EN 10088-2 X30Cr13 1.4028 Stainless Steel Plate

EN 10088-2 X30Cr13 1.4028 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. X30Cr13 contains 0.26 – 0.35 % carbon and 12.0 – 14.0 % chromium. The higher carbon gives a hardened and tempered hardness of 45 – 51 HRC for thin strip, above 1.4021, while corrosion resistance stays at the moderate level of 13 % chromium steels. EN 10088-2 lists cold rolled strip up to 3 mm in the hardened and tempered condition (+QT), cold rolled strip up to 8 mm and hot rolled strip up to 13.5 mm annealed (+A), and hot rolled plate up to 75 mm in +QT800, 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 strip and 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 1.4028 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 X30Cr13 sheet and plate from China, and how SHH STEEL deals with each of them.

1.4028 is usually compared with ASTM A240 Type 420 sheet and plate (UNS S42000) and JIS SUS420J2. Type 420 has a 0.15 % carbon minimum and no maximum, while SUS420J2 has 0.26 – 0.40 % carbon, slightly wider than the 0.26 – 0.35 % of 1.4028.

A material supplied as Type 420 may have anything from 0.15 % carbon upwards, so its response to hardening can differ from 1.4028. SHH STEEL confirms the carbon range before ordering when a buyer cross-references the grades.

1.4028 does not appear in EN 10028-7:2016, whose martensitic grades are 1.4313 and 1.4418.

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 1.4028 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.

* Footnote b of Table 4: a controlled sulphur content of 0.015 – 0.030 % is recommended and permitted for machinability, 0.008 – 0.015 % for weldability, and 0.015 % max. for polishability. For blades that are ground and polished, the low-sulphur version is normally preferred. SHH STEEL states the required sulphur range in the mill order as part of the 1.4028 chemical composition, and checks carbon on every certificate.

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 1.4028 mechanical properties below are the room-temperature values from EN 10088-2:2014 Table 10 for martensitic steels in the heat-treated condition. 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 which case the mechanical properties are to be agreed at enquiry and order.

EN 10088-2 Table 10 gives no impact energy requirement for 1.4028, and Table 15 gives no elevated-temperature proof strength. If toughness or high-temperature strength matters, the values must be agreed in the order; SHH STEEL can arrange the tests, witnessed by a third-party inspector when required.

EN 10088-2 Table A.4 gives the following guideline temperatures for 1.4028:

Slow cooling after hot forming is required because 1.4028 hardens in air and can crack if cooled quickly. Annealing at 730 – 790 °C produces the soft condition used for blanking, forming and machining.

The low tempering range, 200 – 350 °C, is used for blades and tools where hardness and edge retention come first; the higher range for +QT800 gives plate with a minimum tensile strength of 800 MPa and better toughness. The Annex A temperatures are guidelines; actual furnace settings are set by the mill or the buyer’s heat treater, and we check that the delivery condition is stated on each certificate.

The values below are approximate reference figures for X30Cr13 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.

The steel is magnetic in both the annealed and the hardened condition, which allows magnetic chucking during grinding of blades and plates.

1.4028 has the moderate corrosion resistance of 13 % chromium martensitic steels. With more carbon than 1.4021, more chromium can be tied up as carbides, so corrosion resistance depends strongly on the heat treatment: it is best in the hardened condition, with the carbides dissolved, and on a ground or polished surface. EN 10088-2 gives no corrosion data, and we have not quoted test figures here because they vary with condition and finish.

Where corrosion resistance is more important than hardness, a lower-carbon grade such as EN 10088-2 1.4000 plate or an austenitic grade is usually the better choice.

Because tempering in the range used for high hardness can affect corrosion behaviour, the tempering temperature should be agreed with corrosion duty in mind.

1.4028 is generally considered difficult to weld. With about 0.3 % carbon, the weld and heat-affected zone become very hard and brittle and are prone to cracking, so welding is normally avoided or limited to repairs.

