EN 10088-2 X2CrTi17 1.4520 Stainless Steel Plate

X2CrTi17, steel number 1.4520, is a low-interstitial, titanium-stabilised ferritic stainless steel supplied as cold-rolled sheet and strip to EN 10088-2, the European standard for corrosion resisting flat products for general purposes. The steel behind every 1.4520 stainless steel plate contains 16.0 – 18.0 % chromium with very tight limits on carbon (0.025 %), nitrogen (0.015 %), silicon and manganese (0.50 % each), plus titanium to bind what interstitials remain. The result is a soft, highly formable, magnetic 17 % chromium steel that keeps its corrosion resistance after welding and carries no nickel. EN 10088-2 lists it as a special ferritic grade. It is chosen where the forming demands are higher than 1.4510 comfortably meets: deep-drawn appliance parts, welded tubes for heat exchangers, hot-water and calorifier components, catering equipment and exhaust parts.

SHH STEEL works as a steel sourcing partner with long-term relationships with Chinese stainless mills that roll low-interstitial 17 % chromium ferritic coil. 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 1.4520 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 X2CrTi17 sheet from China, and how SHH STEEL deals with each of them.

X2CrTi17 1.4520 is a European grade with no direct American counterpart, which matters when a drawing or a customer’s specification mixes standards. EN 10088-2 is the technical delivery condition for sheet, plate and strip of corrosion resisting steels for general purposes, and it lists 1.4520 among its special ferritic grades. ASTM A240 and ASME SA-240 have no grade with the same interstitial limits; Type 439 is the nearest. EN 10028-7 covers X2CrTi17 for pressure purposes.

If the drawing is American, see our ASTM A240 Type 439 page; SHH STEEL can check whether a mill heat meets both sets of limits, which is possible when chromium is held at 17 – 18 % and interstitials are low. If the part holds pressure, use our EN 10028-7 X2CrTi17 1.4520 pressure vessel plate page instead, because sheet certified only to EN 10088-2 is not intended for pressure purposes.

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 1.4520 chemical composition below is the cast (heat) analysis from EN 10088-2:2014 Table 3. Values are percentages by mass; a single figure is a maximum.

The limits on carbon, nitrogen, silicon and manganese are tighter than for 1.4510, and that is the whole point of the grade. Fewer interstitials mean softer, more ductile ferrite, less titanium needed for stabilisation and fewer titanium carbonitride particles, which helps surface quality after polishing. A heat with 0.015 % C and 0.010 % N needs at least 0.25 % Ti. A footnote to Table 3 allows stabilisation by titanium and/or niobium and/or zirconium, with niobium and zirconium counted as 7/4 of titanium; state on the order if titanium-only stabilisation is required.

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. How a tolerance applies to the calculated titanium minimum should be confirmed in the contract if a product analysis is ordered.

The 1.4520 mechanical properties are set in EN 10088-2:2014 Table 9 for the annealed condition. X2CrTi17 is listed for cold-rolled strip (C) only, up to 8 mm; there are no rows for hot-rolled strip (H) or quarto plate (P).

Elongation is measured on an 80 mm gauge length below 3 mm thickness and on a proportional gauge length (5.65√S0) from 3 mm upwards. Table 9 records resistance to intergranular corrosion (tested to EN ISO 3651-2) as “yes” in both the delivery and the welded condition.

The low proof strength (180 MPa minimum) and narrow tensile range are what buyers pay for: 1.4520 is one of the softest 17 % chromium ferritics in the standard, which helps in deep drawing, stretch forming and tube bending. Drawability (r-value) and ridging behaviour depend on the mill’s rolling and annealing route; if a pressing line needs a maximum hardness or a drawing-quality grade, we write it into the mill order as an agreed requirement and check it on the certificate.

Proof strength at elevated temperature (Table 14)

These values are given for information and are verified by an elevated-temperature tensile test only if agreed in the order. EN 10088-2 does not set a Charpy impact value for this grade.

X2CrTi17 plate and sheet are delivered in the annealed condition (+A). EN 10088-2 Table A.3 gives the guideline temperatures:

The annealing range is higher than for 1.4016 or 1.4510, reflecting the low-interstitial chemistry: the mill uses it to develop a recrystallised, formable structure. Welded parts do not normally need a post-weld anneal to restore corrosion resistance, because titanium already ties up carbon and nitrogen.

