Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Classification of steels
Balázs Varbai, PhD, EWE/IWE

Materials Engineering
BMEGEMTBGF1
2024 Fall semester
 Classification according to

1) Steel production methods (old category)

2) Structure at room temperature
3) Content of alloying elements
4) Purpose of utilization

2
 Content of alloying elements

Plain (carbon) steels

Because of the steel making process contains
unavoidable elements
Mn < 0.8 % Si < 0.6 % Cr, Ni, Cu <0.3 %
Mo, W < 0.2 % Al, Ti, V, Nb < 0.05 %

Alloyed steels
- micro alloyed steels Σ alloy < 0.1% (Ti, Ni, V, …)
- low alloyed steels Σ alloy < 5 %
- medium alloyed steels Σ alloy < 10 %
- high alloyed steels Σ alloy > 10 %

3
 Structure at room temperature

austenitic
Alloy %

Alloy %
Ledebutitic

Ledebutitic
Semi-austenitic

Ferritic- Ferritic- Perlitic+

Perlitic+
perlitic perlitic Sec.Cem
Sec.Cem

• Ferritic • Ledeburitic
- Ferrite promoting element • Semi austenitic
• Semi ferritic
• Hipoeutektoidic • Austenitic
• Hipereutektoidic - Austenite promoting element

4
Structure at room temperature
• Perlitic
• Martensitic
• Austenitic
• Ferritic
• Bainitic

5
 Utilization
• Structural steels
• Automotive industry, machine industry , steel structures
• Toughness is also a requirement
• C < 0,6%

• Tool steels
• Machining and forming tools
• Wear resistance, stiffness, hardness
• Hardenable, precipitation hardenable alloys

• Special steels and alloys

• For a specific purpose
• Heat resistance, corrosion resistance, etc.

6
 Designation of steels

According to different standards

Most well-known standards:

• International Standard Organization ISO

• American Iron and Steel Institute AISI
• Society of Automotive Engineer SAE
• American Society for Testing and Materials ASTM

7
 Designation of steels

Example: number (werkstoffnummer)

Material group
Steel group 1 – steels
2 – heavy metals
1.43 00 xx 3 – light metals
number 4 – nonmetallic
…
Auxiliary sign
8 – nonmetallic
9 – rest

8
 Short designation

sign Application Area Main prop. e.g.

S Structural steel ReH (MPa) S235
P Pressure vessel steel ReH (MPa) P275
L Pipe steels ReH (MPa)
E Steels for machines ReH (MPa) E235
B Steels for concrete ReH (MPa)
… … … …

9
 Auxiliary signs

Auxiliary signs
Temperature
Required impact energy
(°C)

10
 Designation according to chemical
composition
Carbon steels: C10, C40, C90, C120
Alloyed steels:
14NiCrMo13-4
high alloy steels:
X8CrNiTi18-10

Alloying element Multiplication factor

11
 Structural steels
A: hot rolled structural steels
B: flat steel products for
pressure vessels
Formability, weldability
C: Steels for cold forming
D: Heat treatable steels
E: Case hardening steels
F: Nitridable steels
Other types of steels

12
 Structural steels
A: hot rolled structural steels
B: flat steel products for
pressure vessels
Formability, weldability
C: Steels for cold forming
D: Heat treatable steels
E: Case hardening steels
F: Nitridable steels
Other types of steels

13
 A: Hot rolled unalloyed structural
steels
• For general purpose
• Hot rolled of forged state
• Certificate: Rm, ReH,
A, KV, chem. comp
• Can not be used in some cases
• Various types
• E.g.: S235JR

14
 A: Normalized rolled, weldable,
fine-grained steels
• Normalized during rolling
• Grain size number
greater than 6
• Auxiliary mark:
• N: normalized
• L: impact energy
27 J at -50°C
• E.g.: S275N, S275NL

15
 A: Thermomechanical rolled,
weldable, fine-grained steels
• Thermomechanical rolling: controlled recrystallization
during deformation
• Nb alloying increases the recrystallization temperature
• The grain refinement is promoted by Ti-alloying
• Auxiliary mark: M
• E.g.: S355M, S355ML

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 A: Thermomechanical rolled,
weldable, fine-grained steels II.
• Hydrogen resistant steels
• Problem: H makes the iron
carbide dissociate
• Higher temperatures speeds
up the process (T>200°C)
• Tensile stress speeds up the
process

• Solution: stabile carbide producing alloying elements

• Cr, Mo, V, W
• Better heat resistance, used in heat treated state
• Oil industry, refineries, hydrogen appliances
• HSLA steels