• Where welding is unavoidable, preheat the parts; the temperature should come from a qualified procedure or the filler supplier.
• Use low-hydrogen processes and dry consumables; an austenitic filler gives a tougher weld than a matching filler.
• Temper or re-harden and temper after welding, according to the procedure.
• Mechanical joining or a lower-carbon grade is often a better design choice.
• EN 10088-2 does not specify welding procedures; these are general industry practices.

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.

Annealed 1.4028 strip can be blanked, fine-blanked and bent with moderate radii; parts are then hardened and tempered. Hardened strip and +QT800 plate are normally only cut, ground and machined.

Thermal cutting of hardenable plate creates a hard, crack-prone edge, so cutting in the annealed condition, preheating thick plate or leaving a machining allowance is advised. Machining is easiest in the annealed condition; a controlled sulphur content improves machinability but reduces polishability.

We run our own workshop next to the warehouse, so 1.4028 martensitic sheet and X30Cr13 plate can be delivered as cut pieces, sawn blocks or slit strip instead of raw mill sizes. Details are on our steel cutting services and bending and forming services pages.

1.4028 is listed in EN 10088-2 as thin hardened strip, annealed strip and plate up to 75 mm.

Thin strip for blades is often slit to narrow widths; for plate, state the heat-treatment condition, flatness and any ultrasonic testing in the order.

SHH STEEL can supply 1.4028 hot rolled plate and cold rolled strip in standard sizes, slit strip or cut blanks to your drawing.

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.

Blades and cutting parts are ground and polished after hardening, so the mill finish mainly needs to be clean and flat. Specify low sulphur if a high polish is needed.

When buyers ask for a 1.4028 equivalent, the closest matches are Chinese 30Cr13 and JIS SUS420J2; the American Type 420 is broader.

For lower-carbon 420 material, see JIS G4305 SUS420J1 plate and EN 10088-2 1.4021 plate; for the American grade see also AISI 420 stainless steel plate.

1.4028 vs 1.4021 and 1.4031

Compared with EN 10088-2 1.4021 plate, 1.4028 reaches higher hardness after hardening (45 – 51 HRC against 44 – 50 HRC for thin +QT strip) but is less tough and harder to weld. Compared with 1.4031, it has less carbon and lower hardness (47 – 53 HRC for 1.4031), but EN 10088-2 lists 1.4028 as plate up to 75 mm, while 1.4031 is listed only as strip. Compared with EN 10088-2 1.4006 plate or ASTM A240 Type 410 sheet and plate, it is a hardening grade for wear and cutting rather than a general structural grade.

1.4028 martensitic plate and sheet are commonly used for parts that need hardness and moderate corrosion resistance:

• Knife and cutting blades, including industrial and food-processing blades
• Cutting tools and scissors
• Springs and spring parts from hardened strip
• Surgical and dental instruments
• Wear plates and parts for pumps and valves
• Measuring tools and rules

1.4028 is not a pressure-equipment grade under EN 10028-7. For welded structures, a lower-carbon grade is usually more practical.

For blades blanked and then hardened by the buyer, annealed strip is the usual order; for plate parts machined and used as delivered, +QT800. SHH STEEL can advise on the condition for each part.

With 1.4028 the main risks are mixed-up carbon levels, the wrong delivery condition and cracking during cutting.

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 1.4028 order is supported by documents and checks that make the material traceable to the heat:

• Cast analysis with carbon, chromium and sulphur checked
• Hardness test for +A strip; 1.4028 hardness (HRC/HV) for +QT strip; tensile test for +QT800 plate
• Flatness and surface inspection for strip
• 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 blade and tooling 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: 3 t cold rolled strip, 3 mm × 1 000 mm coil, EN 10088-2, steel X30Cr13 (1.4028), heat-treatment condition +A, process route 2D, 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 1.4028 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 1.4028 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 X30Cr13 1.4028 is the 0.3 % carbon, 13 % chromium martensitic steel used where blades, tools and wear parts need more hardness than 1.4021 can give, supplied as annealed strip or as quenched and tempered plate. 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.