As with all 17 % chromium ferritics, long exposure around 400 – 550 °C can cause 475 °C embrittlement, and over-heating coarsens the grain. These effects are general knowledge for the grade family rather than EN 10088-2 requirements. The Annex A temperatures are guidelines; actual furnace settings are chosen by the mill, and SHH STEEL checks that the annealed condition is stated on each certificate.

The values below are room-temperature reference figures for X2CrTi17 1.4520, taken from the physical-property table in Euro Inox, Stainless Steel: Tables of Technical Properties (Materials and Applications Series, Volume 5). They are suitable for design estimates and weight calculation; where a figure is critical, use EN 10088-1 itself.

Low thermal expansion and good conductivity favour heat exchanger tubes and water-heating parts, where thermal cycling would load the welds of an austenitic part more heavily. At about 7.7 g/cm³, a 0.8 mm sheet weighs roughly 6.2 kg per square metre, a figure we use for weight and freight estimates in every quotation.

With 16 – 18 % chromium, titanium stabilisation and low interstitials, X2CrTi17 1.4520 offers corrosion resistance comparable to 1.4510 in the delivery and welded conditions. Its strength is consistency after welding and forming rather than a higher corrosion class.

The table is general guidance only, and material selection for a particular medium should rest on experience or testing. Like other ferritic grades, 1.4520 is practically insensitive to chloride stress-corrosion cracking, an advantage over 304 in warm water. Where chlorides are higher, a molybdenum-bearing ferritic or an austenitic grade gives more margin, and we can quote that alternative from the same mill partners.

1.4520 combines titanium stabilisation with low carbon and nitrogen, so the weld zone keeps its resistance to intergranular corrosion, as Table 9 states, and less titanium nitride forms in the weld pool. Grain growth in the heat-affected zone remains the main limit, as for every ferritic grade. The steel is joined by TIG, MIG/MAG, plasma, laser, high-frequency tube welding and resistance spot and seam welding.

• Filler metal: in common industry practice, stabilised ferritic fillers of the 430Ti or 430LNb type are used for matching welds, and 308L or 309L-type austenitic fillers for joints to other steels or where weld ductility matters most. Many thin-gauge tube and appliance welds are autogenous.
• Heat input: keep it low and travel speed high, to limit grain growth.
• Preheat and post-weld heat treatment: normally not required for thin gauges.
• Shielding: argon-based gases; nitrogen-bearing gases are avoided because they consume titanium.
• Cleaning: remove heat tint by pickling or brushing.

These points reflect industry practice for stabilised 17 % chromium ferritics rather than requirements of EN 10088-2, which does not specify welding procedures. In the SHH STEEL workshop, strip for tube mills is slit with burr control so that high-frequency and laser tube welding run without edge problems.

Formability is the reason to choose X2CrTi17 plate and sheet over 1.4510. Its low proof strength and 24 % minimum elongation suit deep-drawn sink bowls and drums, stretch-formed panels and tight tube bends. Spring-back is lower than in higher-strength ferritics but still greater than in carbon steel, and forming is best done at room temperature or slightly warm in cold weather. Ridging after deep drawing is reduced, though not eliminated, by the low-interstitial chemistry. These are workshop guidelines, not standard requirements.

Machining is comparable to other ferritic grades and easier than for austenitic steels. Punching and drilling of thin sheet is routine.

We run our own workshop next to the warehouse, so 1.4520 can be delivered as precision-slit coil, cut-to-length sheets, laser-cut blanks or bent parts instead of raw mill sizes. Details are on our steel cutting services and bending and forming services pages. Protective film can be applied for deep-drawn or visible parts.

EN 10088-2 lists 1.4520 only as cold-rolled strip and sheet (form C), up to 8 mm:

Widths and typical thicknesses are mill offerings, not values from the standard. Cut lengths are usually 2 000 – 3 000 mm, and slit coil can be supplied to the width your tube mill or press line uses. Hot-rolled or heavier material is not covered for this grade by EN 10088-2, so thicker requirements are better served by a grade such as 1.4510 or 1.4016, or have to be agreed with the mill as a special case.

Most 1.4520 ferritic sheet is bought as 0.4 – 1.5 mm material and narrow strip for tubes and drawn parts. SHH STEEL confirms available widths and lengths with the mill at quotation and slits or cuts to finished size in its own workshop when a mill size does not fit.

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.

Unless otherwise agreed, only one surface (the prime surface) is inspected to the ordered finish. For brushed or bright sheet, state a roughness value or reference sample and order protective film. For tube strip, 2B is normally the right balance of cost, flatness and weld quality.