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 A: Atmospheric corrosion resistant
(weathering) steels
• Atmospheric corrosion
• Cu, Cr, P, Ni, Mo
alloying (low content!)
• Forming of phosphate,
sulfate, hydroxide
compounds – closes
the pores, the
corrosion stops.
• Passive layer, red-
brown color, < 0.3 mm
• E.g.: S235J0W,
S355J0WP

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 A: Sheets and bands from quenched
and tempered, high strenght steels
• Welded structures for high load at low or environment
temperature.
• Containers, bridges cranes etc.
• Auxiliary mark: Q
• Weldable but susceptible to cold cracking
• E.g.: S460QL

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 Structural steels
A: hot rolled structural steels
B: flat steel products for
pressure vessels
Formability, weldability
C: Steels for cold forming
D: Heat treatable steels
E: Case hardening steels
F: Nitridable steels
Other types of steels

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 B: Plain and alloyed steels for
elevated temperatures
• Plain steels (e.g.: P235GH)
• Yield stress or creep strength is
given
• Steam boilers, pressure vessels
• Up to ~400°C-
• Alloyed steels(e.g.: 12CrMo9-
10)
• Mn, Mo, Cr, V, Nb and Si, Ni for
weldability
• boilers, heat exchanger,
chemistry appliances, flanges,
fasteners
• Up to ~500-530°C

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 B: Weldable fine-grained
normalized steels
• Three sub-classes
• Room temperature quality (P…N)
• T > -20°C
• Heat resistant quality (P…NH)
• T= -20…400°C
• Sub-zero toughness (P…NL1 and P…NL2)
• Not brittle even at T=-40 or -50°C
• Grain size number is greater than 6
• Welding: carbon equivalent

22
 B: Ni alloyed steels with specified
low temperature properties
• The impact energy is prescribed for structures
• Below -60°C Ni alloying
• FCC lattice not sensitive to embrittlement
• Selection according to temperature and thickness
• Acceptable impact energy even at -200 °C
• Cooling and cryogen technology
• E.g.: 11MnNi5-3, 12Ni14, X7Ni9

23
 B: Weldable fine-grained
thermomechanical rolled steels
• Nb alloying to increase the recrystallizations
temperature
• Ti alloying to grain refining
• V and Mo alloying to strengthen
• Auxiliary mark: M
• E.g.: P355ML1

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 B: Weldable, fine-grained heat
treatable steels
• Three sub-classes
• Room temperature quality (P…Q)
• Heat resistant quality (P…QH)
• Sub-zero toughness quality upto -40°C (P…QNL1),
down to -50°C (P…QNL2)
• Micro alloying elements for grain refining and
strengthening (Ti, Nb, V, N, B)
• Weldability is influenced by: thickness, input energy,
design, welding process, electrode

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 Structural steels
A: hot rolled structural steels
B: flat steel products for
pressure vessels
Formability, weldability
C: Steels for cold forming
D: Heat treatable steels
E: Case hardening steels
F: Nitridable steels
Other types of steels

26
 C: Cold rolled flat products from
low carbon steels for cold forming
• Low carbon content, ferritic steel
• Very low alloy content (+Al, Ti)
• DC01…DC06, : A, or B – surface
quality
• A: surface insufficiency (e.g.
scratch) allowed
• B: no surface imperfection
allowed
• Surface roughness grades
• b: Shiny, g: semi-shiny, m: normal,
r: rough
• E.g.: DC01Am

27
 C: Cold rolled flat products from
low carbon steels for cold forming
• With less than 600 mm, thickness lass than 10 mm un-
alloyed and alloyed steel band
• Designation:
• Annealed (A)
• Cold rolled (C )
• Skin passed (LC)
reducing the possibility of formation of flow lines
• Surface quality MA, MB and MC
• E.g.: DC03C440MB

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 C: Hot rolled high strength steel
flat products for cold forming
• For cold forming, hot rolled, weldable high strength,
alloyed
• Thermomechanical or normalizing rolled
• Low perlite steels (Ti, Nb, V) – HSLA
• E.g.: S420NC, S460MC
• Formable, shearable, bendable, machinable
• Welded structures, automotive industry

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 Dual Phase steels
• Very hard martensite finely distributed in soft ferrite
matrix
• Good strength, good formability
• Wheels, car body, bumper, wires, building structures

https://www.phase-
trans.msm.cam.ac.uk/2008/
dual.html
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 Transformation Induced Plasticity
steels
• TRIP steels
• Ferritic-austenitic-bainitic microstructure after hot
forming
• Austenite transforms to martensite during further
forming
• car body, vehicle industry

https://www.ispatguru.com/trip-steels/ 31
 DP / TRIP treatment

Ferrite Ferrite

Bainite Bainite

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 Interstitial Free steels

• IF steels
• Pure ferrite matrix
• Extra low content of alloying elements
(30-60 ppm)
• Good deep drawability, formability, no ageing
• Household appliances, vehicle overlay parts

