Material Grades Chart: Steel and Aluminum Cross ReferenceCommon steel and aluminum grade references across AISI/SAE, ASTM, EN, and JIS systems
Use this material grades chart to compare selected steel and aluminum grade labels across common standard families such as AISI/SAE, ASTM, EN, and JIS. The chart is a reference aid only. Grade labels that look similar are not automatically interchangeable because chemistry limits, mechanical properties, heat treatment, temper, product form, standard revision, supplier certificate, traceability, and application code can change the final requirement.
Steel and Aluminum Lookup
Find selected stainless, carbon, alloy, tool steel, and aluminum grade references in one chart.
Standard-family References
Compare common AISI/SAE, ASTM, EN, and JIS labels without treating them as certified substitutes.
Substitution Caveats
Use the chart as a starting point only; final selection requires standards, certificates, and engineering approval.
Answer first: material grade equivalence is reference-only
Answer first: material grade equivalence is reference-only. For example, AISI 304 stainless is commonly cross-referenced with EN 1.4301 / X5CrNi18-10 and JIS SUS304, but that does not prove the material is acceptable for every drawing, code, heat treatment, product form, or supplier certificate requirement. Use this chart to start a lookup, then verify the actual standard, chemistry, mechanical properties, condition, product form, mill certificate, and engineering or code requirements before substitution.
Reference only: this chart does not guarantee interchangeability, code approval, safety-critical suitability, or certified equivalence. Do not substitute materials for pressure vessels, aerospace, medical, automotive, structural, lifting, welding, or other regulated applications without the controlling standard, material certificate, and engineering approval.
Search, Filter, Print & Export
Showing 15 material grade rows. On small screens, swipe the table horizontally to see all columns.
Material grade cross-reference chart
Selected steel and aluminum grade-family references across AISI/SAE, ASTM, EN, and JIS systems. Rows are crawlable HTML text.
| Material family | Common US reference | UNS / common designation | EN reference | JIS reference | Typical use note | Verification required | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel | AISI 304 | UNS S30400 | EN 1.4301 / X5CrNi18-10 | SUS304 | General corrosion-resistant stainless reference. | Chemistry, product form, surface finish, certificate, corrosion environment. | Reference only; not an equivalence approval. Verify standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Stainless steel | AISI 304L | UNS S30403 | EN 1.4307 / X2CrNi18-9 | SUS304L | Low-carbon 304 family reference. | Carbon limit, weld requirements, product form, certificate. | Reference only; not an equivalence approval. Verify standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Stainless steel | AISI 316 | UNS S31600 | EN 1.4401 / X5CrNiMo17-12-2 | SUS316 | Mo-bearing stainless reference. | Chemistry, Mo range, corrosion environment, certificate. | Reference only; not an equivalence approval. Verify standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Stainless steel | AISI 316L | UNS S31603 | EN 1.4404 / X2CrNiMo17-12-2 | SUS316L | Low-carbon 316 family reference. | Carbon limit, weld and corrosion requirements, product form, certificate. | Reference only; not an equivalence approval. Verify standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Carbon / structural steel | AISI/SAE 1045 | UNS G10450 | EN C45 / 1.0503 | S45C | Medium-carbon shaft and machinery reference. | Heat treatment, mechanical properties, diameter or form, certificate. | Reference only; not an equivalence approval. Verify standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Carbon / structural steel | AISI/SAE 1018 | UNS G10180 | EN C15E / 1.1141 or nearby low-carbon family | S15C / nearby family | Low-carbon machining and cold-finished reference. | Exact chemistry, product form, mechanical requirements; do not claim exact equivalence without source review. | Reference only; not an equivalence approval. Verify standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Carbon / structural steel | ASTM A36 | ASTM specification, not AISI grade | Often compared with S235JR family | Often compared with SS400 family | Structural plate and profile reference. | Yield and tensile requirements, impact or toughness requirements, product form, code, certificate. | Commonly compared structural reference only; not an automatic substitute. Verify product form, test rules, certificate, governing code, and engineering approval. |
| Alloy steel | AISI/SAE 4140 | UNS G41400 | EN 42CrMo4 / 1.7225 | SCM440 | Quenched and tempered alloy steel reference. | Heat treatment, hardness, mechanical properties, section size, certificate. | Reference only; not an equivalence approval. Verify standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Alloy steel | AISI/SAE 4130 | UNS G41300 | EN 25CrMo4 / 1.7218 | SCM430 | Alloy steel tubing and parts reference. | Product form, heat treatment, weldability, code requirements. | Reference only; not an equivalence approval. Verify standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Tool steel | AISI D2 | UNS T30402 | EN X153CrMoV12 / 1.2379 | SKD11 | High-carbon, high-chromium tool steel reference. | Heat treatment, hardness, toughness, wear requirements. | Reference only; not an equivalence approval. Verify standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Tool steel | AISI H13 | UNS T20813 | EN X40CrMoV5-1 / 1.2344 | SKD61 | Hot-work tool steel reference. | Heat treatment, hardness, thermal fatigue, supplier data. | Reference only; not an equivalence approval. Verify standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Aluminum alloy | 6061 | AA 6061 | EN AW-6061 / AlMg1SiCu | A6061 | General-purpose heat-treatable aluminum reference. | Temper such as T6 or T651, product form, mechanical properties, certificate. | Reference only; aluminum temper changes properties. Verify temper, product form, mechanical properties, certificate, traceability, and engineering approval. |
