Type the code you have, find its equivalents
The bar says 1.2344, the catalog says H13, and the customer drawing shows X40CrMoV5-1. All three are the same steel. Type whichever code you know below; the tool shows the equivalents in the other systems, what the steel is used for, and heat treatment data where available.
What this tool does and does not do
How should I type the code?
The tool ignores spaces, dots, hyphens and slashes, and is not case sensitive. All of these give the same result:
1.2344·12344·1 2344·DIN 1.2344X40CrMoV5-1·x40crmov51·X40 CrMoV 5 14140·AISI 4140·aisi4140
Recognizing the systems at a glance
What the digits inside a code actually mean - why the 4 in 42CrMo4 stands for 1% chromium, for instance - is worked through step by step in How to Read Steel Grades.
| System | How it looks | How to recognize it |
|---|---|---|
| EN material number (formerly DIN Werkstoff) | 1.2344 · 1.7225 · 1.4301 | Always starts with 1. The second group gives the family: 1.2 tool steel, 1.3 special steel, 1.4 stainless, 1.0-1.1 carbon steel, 1.5-1.8 structural and engineering steel. |
| EN name | C45 · 42CrMo4 · X40CrMoV5-1 | Starting with C means non-alloy, starting with a number means low alloy, starting with X means high alloy. |
| AISI / SAE | 1045 · 4140 · D2 · H13 · M2 | Structural and Q&T steels are four digits; tool steels are a letter plus a number (D cold work, H hot work, O oil hardening, A air hardening, M molybdenum HSS). |
| JIS (Japan) | S45C · SCM440 · SKD61 · SUS304 | The prefix tells you the type: S..C carbon steel, SCM Cr-Mo, SKD tool steel, SKH HSS, SUS stainless, SUJ bearing. |
| AFNOR (France) | Z40CDV5 · 32DCV28 | The older French system; you will mostly meet it in hot-work die steel catalogs. |
Frequently asked questions
Two bars with the same code, one hard and one soft. Why?
Because the code describes the composition, not the delivery condition. 42CrMo4, for example, is sold both annealed (soft, ready to machine) and quenched and tempered (+QT). Their hardness and machinability are very different. State the delivery condition when you order.
I am looking for a code that is not in the list.
This version covers the most common grades. For a code you cannot find, start with the supplier's or producer's data sheet; comparing the composition there with similar grades in this tool will tell you which family it belongs to.
Once I find an equivalent, can I just use that material?
In general engineering usually yes, but the decision is yours. Between equivalent grades the carbon and alloy tolerance bands can differ by a few hundredths of a percent, which can affect hardenability and the heat treatment result. On critical items such as dies, bearing seats and safety parts, use the grade specified on the drawing.
Why does the old DIN name differ from the new EN name?
Some names changed when the standards were updated. 1.2379 used to be X155CrVMo12-1 and is now X153CrMoV12; Ck45 is now C45, and St37 has become S235JR. The material number (1.xxxx) did not change, which makes it the safest identifier.
Will it find trade names as well?
No. Steel producers use their own trade names and those are not standard codes. Look the trade name up in the producer's data sheet, then search this tool with the material number given there.