel and alloy steel numbers are also known as EURONOX and EN numbers. This system is managed by the European Standardization Committee (CEN) and is similar to the EURONORM system for low temperature steel and alloy steel numbers. Each steel or alloy grade is assigned a unique EN number which consists of four characters and begins with the letter X or H. The second and third characters indicate the type of high temperature steel or alloy, while the fourth character is an indication of the grade.
The type designations of complete EN numbers include:
• X for austenitic stainless steels
• H for heat resistant steels
• D for high speed steels
• R for corrosion-resistant steels
• M for low alloy steels
Each type designation is then followed by a grade letter, which indicates the alloy content and other properties of the steel or alloy, such as mechanical strength, impact resistance and hardness.
5 Conclusion
This article has provided an overview of the European high and low temperature steel and alloy steel numbers, which are used to assist in the selection and comparison of steel and alloy steel alloys for specific applications. The EN numbers are divided into two systems: EURONORM or EN numbers for low temperature steel and alloy steel, and EURONOX or EN numbers for high temperature steel and alloy steel. For each type of steel or alloy, a unique EN number is used which consists of four characters and indicates the type and grade of the material. Understanding these codes is essential for selecting the correct steel or alloy for an application, and for comparing and evaluating the different grades of steel and alloy steel.