| Aluminum alloy | 6063 | AA 6063 | EN AW-6063 / AlMg0.7Si | A6063 | Extrusion-oriented aluminum reference. | Temper, extrusion profile, surface finish, certificate. | Reference only; aluminum temper and product form change final properties. Verify certificate and engineering approval. |
| Aluminum alloy | 7075 | AA 7075 | EN AW-7075 / AlZn5.5MgCu | A7075 | High-strength aluminum reference. | Temper, stress corrosion risk, design limits, certificate. | Reference only; high-strength aluminum use needs temper, stress corrosion, design, certificate, and engineering checks. |
| Aluminum alloy | 2024 | AA 2024 | EN AW-2024 / AlCu4Mg1 | A2024 | High-strength aluminum reference. | Temper, corrosion protection, fatigue, product form, certificate. | Reference only; high-strength aluminum use needs temper, corrosion, fatigue, product-form, certificate, and engineering checks. |
Use these rows as lookup starting points only. Do not approve a material substitution from a grade label or cross-reference row alone.
How to read material grade references
Standard family
AISI/SAE, ASTM, EN, JIS, UNS, and AA labels come from different naming systems. A cross-reference row is a lookup aid, not a final approval.
Product form and condition
Bar, plate, sheet, tubing, casting, extrusion, heat treatment, and aluminum temper can change the applicable requirement even when the base grade label matches.
Chemistry and mechanical property checks
Verify chemical composition, mechanical properties, standard revision, supplier certificate, traceability, and governing code before treating a row as a possible substitute.
Why material grades are not automatically interchangeable
A material grade name is only one part of a specification. The same base grade can have different product forms, heat treatments, tempers, thickness ranges, testing rules, mechanical properties, and certificate requirements. A cross-reference chart can help you start a lookup, but it cannot replace the drawing, purchasing specification, mill test certificate, or controlling code.
Data scope and verification requirements
- Scope: Selected common grade-family references for lookup only. Rows do not guarantee interchangeability, code approval, safety-critical suitability, or certified substitution.
- Verify: Final selection requires standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and engineering approval.
- Omit weak rows: if a standard name, EN number, JIS label, or common designation cannot be verified, omit the row rather than publishing an uncertain equivalence.
- Last reviewed: 2026-07-06.
Material grade safety note
This chart is for reference only. It does not guarantee interchangeability, code approval, certified equivalence, or suitability for safety-critical use. Material substitution depends on the exact standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, and application requirements. Always confirm with the governing specification, mill certificate, and engineering approval.
Material grades chart FAQ
What does a material grades chart show?
A material grades chart shows common grade labels and cross-reference families across standards such as AISI/SAE, ASTM, EN, and JIS. It is a lookup aid, not proof that two materials are interchangeable or code approved.
Are AISI, ASTM, EN, and JIS grades automatically equivalent?
No. Similar or commonly cross-referenced grade labels are not automatically equivalent. You must verify the actual standard revision, chemistry, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, and supplier certificate.
Is AISI 304 the same as EN 1.4301 or SUS304?
AISI 304 is commonly cross-referenced with EN 1.4301 / X5CrNi18-10 and JIS SUS304. That does not guarantee suitability for every drawing, surface condition, corrosion environment, weld requirement, product form, or certificate requirement.
Is 316L always interchangeable with 316 or 304?
No. 316L, 316, and 304 are different grade families with different chemistry and application considerations. 316L is commonly used where low carbon content is required, and 316-family grades include molybdenum. Do not substitute them without checking the specification and engineering requirements.
Can I use this chart to approve a material substitution?
No. This chart should not be used by itself to approve a material substitution. Use the controlling drawing, standard, material certificate, product form, heat treatment or temper, and engineering or code approval before substituting material.
Why does aluminum temper matter?
Aluminum temper changes mechanical properties. For example, the base alloy label 6061 does not fully define whether the material is 6061-O, 6061-T6, or 6061-T651. Temper and product form must be checked separately.
Are ASTM A36, S235JR, and SS400 the same material?
No. They are often compared as structural steel references, but they are not guaranteed to be the same material. They can differ by standard rules, product form, testing, mechanical property requirements, and certificate requirements.
What should I check before choosing a material grade?
Check the standard revision, chemical composition, mechanical properties, product form, heat treatment or temper, supplier certificate, traceability, weldability, corrosion environment, and governing design code. For safety-critical or regulated applications, get engineering approval rather than relying on a chart.
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