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 Bake Hardening steels
• BH steels
• Low carbon content
alloys, precipitation
hardenable at ~200°C
• Increases the yield stress
by ~40 MPa though
precipitation hardening
(C and N)
• E.g.: after forming during
painting
• Vehicle body elements https://automotive.arcelormittal.com/product
s/flat/HYTSS/BH

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 Structural steels
A: hot rolled structural steels
B: flat steel products for
pressure vessels
Formability, weldability
C: Steels for cold forming
D: Heat treatable steels
E: Case hardening steels
F: Nitridable steels
Other types of steels

35
 D: Heat treatable steels
• Must be strong enough and
resistant to dynamic impacts
• Fasteners, pins, joints, beam
structures, wrenches, axle,
cardan cross, gears, etc.
• Unalloyed and alloyed steels
• Purpose of alloying:
• Increase the trough hardening
diameter
• Increase toughness, decrease
DBTT
• Improve fatigue resistance
• Decrease softening during
tempering

36
 D: Unalloyed Heat treatable steels

• Only carbon, no additional alloying element (except

elements from production)
• Higher toughness, lower strength
• Small trough hardening diameter
• Wear resistance can be improved by surface quenching
• Rm: 500…1000 MPa,
ReH: 300-580 MPa, A: 20-11%, Z: 50-20%
• designation: Cnn, where nn = C%
• Auxiliary marks: E: S < 0.035%,
R: 0.020 % < S < 0.040%

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 D: Alloyed Heat treatable steels I.

• Mn (1.4-1.65%)
• Cheap
• Increased through hardening diameter
• Susceptibility to over heating and embrittlement
during tempering (fast cooling necessary)
• Must not be used for parts with service temperature
below 0°C
• E.g.: 28Mn6

38
 D: Alloyed Heat tretable steels II.

• Cr (up to 2%)
• Most common alloying
element
• Strongly Increases the
through hardening diameter
and yield stress
• Good surface hardenability
• For low to middle stresses,
engine parts, axles
• E.g.: 34Cr4

39
 D: Alloyed Heat treatable steels III.

• Cr-Mo (up to 2% Cr, 0.9-1.2% Mo)

• Mo eliminates the embrittlement during tempering
• Cr and Mo are strong carbide-forming elements,
tempering at higher temperatures (~600°C)
• Significant strength and good toughness
• For middle sized part for high fatigue and impact
loads.
Axles, parts with teeth
• E.g.: 50CrMo4

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 D: Alloyed heat treatable steels IV.

• Cr-V (0.7-1.1% Cr, 0.1-0.2% V)

• Similar to Cr-Mo steels
• A little cheaper but worse ductility
• For middle sized part for high fatigue and impact
loads.

• E.g.: 51CrV4

41
 D: Alloyed heat treatable steels V.
• Ni-Cr-Mo(-V)
(0.7-1.1% Cr, 0.1-0.2% Mo)
• Large sized parts where the fast cooling
can not be realized.
• Ni decreases the ductile to brittle
temperature (DBTT)
• Mo eliminates the embrittlement
during tempering
• Through hardening diameter
increases significantly (~150 mm)
• Engine parts, crankshaft, quenched
& tempered state
• E.g.: 36NiCrMo16

42
 D: Alloyed heat treatable steels VI.

• Boron steels
• Mn, Mn-Cr alloying, B micro alloying
• Through hardening diameter increases significantly
• Delivered generally in hot formed state
• Good toughness
• E.g.: 20MnB5, 27MnCrB5-2

43
 Structural steels
A: hot rolled structural steels
B: flat steel products for
pressure vessels
Formability, weldability
C: Steels for cold forming
D: Heat treatable steels
E: Case hardening steels
F: Nitridable steels
Other types of steels

44
 E: Case hardening steels
• Carbon content below 0.2%
• Tough core and wear resistant surface layer
~1% C in the surface layer, 60-63 HRC
• Can be used up to the diameter of ~80 mm (through
hardenability)
• Heat treatable steels have higher
strength for the same toughness
• No carburizing for fatigue
loaded parts, 35-45 HRC

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 E: Unalloyed case hardening steels

