EN 10088-2 X12Cr13 1.4006 Stainless Steel Plate

EN 10088-2 X12Cr13 1.4006 stainless steel plate is a martensitic flat product supplied to EN 10088-2, the European standard for stainless steel sheet, plate and strip for general purposes. X12Cr13 is the leanest of the standard martensitic grades: 0.08 – 0.15 % carbon and 11.5 – 13.5 % chromium, with up to 0.75 % nickel. The carbon allows the steel to be hardened by quenching and then tempered to the strength required, while the chromium gives moderate corrosion resistance in mild environments. EN 10088-2 covers cold rolled strip up to 8 mm and hot rolled strip up to 13.5 mm in the annealed condition (+A), and hot rolled plate up to 75 mm in the quenched and tempered conditions +QT550 and +QT650, or annealed by agreement.

SHH STEEL works as a steel sourcing partner with long-term relationships with Chinese stainless mills that roll 13 % chromium martensitic plate in annealed and heat-treated conditions. 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 1.4006 and the steps we take so that the sheet that arrives is the sheet that was ordered.

The table below lists the concerns buyers raise most often when sourcing EN 10088-2 X12Cr13 sheet and plate from China, and how SHH STEEL deals with each of them.

1.4006 is most often compared with ASTM A240 Type 410 sheet and plate (UNS S41000). Both are 13 % chromium martensitic steels with 0.08 – 0.15 % carbon. The main differences lie in the manganese limit and in how mechanical properties and heat-treatment conditions are specified: EN 10088-2 defines named quenched and tempered conditions, while ASTM A240 specifies properties for the annealed condition.

If the drawing names 410 or ASME SA240 410 stainless steel plate for pressure parts, check that EN 10088-2 1.4006 is acceptable, because 1.4006 is not listed in EN 10028-7. SHH STEEL checks the heat against each standard named on the drawing before quoting.

A frequent cause of confusion is the delivery condition. A buyer who orders 1.4006 plate without stating +A, +QT550 or +QT650 may receive plate in a condition that does not suit the fabrication route. SHH STEEL states the condition explicitly in every mill order.

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 1.4006 chemical composition below is the cast (heat) analysis from EN 10088-2:2014 Table 4. Values are percentages by mass; a single figure is a maximum.

EN 10088-2 permits a controlled sulphur content of 0.015 – 0.030 % for machinability, and lower controlled ranges for weldability or polishability, when agreed. Carbon is the element that defines the grade: below 0.08 % the steel would be close to ferritic 1.4000, and above 0.15 % it overlaps 1.4024 or 1.4021. SHH STEEL checks the carbon level on every certificate as part of the 1.4006 chemical composition review.

Product analysis tolerances (EN 10088-2 Table 5)

A product analysis is a check made on the delivered sheet. 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:

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. If a product analysis is required, it should be stated in the order together with the Table 5 tolerances.

The 1.4006 mechanical properties below are the room-temperature values from EN 10088-2:2014 Table 10 for martensitic steels in the heat-treated condition. Unlike the ferritic grades, the values depend on the heat-treatment condition as well as on the product form.

For product forms C and H in the annealed condition, hardness is normally determined, and the tensile test is used in referee testing. Plates may also be delivered annealed; in that case the mechanical properties are agreed at the time of enquiry and order. Elongation is measured on an 80 mm gauge length below 3 mm and on a proportional gauge length from 3 mm upwards.

Impact energy for quenched and tempered plate is by agreement, so it should be written into the order where toughness matters. SHH STEEL can arrange impact, hardness and additional tensile tests, witnessed by a third-party inspector when required.

Minimum 0.2 % proof strength at elevated temperature (EN 10088-2 Table 15, +QT650)

These values support the use of 1.4006 in steam valves and turbine parts at moderate temperature. For long service at higher temperatures, creep data from other sources are needed.

