Metal Grade Chart: GB, US, EN and JIS Comparison

By Jack Sun · Updated October 18, 2026

You may come across Type 304 in an American document, SUS304 in a Japanese reference and 1.4301 in European literature. The immediate question is: are these different names for the same material, or just related grades?

A metal grade comparison chart helps connect those names. The important part is understanding what the connection means. A designation may have another identifying number, an approximate match in another system, or no verified one-to-one reference.

The tables below bring together 70 entries across six metal families. You can look up a name directly, then use the explanations of suffixes, composition limits and source documents to understand the relationship. If a familiar name leads to several numbers, the examples later in the guide explain why.

1. What the Chart’s Relationships Mean

A row can help you find a related designation, but it does not always establish the same kind of relationship. The chart distinguishes the following three cases:

The US column uses Type, AISI/SAE or UNS according to the material family. These are not all “ASTM grades.” European 1.xxxx steel numbers, 2.xxxx nickel-alloy material numbers and EN AW aluminum designations are also different forms of identification. A UNS number identifies a material but does not by itself specify every product form or condition. ^[1]

When comparing numbers, keep the source, edition and scope with the data. Historical handbooks provide naming references rather than the complete chemistry requirements of current Chinese standards.

System names and abbreviations

Composition units: all composition values below are mass percentages (wt.%). “Cr 18–20” means 18–20% chromium; ≤ is a maximum, ≥ is a minimum, and “balance” is the remaining base-metal content, including allowance for other specified constituents. These are major-element summaries, not complete lists of every controlled element.

Element key: C carbon; Si silicon; Mn manganese; Cr chromium; Ni nickel; Mo molybdenum; Al aluminum; Cu copper; Zn zinc; Sn tin; Be beryllium; Ti titanium; V vanadium; Nb niobium; Ta tantalum; Co cobalt; W tungsten; Fe iron; O oxygen; N nitrogen; P phosphorus; Ag silver.

2. Metal Grade Cross-Reference Tables

On mobile, swipe each table horizontally. On a computer, use Find (Ctrl+F or Command+F) to locate a complete grade or UNS number. Each composition cell names its reference material: its limits do not apply automatically to every designation in the same row. Values are ranges or limits unless explicitly marked nominal.

2.1 Stainless Steel Grade Comparison Chart

These 18 entries cover austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, precipitation-hardening and duplex stainless steels. Chinese names and some cross-references come from Baosteel’s historical long-products handbook; Outokumpu literature provides additional European references. The columns identify related names, rather than certify that every requirement is identical. ^{[2], [3], [4]}

Reading tip: European references for 304L can include 1.4306 and 1.4307; retain the individual number. Likewise, 2205 is a family name: do not merge S31803 and S32205. The broad 420 designation does not precisely convert every Japanese subdivision.

2.2 Carbon and Alloy Steel Grade Comparison Chart

Similar numbers can conceal differences between designations. The relationships below follow the NTK technical catalog, with selected checks against JFS Steel references. Retain suffixes: C45 and C45E are not the same complete designation. ^{[4], [5]}

Why not write Q235 = A36 = S235JR = SS400? These names often appear together online, but their product scopes, thickness conditions and property requirements differ. A universal equality would hide those differences.

2.3 Aluminum and Aluminum Alloy Grade Chart

Many wrought aluminum alloys share four-digit registration numbers. A cross-reference may therefore show regional forms of the same number. AA identifies The Aluminum Association; EN AW identifies the European wrought-aluminum system. Full Japanese designations may also include product-form and temper symbols; these rows show the alloy-number level. ^{[6], [7], [8], [9]}

Keep the temper: 6061 identifies an alloy; 6061-T6 adds its temper. H32 in 5052-H32 is also temper information. O, H and T designations are outside the alloy-only cross-reference. Conversely, the final A in 1050A or 1070A is part of the registered alloy designation.

2.4 Copper and Copper Alloy Grade Chart

Identify the family first: copper, oxygen-free copper, brass, bronze or a copper-nickel alloy. Similar colors and familiar names do not establish identical materials. These approximate cross-references combine Jintian product literature, KME data and Copper Development Association references. ^{[10], [11], [12], [13]}

Names can mislead: Chinese baitong generally refers to copper-nickel-related alloys, rather than white pure copper. Bronze includes families beyond tin bronze. QSn, QBe and BZn prefixes indicate different alloy families.

2.5 Nickel and Nickel Alloy Names and Numbers

Nickel-alloy literature often mixes commercial names, alloy names and identification numbers. MONEL, INCONEL and HASTELLOY retain their trademark status here. Chinese entries are limited to supported references; N4 and N6 have not been inserted as unverified equivalents of Nickel 200 or 201. ^{[14], [15], [16], [17], [18]}

A dash means that this chart has no verified entry, rather than that China has no related material. Distinguish an explicit producer-listed name/number association from an approximate cross-standard relationship.

2.6 Titanium and Titanium Alloy Grade Chart

Titanium appears under Chinese TA/TC designations and American Grade or Gr. numbers. The Chinese–American relationships use Baosteel’s historical comparison as a naming reference, with ATI literature for alloy identification. They do not establish identical requirements across all current standards. ^{[18], [19]}

Japanese and European titanium designations depend on the relevant product documents; unverified columns have been omitted. Grade 5 and Grade 23 both involve Ti-6Al-4V, but the ELI suffix matters. Commercially pure titanium grades are not simply a purity ranking.