• Small size parts for modest loads

• Pins, gear pumps
• Hardness: 55-60 HRC
• Up to 20-30 mm size
• E.g.: C10, C15

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 E: Alloyed case hardening steels

• Alloying elements are the same as those of heat

treatable steels
• Low carbon content, C<0,2%
• Cr-Mo alloying for middle sized and loaded parts (bush,
pin, gears)
• Susceptible to overheating, up to the diameter of
40-60 mm
• Mn-Cr-Mo alloying for highly loaded parts (gears, chain
wheels, axles)
• Up to the diameter of 70-80 mm
• Ni-Cr-Mo alloying for extreme strong dynamic loads
tough core, high surface hardness
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 Structural steels
A: hot rolled structural steels
B: flat steel products for
pressure vessels
Formability, weldability
C: Steels for cold forming
D: Heat treatable steels
E: Case hardening steels
F: Nitridable steels
Other types of steels

48
 F: Nitridable steels
• They are basically heat treatable
steels
• Aim: very hard wear resistant
surface layer
• Addition of nitride-forming
elements (Cr, Al, V, Ti)
• Results: wear-resistant, hard,
better fatigue-resistance.
Sensitive to high local pressures
• E.g.: 34CrAlNi7-10

49
 Structural steels
A: hot rolled structural steels
B: flat steel products for
pressure vessels
Formability, weldability
C: Steels for cold forming
D: Heat treatable steels
E: Case hardening steels
F: Nitridable steels
Other types of steels

50
 Other structural steels
• Free-cutting steels
• Steels for roll-bearings
• Spring steels
• Steels and nickel alloys for
cryogenic and Low-
Temperature application
• Heat resistant steels and
nickel alloys
• Steels and alloys for valves
of internal combustion
engines

51
 Free-cutting steels
• For high
performance
machining cells
• Aim: brittle chip
• S and S+Bi alloying
• E.g.: 11SMn37,
10S20, 44SMn28

52
 Steels for roll-bearings
• High wear resistance and fatigue
limit
• Carbon content 0.85-1.1% -
hardness
• S < 0.015%, P < 0.025%,
O < 0.,002%
• Polishing – fatigue
• Quenching, cooling to lower
temp. (-30°C), low temperature
tempering – 62 HRC
• E.g.: 100Cr6, 100CrMnMoSi8-4-6,
19MnCr5, 18NiCrMo14-6

53
 Spring steels I.
• Storing of elastic energy
• High yield stress (1000-1350 MPa) and acceptable
ultimate tensile strain are necessary (6-8%)
• Heat treatable steels, 0.4-0.7% C-content, low
temperature tempering (450-480°C)
• For different purposes

54
 Spring steels II.

• Heat treated springs from hot rolled steels by forming

• Si alloying, ReH increases
• Cr-V, Cr-MoV high performance, high dynamic loads
• E.g.: 38Si7, 60SiCrV7, 60CrMo3-2
• Cold rolled narrow steels trip for heat treatment
• Good surface quality, Rm up to 2100 MPa
• E.g.: C75S
• Corrosion resistant steels strip for springs
• For corrosive media

55
 Steels and nickel alloys for cryogenic, low-
temperature and heat resistant application

• Unalloyed / alloyed (corr. resistant too)

• Applicable up to 900°C
• Mo: carbide-forming increases strength
• The corrosion must be taken into
account beside of heat-loading.
• E.g.: 42CrMo5-6, 25CrMo4, NiCr20TiAl
(Ni alloy), X10CrNiMoMnNbVB15-10-1

• Ni alloying for low temperatures

• E.g.: 41NiCrMo7-3-2, X8Ni9,
X6CrNi18-10

56
 Heat resistant steels and Ni-alloys
I.
• Problem: Oxidizing of steels’
surface over 500°C
• Austenitic, ferritic, austenitic-
ferritic steel
• Creep resistance and strength are
the characteristic properties
• Alloying with Cr, Si, Al
• Applicable even at 900°C
• Grain coarsening can be a problem
• Ni based superalloys (not iron
alloys!)