EN 10088-2 Table A.4 gives the following guideline temperatures for 1.4006:

The annealed condition is soft, limited by EN 10088-2 Table 10 to max. 90 HRB or 200 HBW, and is the condition in which strip and sheet are usually blanked, formed and machined. Hardening from 950 – 1 010 °C produces martensite; tempering then sets the final strength. The +QT550 and +QT650 designations refer to the minimum tensile strength levels of 550 and 650 MPa.

Buyers who harden parts themselves after machining usually order +A material. The tempering temperature for parts hardened by the buyer should be chosen with both toughness and corrosion resistance in mind. Because 1.4006 is air-hardening to some extent, slow cooling after hot forming or welding is important to avoid cracking. The Annex A temperatures are guidelines; actual furnace settings are chosen by the mill or heat treater, and we check that the delivery condition is stated on each certificate.

The values below are approximate reference figures for X12Cr13 at room temperature, as listed in EN 10088-1 and reproduced in stockholder datasheets. They are suitable for design estimates and weight calculation; where a figure is critical, use EN 10088-1 itself.

These approximate figures are typical of 13 % chromium martensitic steel. Thermal conductivity is higher than that of austenitic grades, and the steel is magnetic in both the annealed and the hardened condition.

With 11.5 – 13.5 % chromium and carbon partly bound in carbides, 1.4006 has the most modest corrosion resistance of the stainless steel families: adequate in fresh water, steam, mild atmospheres and many organic media, but not in chlorides or acids. Corrosion resistance is best in the hardened and tempered condition with a smooth, clean surface; tempering in the range of roughly 450 – 600 °C can lower both toughness and corrosion resistance and is usually avoided.

Where corrosion resistance matters more than hardness, a ferritic grade such as EN 10088-2 1.4000 plate or an austenitic grade is usually a better choice. This guidance is general and not part of EN 10088-2.

Martensitic grades are not covered by the intergranular corrosion requirement of EN 10088-2 in the way the stabilised ferritics are, and welded joints without post-weld tempering are both hard and less resistant to corrosion.

1.4006 can be welded, but as a hardenable steel it needs a controlled procedure. The weld and heat-affected zone form hard, brittle martensite on cooling, so cold cracking caused by hydrogen and stress is the main risk.

• Preheat the parts and control the interpass temperature; the temperatures depend on thickness and restraint and should be taken from the qualified welding procedure or the filler supplier’s guidance.
• Use low-hydrogen processes and dry consumables: matching 410-type filler where strength and colour must match, or austenitic 309L where toughness matters more.
• After welding, temper (post-weld heat treat) the weldment to soften the hard zone, at the temperature set by the qualified procedure.
• Avoid welding hardened +QT plate without a procedure that restores properties after welding.
• These are industry practices; EN 10088-2 does not specify welding procedures.

These points reflect industry practice for 13 % chromium martensitic stainless steels rather than requirements of EN 10088-2, which does not specify welding procedures. In the SHH STEEL workshop, blanks and slit strips are cut with clean, burr-free edges so that seam, spot and tube welding run without edge preparation problems.

In the annealed condition 1.4006 martensitic sheet and X12Cr13 plate in +A can be blanked, bent and formed, with springback typical of 13 % chromium steels; parts are then often hardened and tempered after forming. Quenched and tempered plate is much harder to form and is normally only cut and machined.

Machinability is good for a stainless steel, especially in +QT650 or with controlled sulphur. Thermal cutting of hardened plate creates a hard edge zone, so allowance for machining or a softening treatment may be needed, and preheating thick plate before plasma or oxy-fuel cutting reduces the risk of edge cracks.

We run our own workshop next to the warehouse, so 1.4006 can be delivered as cut pieces, sawn blocks, drilled parts or sheared strip instead of raw mill sizes. Details are on our steel cutting services and bending and forming services pages.

1.4006 covers both thin strip and heavy plate in EN 10088-2, which is unusual among the grades on this site.

For thick plate, state the heat-treatment condition, flatness and any ultrasonic testing requirement in the order. For bigger sizes than those in Table 10, mechanical values are to be agreed.

