EN 10088-2 X6Cr13 1.4000 Stainless Steel Plate

X6Cr13, steel number 1.4000, is a low-carbon ferritic stainless steel supplied as sheet, plate and strip to EN 10088-2, the European standard for corrosion resisting flat products for general purposes. The steel behind every 1.4000 stainless steel plate contains 12.0 – 14.0 % chromium and no more than 0.08 % carbon. That carbon limit is what separates it from the hardenable 13 % chromium martensitic grades: 1.4000 stays soft and ductile after annealing and after welding in thin sections, it is magnetic, and it carries no nickel. It is the European counterpart of 410S stainless steel and is used mainly for petrochemical and refinery internals, such as column trays, valve trays, baffles and linings, together with furnace parts, cladding layers and general equipment in mild atmospheres.

SHH STEEL works as a steel sourcing partner with long-term relationships with Chinese stainless mills that roll 13 % chromium ferritic plate and coil. For large tonnages, the buyer can contract directly with a suitable mill, with SHH STEEL assisting for a modest service fee and handling follow-up and documents. For small orders we consolidate demand, so that 1 – 5 t lots are placed against genuine mill production instead of stock of unknown origin. Each shipment can be released after third-party inspection by TUV, ABS, BV, DNV, CCS or an agency the buyer nominates, and payment by TT or LC is accepted. The rest of this page covers the technical side of EN 10088-2 1.4000 and the steps we take so that the plate that arrives is the plate that was ordered.

The table below lists the concerns buyers raise most often when sourcing EN 10088-2 X6Cr13 plate from China, and how SHH STEEL deals with each of them.

X6Cr13 1.4000 is a European grade, but tray and lining drawings in refinery work are just as often written to American or Chinese standards. EN 10088-2 is the technical delivery condition for sheet, plate and strip of corrosion resisting steels for general purposes. ASTM A240 and ASME SA-240 cover the same type of steel as 410S. For pressure-retaining parts a pressure standard applies instead.

Non-pressure internals such as trays and baffles are normally ordered to EN 10088-2 or to ASTM A240 Type 410S. If the drawing is American, SHH STEEL can supply ASTM material or, where a mill certifies both, dual-certified plate. If the part retains pressure, a plate certified only to EN 10088-2 is not intended for that purpose; for Chinese pressure-vessel projects, see our GB/T 713.7 06Cr13 S11306 pressure vessel plate, and for European pressure equipment check that the grade is listed in EN 10028-7 before ordering.

Edition note: the values on this page are taken from EN 10088-2:2014. A revised edition (EN 10088-2:2024) has since been published. If your contract names the newer edition, SHH STEEL checks the order against that text before production, and any difference is raised at the quotation stage rather than after rolling.

The 1.4000 chemical composition below is the cast (heat) analysis from EN 10088-2:2014 Table 3. Values are percentages by mass; a single figure is a maximum.

Two points stand out. First, the carbon maximum of 0.08 % keeps the steel ferritic and essentially non-hardening; martensitic X12Cr13 1.4006 starts where 1.4000 stops, at 0.08 % carbon, which is why a carbon figure on the certificate matters more than a chromium figure. Second, EN 10088-2 sets no nickel or molybdenum limit for this grade; elements not listed must not be added intentionally without the purchaser’s agreement. A footnote to Table 3 permits controlled sulphur ranges for machinability, weldability or polishability, which can be specified on the order.

Product analysis tolerances (EN 10088-2 Table 5)

A product analysis is a check made on the delivered plate. It is not mandatory under EN 10088-2; it is carried out when agreed at the time of enquiry and order, and SHH STEEL can arrange it through a partner laboratory. The permissible tolerances on the cast limits are:

EN 10088-2 also states that, where several product analyses are made on one cast, individual results may exceed the maximum or fall below the minimum, but not both for the same element.

The 1.4000 mechanical properties are set in EN 10088-2:2014 Table 9 for the annealed condition. The standard gives a separate row for each product form, and the proof strength depends on the test direction, so state both the form and the thickness on the order.

