EN 10088-2 X5CrNiCuNb16-4 1.4542 Stainless Steel Plate

EN 10088-2 X5CrNiCuNb16-4 1.4542 stainless steel plate is a precipitation hardening flat product supplied to EN 10088-2, the European standard for stainless steel sheet, plate and strip for general purposes. X5CrNiCuNb16-4 contains up to 0.07 % carbon, 15.0 – 17.0 % chromium, 3.0 – 5.0 % nickel, 3.0 – 5.0 % copper, up to 0.60 % molybdenum and niobium from 5 × C to 0.45 %. It is the composition known as Type 630 (ASTM A693 S17400). Its strength comes from a low-temperature precipitation hardening (ageing) treatment after solution annealing. EN 10088-2 places 1.4542 among its special grades, defined as grades for special use and/or with limited availability. Table 11 lists it as cold rolled strip up to 8 mm and hot rolled plate up to 50 mm, with plate proof strengths from 600 to 1 000 MPa depending on the hardening condition.

SHH STEEL works as a steel sourcing partner with long-term relationships with Chinese stainless mills that roll precipitation hardening plate and cold rolled strip. 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 1.4542 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 X5CrNiCuNb16-4 sheet and plate from China, and how SHH STEEL deals with each of them.

In American practice, precipitation hardening plate, sheet and strip are covered by ASTM A693, not by ASTM A240; 1.4542 corresponds to A693 Type 630, UNS S17400. ASTM A693 states that these steels are used for parts needing corrosion resistance and high strength at room temperature or at temperatures up to 600 °F (315 °C). It is the composition of ASTM A693 Type 630 (UNS S17400). SHH STEEL orders and certifies by EN steel number and UNS number; a specific producer’s branded product has to be named and agreed in the order.

EN 10088-2 is tighter on silicon, sulphur and the chromium maximum, while ASTM A693 is tighter on manganese and sets a fixed niobium (plus tantalum) minimum of 0.15 %. A dual-certified heat therefore needs manganese of at most 1.00 % and niobium of 0.15 – 0.45 %, and at least 5 × C. The two standards also name the hardened conditions differently, so the hardening condition and its test values are agreed explicitly. SHH STEEL checks both sets of limits when a buyer needs dual certification.

1.4542 is not listed in EN 10028-7. For pressure equipment, a PH grade needs separate acceptance under the applicable code.

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 1.4542 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.

The 1.4542 chemical composition balances chromium and nickel so that the steel is martensitic after solution annealing, while 3.0 – 5.0 % copper provides the precipitates that harden it on ageing. Footnote b to Table 4 permits controlled sulphur ranges: 0.015 – 0.030 % for machinability, 0.008 – 0.015 % for weldability, and 0.015 % max. for polishability. SHH STEEL checks chromium, nickel, copper and niobium 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. Chromium uses ± 0.15 % at the 15.0 % minimum and ± 0.20 % at the 17.0 % maximum, because Table 5 changes band at 15.0 %. If a product analysis is required, it should be stated in the order together with the Table 5 tolerances.

The 1.4542 mechanical properties below are the room-temperature values from EN 10088-2:2014 Table 11 for precipitation hardening steels. Unlike the austenitic and duplex grades, the values depend on the heat treatment condition as much as on the product form, so the condition must be named in the order.

Footnotes to Table 11: +AT = solution annealed, +P = precipitation hardened, +SR = strength relieved. A80 values apply to test pieces of 80 mm gauge length and 20 mm width (50 mm × 12.5 mm may also be used); A values apply to a proportional gauge length of 5.65√S0. For bigger sizes the mechanical values shall be agreed at the time of enquiry and order. Under section 7.4.2, the 1 % proof strength is determined for austenitic steels only, so Table 11 gives none.

For cold rolled strip, Table 11 gives a single elongation value for both gauge lengths. The strip values for +P1300 and +P900 are conditions of application, and other precipitation hardening temperatures may be agreed. The plate values for +P1070, +P950 and +P850 apply if the plate is ordered in the finally treated condition; +SR630 is a delivery condition for further processing, with the final treatment according to Table A.5.

Table 11 gives no impact energy values for 1.4542, and EN 10088-2 rates no resistance to intergranular corrosion for precipitation hardening steels. Any impact or hardness requirement must be agreed in the order.

Cold worked condition (process route 2H)

EN 10088-2 Tables 19 and 20 list no cold worked (2H) strength levels for 1.4542. Its strength is set by the precipitation hardening condition instead.