SHH STEEL can supply 1.4006 hot rolled plate and cold rolled sheet in standard sizes or cut to your drawing, and can arrange cut pieces of thick plate for valve and pump parts.

Surface finish is ordered by the process route symbols of EN 10088-2 Table 6; trade names from ASTM and JIS are shown for reference. Not every route is available for every grade, and the mill confirms which ones it can supply.

Most 1.4006 plate is machined, so 1C or 1E often makes sense and saves cost. Where the surface remains in service, a pickled or ground surface improves corrosion resistance.

Buyers looking for a 410 stainless steel equivalent in EN terms will normally be offered 1.4006. The grades are close, but the heat-treatment conditions and some limits differ.

As a 1.4006 equivalent, Type 410 is the practical match, and many heats can be certified to both. Do not confuse it with ASTM A240 Type 410S sheet and plate, the low-carbon, non-hardening variant that corresponds to 1.4000. SHH STEEL compares the limits for each drawing.

1.4006 vs 1.4000, 1.4003 and 1.4021

Compared with EN 10088-2 1.4000 plate, 1.4006 has more carbon, which makes it hardenable but less weldable. Compared with EN 10088-2 1.4003 plate, a weldable 12 % chromium ferritic for structural and wear use, 1.4006 reaches higher strength by heat treatment but needs preheat for welding. Compared with 1.4021 (X20Cr13), it has less carbon, so it is tougher but cannot reach the same hardness.

Typical applications of 1.4006 martensitic plate and sheet include:

• Valve bodies, trim and seats for water and steam
• Pump shafts, impellers and casings machined from plate
• Steam turbine parts and blades
• Wear plates and liners in mildly corrosive service
• Cutlery blanks and simple tools made from strip
• Petrochemical trays and parts where moderate strength and corrosion resistance are needed

1.4006 is not listed in EN 10028-7, so pressure-equipment use under that standard needs another grade or a specific qualification.

For machined parts from thick plate, buyers often choose +QT650 for a balance of strength and machinability, or +A when the part will be hardened after machining; SHH STEEL can advise on the condition for the part.

Most problems with 1.4006 come from confusion with neighbouring 13 % chromium grades and from the heat-treatment condition.

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

Every 1.4006 order is supported by documents and checks that make the material traceable to the heat:

• Cast analysis with carbon and chromium checked
• Hardness test for +A strip and sheet; tensile test for +QT plate (and for +A in referee testing)
• Impact test (KV2) for +QT plate when agreed
• Ultrasonic testing of thick plate when agreed
• Additional checks through our third-party testing service: PMI, dimensional, flatness and surface inspection

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 valve and pump 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: 5 t hot rolled plate, 30 mm × 1 500 mm × 3 000 mm, EN 10088-2, steel X12Cr13 (1.4006), heat-treatment condition +QT650, process route 1D, inspection certificate 3.1 to EN 10204. Mill production lead time is generally 30 – 40 days from order confirmation, depending on the rolling schedule, the size and the tests requested; quenched and tempered plate includes the heat-treatment stage at the mill. Consolidated small lots follow the same mill schedule, and we send progress updates at rolling, testing and packing.

• Mill relationships: long-term cooperation with Chinese stainless mills helps us secure competitive pricing and steadier delivery for 1.4006 and related martensitic and ferritic 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: slitting, cut-to-length, laser cutting, bending and protective film 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: coil and sheet are packed seaworthy with heat-number labels and shipped through our worldwide shipping service, together with other grades if needed.

As a 1.4006 plate supplier SHH STEEL also stocks and sources the wider range of stainless steel sheets and plates, so mixed orders of different stainless grades can travel in one container with one set of paperwork.

EN 10088-2 X12Cr13 1.4006 is the 13 % chromium martensitic steel of the 410 type, supplied annealed or quenched and tempered for valves, pumps, turbines and wear parts where strength matters more than high corrosion resistance. Choosing it is the easy part. Getting genuine material that matches the certificate, in the gauge and finish your parts need and on a predictable schedule, 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, thickness, width, finish 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.