EN 10088-2 X2CrNiN18-7 1.4318 Stainless Steel Plate

EN 10088-2 X2CrNiN18-7 1.4318 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. X2CrNiN18-7 contains no more than 0.030 % carbon, 16.5 – 18.5 % chromium, 6.0 – 8.0 % nickel and 0.10 – 0.20 % nitrogen. The nitrogen raises strength: in the solution annealed condition cold rolled strip has a minimum 0.2 % proof strength of 350 MPa, well above the common 18-8 grades, and the low nickel content lets the steel work-harden strongly. EN 10088-2 lists cold rolled strip up to 8 mm, hot rolled strip up to 13.5 mm and hot rolled plate up to 75 mm, and cold worked material (process route 2H) at the +C850, +C1000, +CP500 and +CP700 levels.

SHH STEEL works as a steel sourcing partner with long-term relationships with Chinese stainless mills that roll austenitic CrNi sheet, strip and plate in annealed and cold worked 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 1.4318 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 X2CrNiN18-7 sheet and plate from China, and how SHH STEEL deals with each of them.

1.4318 is the EN counterpart of UNS S30153, Type 301LN, in ASTM A240 (see AISI 301LN stainless steel plate). It can also be ordered to EN 10028-7 for pressure equipment; see EN 10028-7 1.4318 pressure vessel plate.

A heat can meet both 1.4318 and S30153 if chromium is 16.5 – 18.0 % and nitrogen at least 0.10 %. SUS301L has no nitrogen minimum, so it may not reach the strength of 1.4318. SHH STEEL checks these points when a buyer needs dual certification.

1.4318 is also listed in EN 10028-7:2016 for pressure purposes. That standard may set its own test and property requirements, which we have not reproduced here.

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 1.4318 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.

Low carbon gives resistance to intergranular corrosion after welding, and nitrogen restores the strength that the low carbon would otherwise cost. SHH STEEL checks carbon and nitrogen on every certificate as part of the 1.4318 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 1.4318 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).

Table 7 rates 1.4318 resistance to intergranular corrosion (EN ISO 3651-2) as “yes” in both the delivery and the sensitized condition. For bigger sizes the mechanical values are to be agreed.

Cold worked condition (process route 2H)

EN 10088-2 Table 17 defines the tensile strength levels for the cold worked condition (process route 2H): +C700 = 700 – 850 MPa, +C850 = 850 – 1 000 MPa, +C1000 = 1 000 – 1 150 MPa, +C1150 = 1 150 – 1 300 MPa and +C1300 = 1 300 – 1 500 MPa. Table 18 defines 0.2 % proof strength levels: +CP350 = 350 – 500 MPa, +CP500 = 500 – 700 MPa, +CP700 = 700 – 900 MPa, +CP900 = 900 – 1 100 MPa and +CP1100 = 1 100 – 1 300 MPa. Intermediate values may be agreed. The steel may be specified by tensile strength, by proof strength or by hardness, but only one parameter in the order. The maximum thickness for each level decreases as the strength rises, and remaining elongation depends on the work-hardening behaviour, so more exact information should be requested from the mill.

EN 10088-2 lists 1.4318 2H material at the +C850 and +C1000 tensile levels and the +CP500 and +CP700 proof strength levels (X = available).

Minimum proof strength at elevated temperature (EN 10088-2 Table 12, +AT)

EN 10088-2 gives no values above 350 °C for this grade. The values apply to the solution annealed condition, not to cold worked material.

EN 10088-2 Table A.1 gives the following guideline temperatures for 1.4318:

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.

Cold worked 2H material gets its strength from cold rolling, so any heating that anneals it will remove that strength. Annealed material is delivered as +AT; we check that the condition or 2H level is stated on each certificate.

The values below are approximate reference figures for X2CrNiN18-7 at room temperature, as given in a producer datasheet (Acerinox ACX 090, citing EN 10088-1 for the modulus); resistivity values in stockholder datasheets range from about 0.73 to 0.80. They are suitable for design estimates and weight calculation; where a figure is critical, use EN 10088-1 itself.

Thermal expansion is higher and thermal conductivity lower than for ferritic grades, which matters for welding distortion and mixed-material assemblies. A stockholder datasheet (Hammecke) notes that the steel can be slightly magnetic in the quenched condition and that magnetism increases with cold work.