Elongation is measured on an 80 mm gauge length below 3 mm thickness and on a proportional gauge length (5.65√S0) from 3 mm upwards. For bigger sizes, EN 10088-2 says the mechanical values are to be agreed at the time of enquiry and order. Table 9 records resistance to intergranular corrosion (tested to EN ISO 3651-2) as “no” in both the delivery and the welded condition, so intergranular resistance is not a property the standard guarantees for 1.4000.

EN 10088-2 does not set a Charpy impact value for X6Cr13. Ferritic 13 % chromium steels lose toughness at low temperature and in thick sections, so if a tray support or bracket sees cold start-up conditions, a test temperature and acceptance value should be agreed before rolling; we write that requirement into the mill order and check it on the certificate.

Proof strength at elevated temperature (Table 14)

These values are given for information and are useful when checking internals that run hot in a column or furnace. They are verified by an elevated-temperature tensile test only if agreed in the order.

X6Cr13 plate is delivered in the annealed condition (+A). EN 10088-2 Table A.3 gives the guideline temperatures:

Annealing recrystallises the rolled structure and gives the soft ferritic condition on which the Table 9 values are based. With carbon at the upper end of its range, a small amount of martensite can form if the steel is heated above the annealing range and cooled quickly, so furnace temperatures should stay within the guideline; over-heating also coarsens the ferrite grain and lowers toughness.

Formed or welded internals are normally used without further heat treatment. In thicker welded sections, some fabricators apply a post-weld anneal in the Table A.3 range to restore ductility in the heat-affected zone; that decision belongs to the welding procedure. The Annex A temperatures are guidelines, actual furnace settings are chosen by the mill, and SHH STEEL checks that the annealed condition is stated on each certificate before release.

The values below are room-temperature reference figures for X6Cr13 1.4000, taken from the physical-property table in Euro Inox, Stainless Steel: Tables of Technical Properties (Materials and Applications Series, Volume 5). They are suitable for design estimates and weight calculation; where a figure is critical, use EN 10088-1 itself.

Low thermal expansion and good conductivity help in the applications the grade is chosen for: 410S-type cladding and linings move closely with a carbon-steel shell, and tray decks shed heat evenly. At about 7.7 g/cm³, a 3 mm tray plate weighs roughly 23 kg per square metre, a figure SHH STEEL uses for weight and freight estimates in every quotation.

With 12 – 14 % chromium and no molybdenum, X6Cr13 1.4000 offers moderate corrosion resistance. Its value in refinery service comes less from general corrosion resistance than from its behaviour in hot, sulphur-bearing hydrocarbon streams, where nickel-free 13 % chromium steels have a long track record against sulphidation attack.

The oxidation and refinery figures are industry guidance, not EN 10088-2 requirements, and material selection for a particular stream should rest on plant experience, corrosion data or testing. Like other ferritic steels, 1.4000 is practically insensitive to chloride stress-corrosion cracking. Where naphthenic acid or chlorides dominate, a molybdenum-bearing grade is the better choice, and we can quote that alternative from the same mill partners.

1.4000 welds more readily than martensitic 13 % chromium steels because of its low carbon, but it is not as forgiving as a titanium-stabilised or nickel-bearing ferritic. The heat-affected zone can show grain growth and, at the upper end of the carbon range, a little martensite, both of which reduce ductility. The grade can be joined by MMA, MIG/MAG, TIG and submerged-arc welding.

• Filler metal: in common industry practice, 309L-type austenitic fillers are used for joints to carbon steel and where weld ductility is the priority; 410-type or 410NiMo-type matching fillers are used where the weld must match the base metal in colour or thermal expansion. Final choice follows the welding procedure specification.
• Preheat: often not needed for thin tray plate; for heavier sections a preheat of about 150 – 250 °C is commonly applied to reduce the risk of cracking.
• Heat input: keep it low to moderate and avoid wide weaving, to limit grain growth.
• Post-weld heat treatment: normally not required for thin internals; an anneal may be specified for thicker welded parts.
• Cleaning: remove heat tint by pickling or brushing to restore corrosion resistance at the weld.

These points reflect common practice for 410S-type steels rather than requirements of EN 10088-2, which does not specify welding procedures. In the SHH STEEL workshop, weld bevels are cut to the angle and root face shown on your drawing, so plates arrive ready for the qualified procedure.