Minimum 0.2 % proof strength at elevated temperature (EN 10088-2 Table 16)

Table 16 gives values only for 1.4542 and only up to 300 °C. They are minimum values for design and are not tested unless agreed; under section 7.4.3 only the 0.2 % proof strength is determined at elevated temperature for precipitation hardening steels. ASTM A693 gives 600 °F (315 °C) as the upper end of the temperature range for these steels.

EN 10088-2 Table A.5 gives the following guideline temperatures for 1.4542:

Hot forming: 1 150 – 900 °C, cooling in air. The footnotes to Table A.5 state that solution annealing temperatures shall be agreed for simulated heat-treated test pieces, and that with a continuous furnace the upper part of the range is usually preferred or even exceeded.

Footnote c to Table A.5 states that +SR630 is carried out after martensitic transformation, and that solution annealing at 1 025 – 1 055 °C will be necessary before precipitation hardening. The Euro Inox tables give the same temperatures. The lower the ageing temperature, the higher the strength: +P1300 is aged at 470 – 490 °C and +P850 at 610 – 630 °C.

A producer data bulletin for UNS S17400 notes that the normal hardening treatments require only 482 – 621 °C and employ air cooling, which virtually eliminates scaling and distortion. SHH STEEL states the solution annealing and ageing record on the certificate.

The values below are approximate reference figures for X5CrNiCuNb16-4 at room temperature, as listed in EN 10088-1 and reproduced in a stockholder datasheet (Häuselmann). They are suitable for design estimates and weight calculation; where a figure is critical, use EN 10088-1 itself.

That datasheet gives 1.4542 a density of 7.8 g/cm³, a modulus of 200 GPa at 20 °C falling to 170 GPa at 400 °C, a thermal expansion of 10.9 × 10⁻⁶ /K from 20 to 100 °C and 11.1 × 10⁻⁶ /K from 20 to 300 °C, a thermal conductivity of 16 W/(m·K), a specific heat of 500 J/(kg·K) and an electrical resistivity of 0.71 Ω·mm²/m, and marks the grade as magnetisable. The worldstainless table gives very similar values and lists it under the ferromagnetic grades.

The Euro Inox fabrication tables list 1.4542 for bolts and spindles in fittings and for compressor parts, describing it as high strength and resistant to water and dilute acids. A producer data bulletin for UNS S17400 describes excellent corrosion resistance and proven resistance to stress corrosion cracking in marine environments. EN 10088-2 does not rate resistance to intergranular corrosion for this grade: under section 6.4, NOTE 1, EN ISO 3651-2 is not applicable to precipitation hardening steels.

Where high strength is needed with less hardening effort, the soft martensitic EN 10088-2 1.4418 plate and EN 10088-2 1.4313 plate are the usual EN alternatives; they are quenched and tempered rather than aged.

As NOTE 2 to section 6.4 of EN 10088-2 points out, corrosion resistance depends strongly on the environment and cannot always be clearly ascertained through laboratory tests, so experience with the grade in similar service should be used.

1.4542 is weldable by the common arc processes, and producers describe its welding characteristics as good. Because strength comes from heat treatment, the weld and heat-affected zone must be brought back to the required condition.

• The Euro Inox fabrication tables rate TIG/MIG, manual metal arc, resistance and autogenous welding as suitable for 1.4542, with the matching filler 1.4542.
• Welding is normally done in the solution annealed (+AT) or strength relieved (+SR630) condition, followed by the hardening treatment of Table A.5, so the joint reaches the ordered +P condition.
• A producer data bulletin for UNS S17400 describes excellent welding characteristics for its product.
• EN 10088-2 does not specify welding procedures; these are published guidelines and general practice.

These points reflect industry practice for precipitation hardening stainless steels rather than requirements of EN 10088-2, which does not specify welding procedures. In the SHH STEEL workshop, plate blanks are cut with clean, burr-free edges, ready for the fabricator’s own joint preparation.

In the cold rolled +AT condition, Table 11 allows a tensile strength of up to 1 275 MPa with 5 % elongation, so 1.4542 is suited to mild forming only. Plate for further processing is supplied as +SR630, with a tensile strength of up to 1 050 MPa.

ASTM A693 notes that precipitation hardening steels are suitable for machining in the solution-annealed condition and can then be hardened without danger of cracking or distortion. Plate is cut by plasma or waterjet, or sawn; the cut edge and the heat-affected zone should be allowed for before final machining.

