EN 10088-2 X8CrNiS18-9 1.4305 Stainless Steel Plate

EN 10088-2 X8CrNiS18-9 1.4305 stainless steel plate is an austenitic flat product supplied to EN 10088-2, the European standard for stainless steel sheet, plate and strip for general purposes. X8CrNiS18-9 contains up to 0.10 % carbon, 17.0 – 19.0 % chromium, 8.0 – 10.0 % nickel, up to 1.00 % copper and a deliberate 0.15 – 0.35 % sulphur. The sulphur forms sulphide inclusions that break chips during machining, which is why the grade is known as a free-machining steel. The price is lower corrosion resistance and poor weldability. EN 10088-2 lists 1.4305 only as hot rolled plate (product form P) up to 75 mm in the solution annealed condition; it gives no values for cold rolled or continuously hot rolled strip. It is far more common as bar, so plate is an unusual product that should be confirmed with the mill at enquiry.

SHH STEEL works as a steel sourcing partner with long-term relationships with Chinese stainless mills that roll austenitic CrNi hot rolled plate. 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 1.4305 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 X8CrNiS18-9 sheet and plate from China, and how SHH STEEL deals with each of them.

1.4305 is usually compared with Type 303 (see AISI 303 stainless steel plate). Type 303 is not listed in ASTM A240, the American plate standard, so there is no direct plate-to-plate match; the selenium variant AISI 303Se stainless steel plate is a different steel.

The 303 figures are taken from the BSSA composition table and the JSSA JIS table. A heat meeting 1.4305 normally also falls inside the 303 limits, but not the reverse, because 303 allows more carbon and phosphorus and has no sulphur maximum. SHH STEEL checks the actual analysis before accepting dual certification.

1.4305 is not listed in EN 10028-7, and with Table 7 rating it “no” for intergranular corrosion it is not a pressure equipment grade.

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 1.4305 chemical composition below is the cast (heat) analysis from EN 10088-2:2014 Table 1. Values are percentages by mass; a single figure is a maximum.

The 0.15 – 0.35 % sulphur range is the defining feature of 1.4305; the sulphides it forms give the 1.4305 machinability and also reduce corrosion resistance and weldability. SHH STEEL checks sulphur and carbon on every certificate as part of the 1.4305 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 1.4305 mechanical properties below are the room-temperature values from EN 10088-2:2014 Table 7 for austenitic steels in the solution annealed condition. Test pieces are transverse; the A80 elongation applies below 3 mm and the proportional elongation A from 3 mm.

Rp1.0 values are for guidance only. For continuously hot rolled products, 20 MPa higher minimum Rp0.2 and 10 MPa higher Rp1.0 may be agreed. For strip in rolling widths below 300 mm tested longitudinally, the minimum proof strength is reduced by 15 MPa and elongation by 5 % (constant gauge) or 2 % (proportional gauge). For bigger sizes than those listed, mechanical values are to be agreed.

EN 10088-2 gives values for product form P only, and no impact energy values. Table 7 rates 1.4305 resistance to intergranular corrosion (EN ISO 3651-2) as “no” in both the delivery and the sensitized condition.

Cold worked condition (process route 2H)

EN 10088-2 Tables 19 and 20 list no cold worked (2H) strength levels for 1.4305, which is consistent with the standard listing it only as hot rolled plate.

Elevated-temperature properties

EN 10088-2 Table 12 gives no elevated-temperature proof strength values for 1.4305, so the grade should not be used for design at elevated temperature on the basis of this standard.

EN 10088-2 Table A.1 gives the following guideline temperatures for 1.4305:

The footnotes to Table A.1 state that with a continuous furnace the upper part of the range is usually preferred or even exceeded, and that the lower end of the range should be aimed at when the heat treatment is part of further processing, because otherwise the mechanical properties may be affected. Solution annealing may be omitted if hot working and cooling achieve the required mechanical properties and resistance to intergranular corrosion.

The Euro Inox tables give the same 1 000 – 1 100 °C range with cooling in air or water. Plate is delivered solution annealed (+AT); we check the condition on each certificate.

The values below are approximate reference figures for X8CrNiS18-9 at room temperature, from the worldstainless “Tables of Technical Properties”, which follow EN 10088-1. They are suitable for design estimates and weight calculation; where a figure is critical, use EN 10088-1 itself.

The EN 10088-1 table as reproduced by Häuselmann lists 1.4305 as not magnetisable, with a modulus of 200 GPa at 20 °C falling to 186 GPa at 200 °C. The physical properties are essentially those of 1.4301.

The Euro Inox fabrication tables describe 1.4305 as having improved machinability but lower corrosion resistance than 1.4301. The sulphide inclusions act as initiation sites for pitting, so the grade suits mild indoor and atmospheric service rather than chloride or acid environments. EN 10088-2 Table 7 rates its resistance to intergranular corrosion, tested to EN ISO 3651-2, as “no” both in the delivery condition and in the sensitized condition.

Where corrosion resistance matters more than machining speed, EN 10088-2 1.4301 plate or EN 10088-2 1.4307 plate is the better choice.

As EN 10088-2 notes, corrosion resistance depends strongly on the environment and cannot always be judged from laboratory tests, so experience with the grade in similar service should be used.

1.4305 is not intended for welding.

• The Euro Inox fabrication tables mark its weldability as poor, because the high sulphur content promotes hot cracking.
• Where a weld cannot be avoided, the same tables give filler material 1.4316.
• Table 7 rates the grade as not resistant to intergranular corrosion, so welded joints in corrosive service are at risk.
• EN 10088-2 does not specify welding procedures; these are published guidelines.

These points reflect industry practice for austenitic CrNi 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.

1.4305 is chosen for machining. The sulphide inclusions break chips and reduce tool wear compared with 1.4301, so cutting speeds can be higher. The inclusions also reduce ductility, so the grade is not suited to severe bending or deep drawing.

Plate is cut by sawing, plasma or waterjet before machining. Sharp tools and positive feeds are still recommended, as for all austenitic steels.

We run our own workshop next to the warehouse, so 1.4305 plate and X8CrNiS18-9 plate blanks can be delivered sawn or cut to size for machining. Details are on our steel cutting services and bending and forming services pages.

EN 10088-2 lists 1.4305 only as hot rolled plate up to 75 mm.

For bigger sizes than those in Table 7, mechanical values are to be agreed at the time of enquiry and order. Because free-machining plate is uncommon, the available thickness and width range should be confirmed with the mill before ordering.

SHH STEEL can supply 1.4305 hot rolled plate cut to blocks or blanks for machining, subject to mill availability.

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.

EN 10088-2 Table 6 notes that not all process routes and finishes are available for all steels. Since 1.4305 is listed only as hot rolled plate, cold rolled finishes such as 2B or 2R do not apply. The No.1 cross-reference follows worldstainless comparison tables.

There is no flat-product 1.4305 equivalent; the usual 303 equivalent enquiry points to bar grades.

For corrosion-resistant plate of similar base composition, ASTM A240 Type 304 sheet and plate or 1.4301 is the usual alternative.

1.4305 vs 1.4301 and 303

Compared with EN 10088-2 1.4301 plate, 1.4305 adds 0.15 – 0.35 % sulphur and allows more carbon, which improves machinability but lowers corrosion resistance, weldability and the plate’s minimum proof strength (190 against 210 MPa) and elongation (35 against 45 %). Compared with 303, it has tighter carbon, phosphorus and sulphur limits.

Typical applications of 1.4305, based on the Euro Inox fabrication tables, include:

• Turned and machined parts
• Blocks and blanks machined into components
• Fittings and parts with heavy machining
• Fasteners and bushings
• Components for mild indoor environments
• Parts where machining time dominates cost

For parts that are welded, deep drawn or used in corrosive service, 1.4301 or 1.4307 plate is normally specified instead.

Because most 1.4305 is supplied as bar, 1.4305 free machining plate is chosen mainly when a part must be machined from a thick flat section. SHH STEEL can advise when bar is the better route.

For 1.4305 the main risks are confusion with 1.4301, unrealistic expectations for welding or corrosion, and limited plate availability.

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 1.4305 order is supported by documents and checks that make the material traceable to the heat:

• Cast analysis with sulphur, carbon, chromium and nickel checked
• Tensile test (transverse) to Table 7
• Thickness, 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 machined component 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: 2 plates, 40 mm × 1 500 mm × 3 000 mm, EN ISO 18286, EN 10088-2, steel X8CrNiS18-9 (1.4305), 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; because free-machining plate is rolled rarely, mill availability 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 1.4305 and related austenitic 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 1.4305 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 X8CrNiS18-9 1.4305 is the free-machining 303-type austenitic steel, listed only as hot rolled plate up to 75 mm, for parts where machining matters more than corrosion resistance or weldability. 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.