57
 Heat resistant steels and Ni-alloys
II.
• Ferritic
• Susceptible to grain coarsening and embrittlement at 350-
550°C and over 900°C, better in S-containing environment,
e.g.: X10CrAlSi18
• Austenitic
• Grain coarsening is not significant even at higher
temperatures, between 600-800°C the σ-phase causes
brittlement, e.g.: X10NiCrAlTi32-21
• Austenitic-ferritic
• Not common
• In oxidizing S-containing environment,
e.g.: X15CrNiSi25-4
• Ni alloys
• Jet engines, rocket industry, e.g.: NiCr23Fe

58
 Steels and alloys for valves of
internal combustion engines
• Homogeneous microstructure, high
alloying, calculable thermal expansion
• Loads: unsteady temperature,
corrosion, oxidation, fatigue,
strike, wear
• Bars, wires
• Hot formable, hard to machine
• Main types
• Martensitic valve steel e.g.:
X40CrSiMo10-2
• Austenitic valve steel e.g.:
X50CrMnNiNbN21-9,
NiFe25Cr20NbTi
59
 Hadfield steels
• aka Mangalloy
• Austenitic, high alloyed Mn
steels
• ~1.2%C, ~0.4 Si, ~12.5% Mn
• Impact wear resistance,
hardening during wear (cold
forming)
• Inner not-hardened layer gives
good toughness
• For dynamic and wear loads
• Railroad switches, excavator buckets

60
 Corrosion resistant steels
• A: Ferritic corrosion resistant steels
• B: Martensitic corrosion resistant steels
• C: Austenitic corrosion resistant steels
• D: Duplex (austenite + ferrite) corrosion resistant steels

61
 A: Ferritic corrosion resistant
steels
• The alloying element forms a
cohesive, non-porous surface layer
preventing the further oxidation.
• Max 0.08% carbon in ferritic corr.
resistant steels and ~13% Cr
• ReH ~280-320 MPa, A=18-20%
• Good formability and weldablility
• Good corrosion resistance in wear and modest corrosive
media: food industry, milk industry
• For some purposes: semi-ferritic steel
• increased strength (chemical industry)
• E.g.: X2CrTi12, X6CrMo17-1, X2CrMoTi29-4
62
 B: Martensitic corrosion resistant
steels
• Higher strenght: higher C
content & heat treatment
• Heat treatment: quenching +
tempering
• C content: between 0.08%
and 1.2%
• Surgery blades, scalpel,
needles, food industry blades
• E.g.: X12Cr13, X105CrMo17,
X7CrNiAl17-7

63
 C: Austenitic corrosion resistant
steels
• Ferritic corrosion resistant steels
does not have good resistance
against strong acids.
• Austenitic steel
• C<0.03% + ~18% Cr + ~10% Ni (Mn,
Cu, N)
• Cr-cardibes form at grain boundaries
by slow cooling at 600-800°C, which
spoils the corrosion resistance
• Can prevent by alloying of Ti and Nb
• Difficult to machine
• E.g.: X10CrNi18-8, X3CrNiMo17-13-3
64
 D: Duplex corrosion resistant
steels
• High Cr and Ni content
• ~40-60% austenite at room temperature
• Higher strength
• Better stress-corrosion resitance
• Some grades can be applied as heat resistant steel as
well.
• E.g.: X2CrNiN23-4, X2CrNiMoCuWN25-7-4

65
Corrosion resistant steels

66
 Tool Steels
• A: Unalloyed tool steels
• B: Hot forming tool steels
• C: Cold forming tool steels
• D: High speed steels

https://cdn.thefabricator.com/a/plate-rolling-gets-
hot-1502110780.jpg?size=1000x
67
 General requirements

• Hardness, wear resistance

• Toughness
• Heat resistance
• Resistance against thermal fatigue
• Appropriate through hardening diameter

68
 A: Unalloyed tool steels

• 0.45-1.25% C content
• 0.45% C – 54 HRc
• 1.25% C – 62 HRc

• Only base alloying and impurity elements (Mn, Si, S, P)

• For hand tools
• E.g.: C90U, C100U
• U mark: un-treated state

69
 B: Hot forming tool steels

• Service temperature over 200°C, but hardness and heat

resistance even at 600°C (38-46 HRc)

• Main alloying elements: Cr, Mo, W, Ni, Co

• Carbide compounds– hardness at high temperatures

• Closed-dies for forging, die-casting dies

• E.g.: 55NiCrMoV7, X40CrMoV5-1

70
 C: Cold forming tool steels

• Main alloying elements: Mn, Cr, Mo, V, W, Ni

• To increase through hardening diameter and improve
• Strength
• Wear resistance
• Hardness

• Heat-treated. Service temperature at room

temperature (maximum 150-180°C)
• E.g. Cutting and punching tools
• E.g.: 95MnWCrV5, X210CrW12

71
 E: High speed steels

• For high performance machining. 62-64 HRc hardness

at ~600°C
• Main alloying elements : W, Mo, V, Co
• Special heat treatment methodology (precipitation
hardening)
• E.g.: HS6-5-2, HS10-4-3-10

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Thank you for your attention!

73