X6Cr13 plate forms like a mild carbon steel with somewhat more spring-back. Tray decks are punched, dimpled and bent; downcomers and baffles are bent on a press brake. As with other ferritic grades, bending is best done at room temperature or slightly warm in cold weather, with an inside radius of at least one to two times the thickness for heavier plate and the bend line across the rolling direction where possible. These are workshop guidelines, not standard requirements.

Machining is comparable to other 13 % chromium ferritic steels and easier than for austenitic grades: sharp tools, positive rake and steady feeds give clean results. Drilling and tapping of bolt holes in tray supports is routine.

SHH STEEL runs its own workshop next to the warehouse, so 1.4000 plate can be delivered as cut parts rather than raw mill sizes: sheared or plasma-cut blanks, laser-profiled tray panels, punched or drilled holes to drawing, bevelled edges and surface preparation. Details are on our steel cutting services page. Pre-cut parts reduce freight weight and scrap at site, which helps when trays are installed during a shutdown.

EN 10088-2 limits each product form to a maximum thickness, and the tolerance standard depends on the form:

Widths and lengths in the table are typical mill offerings, not values from the standard. Lengths are usually 2 000 – 6 000 mm for coil-cut plate and up to about 12 000 mm for quarto plate. EN 10088-2 applies EN ISO 18286 normally only to individually rolled quarto plate, while continuously rolled material follows EN ISO 9444-2. Under EN ISO 18286, width and length tolerances are class A unless another class is agreed, and surface imperfections on quarto plate are judged to EN 10163-2 class A2 unless otherwise agreed.

Tray decks are usually 2 – 4 mm, while linings, supports and furnace parts run from 3 to about 20 mm. SHH STEEL confirms available widths and lengths with the mill at quotation and cuts plate to finished size in its own workshop when a mill size does not fit.

Surface finish is ordered by the process route symbols of EN 10088-2 Table 6. Not every route is available for every grade, and the mill confirms which ones it can supply.

Unless otherwise agreed, only one surface (the prime surface) is inspected to the ordered finish. For 1D plate the standard permits grinding marks, and the finish is not as smooth as 2D or 2B. For trays, baffles and linings 1D or 2B is entirely adequate.

Buyers often search for 410S stainless steel when they need 1.4000, or the other way round. When asked for the 1.4000 equivalent in another standard, the honest answer is that there are close relatives rather than exact twins. The table lists the nearest grades; chemistry and property limits differ in detail, so substitution should be checked against the governing specification.

On our site you can compare related grades such as ASTM A240 Type 410S, ASME SA240 410S, JIS G4305 SUS410S and GB/T 4237 06Cr13 S41008. Note that the Chinese code S41008 and the UNS number S41008 are written the same way but belong to different numbering systems. Where a drawing calls for UNS S41008 but the project is European, ordering X6Cr13 to EN 10088-2 is often acceptable, but the designer should confirm it, and SHH STEEL can prepare a side-by-side comparison of the limits for that purpose.

1.4000 vs 1.4006

The 1.4000 vs 1.4006 question is really a ferritic-versus-martensitic choice. X12Cr13 1.4006, the European counterpart of ASTM A240 Type 410, has 0.08 – 0.15 % carbon and can be hardened, which suits valve trim, pump parts and wear components but makes welding more demanding. 1.4000 stays soft, welds more easily and is the usual choice for trays and linings. For structural frames and wear parts, the nickel-bearing EN 10088-2 X2CrNi12 1.4003 gives better weld toughness, and for thin exhaust parts the titanium-stabilised EN 10088-2 X2CrTi12 1.4512 is the usual 11 % chromium option. SHH STEEL can quote these grades side by side so the choice is clear.

The typical 1.4000 ferritic plate application is an internal, lining or furnace part that sees hot, mildly corrosive conditions, does not hold pressure, and does not justify a nickel or molybdenum grade. Common uses include:

• Distillation and fractionation column trays, valve trays, bubble caps and downcomers in the petrochemical industry
• Baffles, impingement plates and internals of heat exchangers and separators
• Cladding and lining layers on carbon-steel vessels in sulphur-bearing service
• Furnace parts, burner components and heat shields in moderate temperatures
• Steam turbine and power plant parts in mild steam
• Mining and mineral processing equipment in wet, mildly corrosive service
• General equipment, cabinets and fittings in mild atmospheres

In each case the reasoning is the same: enough chromium to resist sulphidation and scaling, low carbon for ductility and weldability, and no nickel cost that the service does not need. For these uses SHH STEEL can supply plate cut to part size, including profiled tray panels, which reduces scrap and installation time.

