The EN 10020 standard is a foundational document in the European steel industry, providing the official definition of "steel" and establishing a systematic framework for its classification. Most technical professionals searching for EN 10020 PDF are looking for the definitive rules on how steel is categorized by chemical composition and quality classes. Overview of EN 10020
Published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), the current version is EN 10020:2000, which superseded the 1988 edition. It is used across various European nations, often appearing under national identifiers such as BS EN 10020 in the UK or DIN EN 10020 in Germany. 1. Classification by Chemical Composition
The standard primary classifies steel into three broad groups based on ladle analysis of specific elements:
Non-Alloy Steels: Steel grades where none of the limit values specified in the standard's "Table 1" are reached. For example, manganese must be below 1.65%, and silicon below 0.60%. en 10020 pdf
Stainless Steels: Defined as steels containing at least 10.5% chromium and a maximum of 1.2% carbon.
Other Alloy Steels: Grades that do not meet the stainless steel definition but have at least one element exceeding the limit values in Table 1. Key Boundary Limits (Table 1)
To distinguish between non-alloy and alloy steels, EN 10020 sets specific weight percentage thresholds for various elements: Limit Value (% by mass) Aluminium (Al) Chromium (Cr) Copper (Cu) Manganese (Mn) Nickel (Ni) Silicon (Si) 2. Main Quality Classes The EN 10020 standard is a foundational document
Beyond chemistry, EN 10020 groups steel into quality classes based on intended application and performance characteristics.
EN 10020:2000 Definition and classification of grades of steel
You can use this for documentation, a website, or a technical reference sheet. Rimmed steels (not fully deoxidized) Killed steels (fully
EN 10020:2000 is a European standard that provides a basic definition of steel and establishes a clear classification system for steel grades based primarily on their chemical composition.
It serves as a fundamental reference for all other European steel standards (e.g., EN 10025, EN 10083, EN 10088).
Once you have obtained the official EN 10020 PDF, here is a quick guide to its structure and how to use it effectively:
EN 10020 also classifies steels by how they are deoxidized during manufacturing: