Chemical composition of stainless steels to BS 1554
Introduction
BS 1554, Specification for stainless and heat-resisting steel round wire, was published in 1990. It covered a wide range of steel wire grades for supply essentially in the annealed condition.
The standard was withdrawn in 2005 following the re-publication of BS EN 10088-3:2005, which now covers wire products. BS 1554 should not be used for specifying new products, but may still be included specifications for products originally designed before 2005 and so is included here for reference purposes only.
Stainless steel wire for springs is covered by BS EN 10270-3
As an alternative to scanning down the list try the ‘find’ facility on your keyboard, using the ‘Ctrl’ and ‘F’ keys together. Type in the term you are looking for in the dialog box that then appears.
The data given is not intended to replace that shown in individual standards to which reference should always be made.
BS 1554 chemical composition table
| Grade |
| Chemical composition (% by mass – max unless stated) |
| . |
C |
Si |
Mn |
S |
P |
Cr |
Ni |
Mo |
Others |
| 430S18 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
16.0/18.0 |
1.00 |
– |
– |
| 430S11 |
0.03 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
16.0/18.0 |
1.00 |
– |
– |
| 434S20 |
0.12 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
16.0/18.0 |
– |
0.75/1.25 |
– |
| 436S20 |
0.12 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
16.0/18.0 |
– |
0.75/1.25 |
Nb 5C/0.70 |
| 410S21 |
0.09/0.15 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
11.5/13.5 |
1.00 |
– |
– |
| 416S21 |
0.09/0.15 |
1.00 |
1.50 |
0.15/0.35 |
0.060 |
11.5/14.0 |
1.00 |
0.60 |
– |
| 416S41 |
0.09/0.15 |
1.00 |
1.50 |
0.060 |
0.060 |
11.5/13.5 |
1.00 |
0.60 |
Se 0.15/0.35 |
| 420S29 |
0.14/0.20 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
11.5/13.5 |
1.00 |
– |
– |
| 420S37 |
0.20/0.28 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
12.0/14.0 |
1.00 |
– |
– |
| 420S45 |
0.28/0.36 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
12.0/14.0 |
1.00 |
– |
– |
| 431S29 |
0.12/0.20 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
15.0/18.0 |
2.0/3.0 |
– |
– |
| 441S49 |
0.12/0.20 |
1.00 |
1.50 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
15.0/18.0 |
2.0/3.0 |
0.60 |
Se 0.15/0.35 |
| 202S16 |
0.15 |
1.00 |
7.5/10.0 |
0.030 |
0.060 |
17.0/19.0 |
4.0/6.0 |
– |
N 0.25 |
| 301S22 |
0.15 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
16.0/18.0 |
6.5/9.0 |
0.80 |
– |
| 302S31 |
0.12 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
17.0/19.0 |
8.0/10.0 |
– |
– |
| 303S31 |
0.12 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.15/0.35 |
0.060 |
17.0/19.0 |
8.0/10.0 |
1.00 |
– |
| 303S42 |
0.12 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.060 |
0.060 |
17.0/19.0 |
8.0/10.0 |
1.00 |
Se 0.15/0.35 |
| 304S11 |
0.03 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
17.0/19.0 |
9.0/12.0 |
– |
– |
| 304S15 |
0.06 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
17.5/19.0 |
8.0/11.0 |
– |
– |
| 304S31 |
0.07 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
17.0/19.0 |
8.0/11.0 |
– |
– |
| 305S11 |
0.03 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
17.0/19.0 |
11.0/13.0 |
– |
– |
| 309S20 |
0.12 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
22.0/25.0 |
12.0/15.0 |
– |
– |
| 310S25 |
0.15 |
1.50 |
2.50 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
25.0/28.0 |
20.0/22.5 |
– |
– |
| 314S25 |
0.25 |
1.50/3.00 |
2.50 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
23.0/26.0 |
19.0/22.0 |
– |
– |
| 316S11 |
0.03 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
16.0/18.5 |
10.0/14.0 |
2.00/3.00 |
– |
| 316S19 |
0.07 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
16.0/18.5 |
10.0/14.0 |
2.00/3.00 |
– |
| 316S33 |
0.07 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
16.5/18.5 |
11.0/14.0 |
2.50/3.00 |
– |
| 317S11 |
0.03 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
18.0/20.0 |
12.0/15.0 |
3.00/4.00 |
– |
| 317S17 |
0.08 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
18.0/20.0 |
12.0/15.0 |
3.00/4.00 |
– |
| 318S17 |
0.08 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
18.0/20.0 |
11.0/14.0 |
2.00/3.00 |
Nb 10C/1.00 |
| 320S18 |
0.08 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
16.5/18.5 |
10.5/13.5 |
2.00/2.50 |
Ti 5C/0.80 |
| 321S31 |
0.08 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
17.0/19.0 |
9.0/12.0 |
– |
Ti 5C/0.80 |
| 325S31 |
0.12 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.15/0.35 |
0.060 |
17.0/19.0 |
8.0/11.0 |
0.70 |
Ti 5C/0.90 |
| 326S42 |
0.12 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.060 |
0.060 |
16.5/18.5 |
10.0/13.0 |
2.25/3.00 |
Se 0.15/0.35 |
| 347S20 |
0.08 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
17.0/21.0 |
9.0/12.0 |
– |
Nb 10C/1.00 |
| 394S17 |
0.07 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
17.0/19.0 |
8.0/10.5 |
– |
Cu 3.00/4.00 |
| 904S14 |
0.03 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.040 |
19.5/22.0 |
24.0/27.0 |
4.00/5.00 |
Cu 1.00/2.00 N 0.06 |
| 22.8.3.L |
0.03 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.030 |
0.045 |
21.5/23.5 |
7.0/9.0 |
2.80/3.80 |
N 0.07/0.15 |
Table Notes
For maximum work hardening the nickel content for type 301S22 should be specified as 6.0% to 8.0%.
For 304S11 wire diameters 0.08mm and less the minimum nickel content is 8.0%.
For 410S21 wire diameter 0.08mm and less the maximum carbon content is 0.08%.
For wire less than 0.10mm in diameter, the maximum tensile strength should be agreed between purchaser and manufacturer.
← Back to previous
↑ Top