Buyers often search for 439 stainless steel when they need 1.4520, or ask for the 1.4520 equivalent in American standards, and the honest answer is that there is none: ASTM A240 has no grade with the same low-interstitial limits, and industry cross-reference tables leave the UNS and AISI columns empty for X2CrTi17. The table lists the nearest grades; chemistry and property limits differ, so substitution should be checked against the governing specification.

On our site you can compare ASTM A240 Type 439, ASME SA240 439 and GB/T 4237 022Cr17NbTi S11763. Where a drawing calls for 439 but the project is European, 1.4520 or 1.4510 to EN 10088-2 may be acceptable, but the designer should confirm it, and SHH STEEL can prepare a side-by-side comparison of the limits for that purpose.

1.4520 vs 1.4510

Both are titanium-stabilised 17 % chromium ferritics with intergranular corrosion resistance in the welded condition. EN 10088-2 X3CrTi17 1.4510 is the standard grade, allows up to 0.05 % carbon and 1.00 % silicon and manganese, and is listed for both cold-rolled and hot-rolled strip. 1.4520 is the special, low-interstitial version: softer, more ductile and limited to cold-rolled strip, so it suits demanding deep drawing and tube forming. The unstabilised EN 10088-2 X6Cr17 1.4016 remains the low-cost option for unwelded parts, the 11 % chromium EN 10088-2 X2CrTi12 1.4512 serves exhaust parts, and for 13 % chromium refinery internals see EN 10088-2 X6Cr13 1.4000. For hotter exhaust sections the niobium-titanium 441 type is a step up. SHH STEEL can quote these grades side by side so the choice is clear.

The typical 1.4520 ferritic plate application is a thin, heavily formed and welded part where 1.4510 would be close to its forming limit. Common uses include:

• Welded tubes for heat exchangers, condensers and water heaters
• Deep-drawn sink bowls, appliance drums and tubs
• Hot-water tank and calorifier components without pressure rating
• Catering and kitchen equipment with complex pressings
• Automotive exhaust cold-end parts and decorative tubes
• Stretch-formed panels and trim
• Boiler and burner parts in moderate heat

In each case the reasoning is the same: 17 % chromium for a clean, durable surface, low interstitials for formability, titanium for sound welds, and no nickel cost that the service does not need. For these uses SHH STEEL can supply precision-slit strip or laser-cut blanks, which reduces scrap and freight.

Most problems in buying 1.4520 from China come from its status as a special grade. Fewer mills roll it, it looks exactly like 1.4510 or 439, and the difference only shows on a full analysis or in a deep-drawn part that splits.

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

EN 10088-2 Table 21 sets out the tests. The cast analysis is always reported by the manufacturer, and a tensile test at room temperature is mandatory when specific testing is ordered. For strip and sheet cut from strip (form C), the test unit is the same cast, same nominal thickness ±10 % and same final treatment condition; for rolling widths of 600 mm and above, one test sample is taken from each coil. Other tests are optional and carried out only when agreed at the time of order:

• Product analysis (extent to be agreed), useful for confirming carbon, nitrogen and titanium
• Tensile test at elevated temperature, verifying Table 14 values
• Intergranular corrosion test to EN ISO 3651-2, which can be agreed for welded applications
• 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 appliance, tube 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 strip EN ISO 9445-2, 0.8 × 1219 mm coil, slit to 156 mm; steel EN 10088-2 – X2CrTi17+2B (or 1.4520+2B); inspection certificate EN 10204 – 3.1. Mill production lead time is generally 30 – 40 days from order confirmation, depending on the rolling schedule, the size and the tests requested; as a special grade, 1.4520 depends on the mill’s campaign plan, which we confirm at quotation. Consolidated small lots follow the same mill schedule, and SHH STEEL sends progress updates at rolling, testing and packing.

• Mill relationships: long-term cooperation with Chinese stainless mills helps SHH STEEL secure competitive pricing and steadier delivery for 1.4520 and related stabilised 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: precision 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 1.4520 plate supplier SHH STEEL also stocks and sources the wider range of stainless steel sheets and plates, so mixed orders of ferritic and austenitic sheet can travel in one container with one set of paperwork.

EN 10088-2 X2CrTi17 1.4520 is a low-interstitial, titanium-stabilised 17 % chromium ferritic for thin parts that are heavily formed and welded: soft, ductile, magnetic and free of nickel cost. Choosing it is the easy part. Getting genuine special-grade sheet, with the low carbon and nitrogen that justify it, in the gauge and slit width your line needs 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. Lead time is generally 30 – 40 days.

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.