Most problems in buying 1.4000 from China come from the details around the order rather than the steel itself: which 13 % chromium grade is really being supplied, whether the plate is annealed and flat enough for tray work, and whether it will reach site before a shutdown window closes.

None of these steps is complicated, but they need to be agreed at the start. When you send an enquiry, tell SHH STEEL which of these points matters most to you, and the order will be built around it.

EN 10088-2 Table 21 sets out the tests. The cast analysis is always reported by the manufacturer, and a tensile test at room temperature is mandatory when specific testing is ordered. For quarto plate (form P), plates processed under identical conditions may be grouped into a batch of up to 30 000 kg and no more than 40 plates, with one test sample per batch for plates up to 15 m long. Other tests are optional and carried out only when agreed at the time of order:

• Product analysis (extent to be agreed), recommended where carbon must be confirmed
• Tensile test at elevated temperature, verifying Table 14 values
• Charpy impact test, at a temperature and acceptance level to be agreed
• Intergranular corrosion test to EN ISO 3651-2, normally not carried out
• Additional checks through our third-party testing service: PMI, OES carbon check, dimensional, flatness and surface inspection, and ultrasonic testing of heavier plate

If the order does not name an inspection document, EN 10088-2 requires only a test report 2.2. Because this is rarely enough for refinery or export work, SHH STEEL supplies an EN 10204 3.1 inspection certificate as standard and a 3.2 certificate when an independent inspector (TUV, ABS, BV, DNV, CCS or an agency you nominate) witnesses testing and countersigns the document.

Ordering example and lead time

Following the pattern of the example in EN 10088-2, a typical order line would read: 20 plates EN ISO 18286, 6 × 1500 × 6000 mm, tolerance class B; steel EN 10088-2 – X6Cr13+1D (or 1.4000+1D); inspection certificate EN 10204 – 3.1. Mill production lead time is generally 30 – 40 days from order confirmation, depending on the rolling schedule, the size and the tests requested. Consolidated small lots follow the same mill schedule, and SHH STEEL sends progress updates at rolling, testing and packing.

• Mill relationships: long-term cooperation with Chinese stainless mills helps SHH STEEL secure competitive pricing and steadier delivery for 1.4000 and related 13 % chromium grades.
• Direct mill contracts: for larger tonnages you can contract directly with a suitable mill, for a modest service fee, while we handle follow-up and documents.
• Order consolidation: 1 – 5 t lots are combined so they can be placed against genuine mill production.
• Own workshop: cutting, profiling, punching and drilling, bevelling and surface preparation before shipment.
• Inspection and certificates: third-party inspection by TUV, ABS, BV, DNV, CCS or your nominated agency, with EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 certificates.
• Flexible payment: TT, LC or a combination of both.
• Port logistics: plates are packed on seaworthy pallets with heat-number labels and shipped through our worldwide shipping service, together with other grades if needed.

As a 1.4000 plate supplier SHH STEEL also stocks and sources the wider range of stainless steel sheets and plates, so mixed orders of ferritic and austenitic plate can travel in one container with one set of paperwork.

EN 10088-2 X6Cr13 1.4000 is a practical, economical ferritic stainless steel for refinery internals, linings and furnace parts that do not hold pressure: low in carbon, magnetic, weldable with sensible procedures and free of nickel cost. Choosing it is the easy part. Getting plate that is genuinely low-carbon 1.4000, annealed and flat, in the thicknesses a tray package needs and on a schedule that fits a shutdown, is where a sourcing partner earns its place, and that is the work SHH STEEL does every day through long-term mill cooperation, consolidation and its own workshop.

The next step is simple. Send SHH STEEL your drawing, or an enquiry with the quantity, grade, thickness and delivery destination, and we will judge whether a direct mill contract or consolidation with processing fits your order better, and quote accordingly. Send your sizes and quantities for a quotation.