1.4318 has corrosion resistance comparable to the common 18-8 austenitic grades. A producer datasheet (Acerinox ACX 090) states that in both the 2B and 2H conditions it shares equivalent corrosion properties and weldability with the 18/8 grades. EN 10088-2 Table 7 rates its resistance to intergranular corrosion, tested to EN ISO 3651-2, as “yes” both in the delivery condition and in the sensitized condition, which reflects the low carbon content.

For pressure equipment of similar strength, the nitrogen-alloyed EN 10028-7 1.4311 pressure vessel plate is a related grade.

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.

1.4318 is readily weldable by the common processes, and its low carbon content keeps it resistant to intergranular corrosion after welding.

• The Euro Inox fabrication tables rate gas-shielded (TIG/MIG), manual metal arc and resistance welding as suitable for 1.4318 and give filler materials 1.4316 or 1.4455.
• No preheat is listed in those tables.
• Welding cold worked 2H material softens the heat-affected zone, so the design should allow for annealed-level strength at the weld.
• EN 10088-2 does not specify welding procedures; these are published guidelines and general practice.

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.

Annealed 1.4318 has good formability, but it work-hardens faster than 1.4301, so forming forces are higher and springback larger. 2H material is bent with larger radii, which should be confirmed by trials.

Cutting is by laser, plasma, shearing or slitting. As with other austenitic grades, machining needs sharp tools and positive feeds to avoid work hardening at the cut.

We run our own workshop next to the warehouse, so 1.4318 austenitic sheet and X2CrNiN18-7 plate can be delivered as slit coil, cut-to-length sheets, laser-cut blanks or bent parts. Details are on our steel cutting services and bending and forming services pages. Protective film can be applied for visible parts.

1.4318 is listed in EN 10088-2 as cold rolled strip, hot rolled strip and hot rolled plate.

For 2H material, the maximum thickness depends on the strength level, so the mill should confirm it for the level ordered. For bigger sizes than those in Table 7, mechanical values are to be agreed.

SHH STEEL can supply 1.4318 cold rolled sheet, coil and slit strip, and hot rolled plate, in standard sizes or cut 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.

The No.4 to 2J and BA to 2R cross-references follow IMOA and worldstainless comparison tables; EN 10088-2 itself defines only the EN symbols. Special finishes such as 2J apply to one surface unless otherwise agreed.

The usual 1.4318 equivalent, and the answer to most 301LN equivalent enquiries, is UNS S30153.

Type 301L (see AISI 301L stainless steel plate) is a low-carbon variant without a nitrogen minimum, and ASTM A240 Type 301 sheet and plate has up to 0.15 % carbon, so neither is equivalent.

1.4318 vs 1.4310 and 1.4301

Compared with EN 10088-2 1.4310 plate, 1.4318 has much less carbon and more nitrogen, so it resists intergranular corrosion after welding (1.4310 is rated “no”), while 1.4310 reaches higher cold worked strength levels (up to +C1300). Compared with 1.4301, it has less nickel and more nitrogen, so its annealed proof strength is higher (350 against 230 MPa for cold rolled strip in Table 7) and it work-hardens more.

Typical applications of 1.4318 sheet and plate listed in published sources (Euro Inox and Acerinox) include:

• Rail carriages and railway car bodies
• Buses and other lightweight transport designs
• Trailer bodies
• Automotive structural parts
• Structural components and construction
• Springs that must resist intergranular corrosion after welding

For pressure equipment, 1.4318 plate is ordered to EN 10028-7; for other uses, EN 10088-2 applies.

Lightweight designs usually use 2H material at +C850 or +C1000 to reduce thickness. SHH STEEL can advise on the strength level for each part.

For 1.4318 the main risks are confusion with 301-type grades, the wrong strength level and the wrong finish.

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 1.4318 order is supported by documents and checks that make the material traceable to the heat:

• Cast analysis with carbon, chromium, nickel and nitrogen checked
• Tensile test (transverse) for +AT or the ordered 2H level
• Intergranular corrosion test to EN ISO 3651-2 when agreed
• 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 transport and structural 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 cold rolled sheet, 2 mm × 1 250 mm × 2 500 mm, EN 10088-2, steel X2CrNiN18-7 (1.4318), process route 2H, strength level +C850, 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; cold worked 2H material 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 1.4318 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 1.4318 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 X2CrNiN18-7 1.4318 is the low-carbon, nitrogen-alloyed austenitic steel of the 301LN type, supplied annealed or cold worked for rail, bus and other lightweight structures that are welded. 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.