EN 10088-2 X50CrMoV15 1.4116 Stainless Steel Plate

EN 10088-2 X50CrMoV15 1.4116 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. X50CrMoV15 contains 0.45 – 0.55 % carbon, 14.0 – 15.0 % chromium, 0.50 – 0.80 % molybdenum and 0.10 – 0.20 % vanadium. Compared with the plain 13 % chromium grades, the extra chromium and molybdenum improve corrosion resistance, and vanadium helps keep a fine structure for edge retention. EN 10088-2 lists the grade only in the annealed condition (+A), as cold rolled strip up to 8 mm and hot rolled strip up to 13.5 mm. Hardening is done by the user after blanking; sheet and plate are cut from the strip, and no hot rolled plate (product form P) is listed.

SHH STEEL works as a steel sourcing partner with long-term relationships with Chinese stainless mills that roll martensitic knife-steel strip in the annealed condition. 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 1.4116 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 X50CrMoV15 sheet and plate from China, and how SHH STEEL deals with each of them.

1.4116 has no counterpart in ASTM A240 or in JIS G 4304 / G 4305. Buyers sometimes compare it with ASTM A240 Type 420 sheet and plate, which has 12.0 – 14.0 % chromium and no vanadium, or with AISI 440A stainless steel plate, which has more carbon and chromium. Neither is the same steel.

Because neither grade matches, a drawing that names 1.4116 should be supplied as 1.4116. SHH STEEL quotes the EN grade, or states the differences clearly if an alternative is offered.

1.4116 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 1.4116 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 permits controlled sulphur ranges: 0.015 – 0.030 % for machinability, 0.008 – 0.015 % for weldability, 0.015 % max. for polishability. Footnote e allows nitrogen additions of up to 0.15 % for increased mechanical properties. For polished knife blades the low-sulphur version is the usual choice. SHH STEEL checks carbon, molybdenum and vanadium on every certificate as part of the 1.4116 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 1.4116 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. EN 10088-2 lists no hardened condition and no hot rolled plate for 1.4116.

For orientation only, a bar datasheet to EN 10088-3 (Lucefin) gives about 54 HRC after quenching from 990 °C in oil and tempering at 200 °C, about 52 HRC after tempering at 300 °C, and 41 HRC after tempering at 550 °C. These are values from one producer for bar, not requirements of EN 10088-2; blade makers should set their own heat treatment and hardness targets.

EN 10088-2 Table A.4 gives the following guideline temperatures for 1.4116:

EN 10088-2 Table A.4 gives only hot forming and annealing temperatures for 1.4116. The annealing range, 770 – 830 °C, is higher than for the plain 13 % chromium grades (730 – 790 °C). The Euro Inox fabrication tables give the same range, with furnace or air cooling.

Hardening and tempering are done by the blade maker. The Lucefin bar datasheet uses quenching from 990 °C in oil as its reference condition; actual settings should come from the mill’s or heat treater’s guidance for the product and thickness. We check that the annealed condition is stated on each certificate.

The values below are approximate reference figures for X50CrMoV15 at room temperature, taken from a stockholder datasheet for 1.4116 (Lucefin), because the EN 10088-1 physical property table we checked does not include this grade. They are suitable for design estimates and weight calculation; where a figure is critical, use EN 10088-1 itself.

The same datasheet gives the modulus falling to about 190 GPa at 400 °C. The steel is magnetic in the annealed and the hardened condition.

1.4116 has better corrosion resistance than the plain 13 % chromium martensitic grades such as 1.4034, thanks to its higher chromium and its molybdenum. The Euro Inox fabrication tables describe it as resistant to water and water vapour, and a stockholder description (Virgamet) calls it resistant to corrosion in kitchen conditions. It is still a martensitic steel: corrosion resistance is best when hardened and polished, and it is not suited to chlorides or acids. EN 10088-2 gives no corrosion data.

Where corrosion resistance matters more than hardness, a ferritic grade such as EN 10088-2 1.4000 plate or an austenitic grade is the safer choice.

Suitability for food contact should be confirmed for the specific part, condition and finish.

1.4116 is not intended for welding. With about 0.5 % carbon, the weld and heat-affected zone become very hard and brittle. The Euro Inox fabrication tables give no preheating temperature for this grade.

• Avoid welding where possible; blades are normally riveted, bonded or mechanically fixed to handles.
• If a repair weld is unavoidable, use a qualified procedure with preheat and post-weld heat treatment set by the procedure or filler supplier.
• Low-hydrogen processes and dry consumables are essential.
• EN 10088-2 does not specify welding procedures; these are general industry practices.

These points reflect industry practice for martensitic stainless steels with molybdenum 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 1.4116 strip can be blanked, fine-blanked and ground; parts are then hardened and tempered by the user. The annealed hardness limit of 280 HBW is higher than for the 13 % chromium grades, so blanking tools see more wear.

Laser cutting is best done in the annealed condition, with an allowance for grinding at the edge. Machining and grinding are easiest before hardening.

We run our own workshop next to the warehouse, so 1.4116 martensitic sheet and X50CrMoV15 plate cut from strip can be delivered as cut blanks or slit strip instead of raw mill sizes. Details are on our steel cutting services and bending and forming services pages.

EN 10088-2 lists 1.4116 only as annealed strip. The table shows the product forms and thickness limits; sheet and plate are cut from this strip.

Material thicker than 13.5 mm, or delivered hardened, is outside EN 10088-2 for this grade, so it must be agreed separately and cannot simply be certified to the standard.

SHH STEEL can supply 1.4116 hot rolled strip and cold rolled strip as coils, slit strip or cut sheet for blanking.

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.

Knife blanks are hardened and then ground and polished, so the mill finish mainly needs to be clean, flat and free from deep defects; we inspect the surface before shipment.

A 1.4116 equivalent exists only in the Chinese system; neither ASTM A240 nor the JIS flat-product standards include a matching Cr-Mo-V grade.

Some cross-reference tables list AISI 440A stainless steel plate against 1.4116, but the chemistry differs substantially, so it should not be treated as interchangeable without the buyer’s approval.

1.4116 vs 1.4034, 1.4031 and 440A

Compared with EN 10088-2 1.4034 plate, 1.4116 has a little more carbon, about 1 % more chromium (14.0 – 15.0 % against 12.5 – 14.5 %), and adds molybdenum and vanadium, which gives better corrosion resistance; the Euro Inox tables describe 1.4034 and 1.4116 for similar knife uses. Compared with EN 10088-2 1.4031 plate and EN 10088-2 1.4021 plate, it is harder and more corrosion resistant, but EN 10088-2 lists it only as annealed strip. Compared with 440A, it has less carbon and chromium. Compared with EN 10088-2 1.4006 plate, it is a blade steel rather than a structural grade.

Typical end uses of 1.4116 listed in the Euro Inox fabrication tables include:

• Professional meat and butchers’ knives
• Penknife and pocket-knife blades
• Surgical instruments
• Partially hardened parts
• Kitchen knives and cutlery (as described in stockholder data)
• Food-processing blades

As a 1.4116 knife steel, 1.4116 martensitic plate cut from strip is not a pressure-equipment grade under EN 10028-7 and is not used for welded structures.

Because EN 10088-2 lists 1.4116 only in the annealed condition, the hardening and tempering are planned by the blade maker. SHH STEEL can share the mill’s heat-treatment guidance with the order.

For 1.4116 the main risks are substitution by cheaper 13 % chromium steel, sizes outside the standard, and unclear heat-treatment guidance.

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 1.4116 order is supported by documents and checks that make the material traceable to the heat:

• Cast analysis with carbon, chromium, molybdenum and vanadium checked
• 1.4116 hardness test in the annealed condition (HRB/HBW)
• Tensile test in referee cases
• Flatness and surface inspection
• 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 cutlery and blade 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, 2.5 mm × 1 000 mm coil, EN 10088-2, steel X50CrMoV15 (1.4116), 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; 1.4116 is rolled in campaigns, so their timing should be confirmed at enquiry. 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 1.4116 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 1.4116 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 X50CrMoV15 1.4116 is the Cr-Mo-V martensitic knife steel, with better corrosion resistance than the plain 13 % chromium grades. In EN 10088-2 it is listed only as annealed strip up to 13.5 mm, for hardening by the user. 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.