We run our own workshop next to the warehouse, so 1.4542 precipitation hardening plate and X5CrNiCuNb16-4 plate blanks can be delivered cut to size. Details are on our steel cutting services and bending and forming services pages.

EN 10088-2 Table 11 lists 1.4542 as cold rolled strip (C) up to 8 mm and hot rolled plate (P) up to 50 mm.

For bigger sizes the mechanical values shall be agreed at the time of enquiry and order. Under section 6.9, EN ISO 18286 applies to individually rolled quarto plate. Section 6.7 provides for ultrasonic testing to EN 10307 only for austenitic and austenitic-ferritic grades, so any ultrasonic testing of 1.4542 plate is a special agreement.

SHH STEEL can supply 1.4542 precipitation hardening plate in standard sizes or cut to your drawing, after confirming availability and the delivery condition with the mill. 1.4542 cold rolled strip up to 8 mm is ordered separately, usually as +AT for parts that are formed and then aged.

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.1, No.4 and BA cross-references follow worldstainless and IMOA comparison tables; EN 10088-2 itself defines only the EN symbols, and not every route is available for every grade. Special finishes such as 1J and 2J apply to one surface unless otherwise agreed. For 1.4542 plate the usual route is 1D after the final heat treatment.

The usual 1.4542 equivalent is ASTM A693 Type 630 (UNS S17400), so the 1.4542 Type 630 pairing is the one used for dual certification. GB/T 20878 gives SUS630 as the Japanese counterpart of the Chinese grade 05Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb (S51740).

In GB/T 20878, 05Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb has the same limits as ASTM S17400 (C ≤ 0.07 %, Cr 15.00 – 17.50 %, Ni and Cu 3.00 – 5.00 %, Nb 0.15 – 0.45 %). Another PH grade in the Chinese plate standard is GB/T 4237 07Cr17Ni7Al S51770 plate, the counterpart of 1.4568. Equivalent grades are close but not identical, and the hardening conditions are named differently, so the order must state the standard, the condition and the test values.

1.4542 vs 1.4568

On 1.4542 vs 1.4568: 1.4542 is martensitic after solution annealing and is hardened by copper precipitates in a single ageing step, while EN 10088-2 1.4568 strip (17-7 type, 0.70 – 1.50 % aluminium) is largely austenitic after solution annealing and needs a conditioning and sub-zero treatment before ageing. EN 10088-2 lists 1.4542 as strip and plate up to 50 mm, but 1.4568 only as cold rolled strip up to 8 mm. 1.4568 reaches a higher strip strength (+P1450: 1 310 MPa proof strength), and Euro Inox lists it for springs.

Typical applications of 1.4542 plate listed in the Euro Inox fabrication tables and producer literature include:

• Bolts and spindles in fittings (Euro Inox)
• Compressor parts (Euro Inox)
• Pump shafts, valve stems, gates and bushings (producer data bulletin)
• Fasteners, couplings and wear rings (producer data bulletin)
• Machined parts that are hardened after machining

ASTM A693 notes that these steels are suitable for machining in the solution-annealed condition, after which they may be hardened without danger of cracking or distortion.

1.4542 is not listed in EN 10028-7, so it is ordered to EN 10088-2 for general engineering use.

For 1.4542 the main risks are an unclear heat treatment condition, a heat that misses the ASTM manganese or niobium limits, martensitic grades supplied instead, and hardening done before machining or welding is complete.

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 1.4542 order is supported by documents and checks that make the material traceable to the heat:

• Cast analysis with chromium, nickel, copper and niobium checked
• Tensile test to Table 11 in the ordered condition (+P1070, +P950, +P850 or +SR630 for plate)
• Hardness test when agreed
• Heat treatment record (solution annealing and ageing temperatures and times)
• 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 valve, pump and machinery 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 plates, 25 mm × 1 500 mm × 3 000 mm, EN ISO 18286, EN 10088-2, steel X5CrNiCuNb16-4 (1.4542), condition +P1070, 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 1.4542 is a special grade with a separate ageing step, the campaign date 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 1.4542 and related precipitation hardening and martensitic 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 1.4542 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 X5CrNiCuNb16-4 1.4542 is the Type 630 precipitation hardening special grade, supplied as hot rolled plate up to 50 mm in +P1070, +P950, +P850 or +SR630 and as cold rolled strip, for valve, pump and machinery parts. 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.