Tungsten, molybdenum and zirconium: symbols are not full grades

W, Mo and Zr identify the elements tungsten, molybdenum and zirconium across languages. Industrial materials may additionally differ by alloying, processing route and impurity control. These symbols are included as identification notes, not counted as verified grade cross-references among the 70 entries.

3. How Different Systems Name Metal Grades

China: composition clues and material families

Chinese designations follow different conventions for different metals. In steel grade 45, the number relates to nominal average carbon content. The name 06Cr19Ni10 includes chromium and nickel symbols. H70 is a brass designation whose number relates to nominal copper content. One reading rule does not apply to all three.

The 2 in TA2 does not mean 2% titanium, and 6061 cannot be split into composition percentages. Identify the material family before interpreting the designation.

United States: distinguish types, numbers and standards

304 and 316L are familiar stainless steel type names; 1045 and 4140 occur in AISI/SAE steel references. S30400, N06625 and C11000 are UNS numbers. ASTM A240 identifies a product standard rather than a synonym for one stainless steel.

A standard may include several materials, while a material type may appear in multiple product standards. AISI, SAE and UNS should therefore retain their separate meanings in a chart.

Europe and Japan: retain numbers, prefixes and product symbols

European steel literature may show both a numerical material number and a symbolic name, such as 1.4301 and X5CrNi18-10. DIN identifies German standards and EN identifies European standards; a historical DIN reference should not automatically be relabeled as a current EN designation.

Japanese stainless steels commonly use SUS; heat-resistant steel references may use SUH. Full aluminum designations can include the A prefix, product-form symbols and temper. Keeping these details helps distinguish a fuller designation from a different material.

4. How Chemical Composition Differences Help Explain Grades

After locating a name, the next question is often why a suffix or another reference number matters. Composition offers one way to investigate that question. The following examples show how to read a limit, distinguish a low-carbon variant and recognize differences between approximate matches.

Each example retains the scope of its cited producer literature. Values are wt.%; they are not a single set of limits assigned to every national designation.

4.1 Type 304 and 304L: why the L suffix matters

ATI’s published 304 and 304L data give these ranges. ^{[20], [21]}

This example uses ATI literature; the main stainless table explicitly uses Sanyo’s SUS304/SUS304L data. The figures retain their separate sources rather than being combined into common limits. Carbon maximum is the most direct difference here, while the nickel ranges also differ. Product scope, such as sheet or wire, should stay with the reference.

4.2 Type 304 and 316: describe elements rather than rank grades

316 is commonly described as a molybdenum-containing chromium-nickel stainless steel. That explains more than calling it a “higher grade of 304.” Alloy composition and the service environment affect behavior; a universal ranking would conceal these relationships. ^[3]

Material condition and processing also affect strength, formability and corrosion behavior. Related names do not imply identical values for every property.

4.3 Nickel 200 and 201: the same minimum Ni + Co, different carbon limits

Special Metals lists the following limits. ^[14]

Both are commercially pure nickel, with Nickel 201 as the low-carbon version. “Pure nickel” is a family description rather than a complete grade. The cited 99.0% is a minimum combined nickel-and-cobalt limit, not a measured purity for every nickel material.

4.4 Commercially pure titanium: why are there several grades?

ATI’s 2013 corrosion-resistant titanium literature lists unalloyed Grades 1–4 separately, including these oxygen and iron limits. ^[19]

These differences help explain why commercially pure titanium still has distinct grades. The table cites historical producer literature; it is not a current GB composition table for TA1–TA4. Other controlled elements, including nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon, remain relevant in the full document.

4.5 Limits, typical values and measurements

A range of 17.5–19.5%, a typical value of 18.2% and a measured sample result of 18.1% describe different kinds of information. Keep the source, element, limits and units together. Removing “typical” from a quoted value changes its meaning. Not listed, not specified and not tested also mean different things; a blank should not become zero.

4.6 Approximate international matches can have different ranges

QSn6.5-0.1 and UNS C51900 are common approximate cross-references, but the following published references differ. ^{[26], [30]}

This compares producer literature with registration data; neither column should be relabeled as every edition of a Chinese or American standard. It demonstrates why the composition column names one reference grade instead of assigning shared limits to an entire approximate-match row.

5. Commonly Confused Grades and Names

Older Chinese names such as 0Cr18Ni9 can appear in historical drawings and handbooks. Preserve the old designation and document date alongside any newer-name reference. Changing a name does not update all the requirements in the original document.

6. From a Grade Name to Its Original Reference

Suppose you find a grade on an older drawing and want to understand an overseas reference beside it. A useful record keeps the original name, the related designation, the stated relationship and the source document together. That allows you to retrace the comparison later.

The complete designation provides the starting point. A missing L, a different numerical variant or an omitted temper can change what you are looking at. The examples of 304L, the 2205 family and 6061-T6 illustrate different reasons for keeping those details.

The composition column has its own reference. When the cell names a particular grade and source, its ranges describe that reference. You can compare another document against it, but assigning those ranges to every name in the row would lose the distinction the chart is showing.

The original document explains the scope. A registration, a producer datasheet and a product standard serve different purposes. Their dates, product forms and stated conditions help explain why two related references may not give identical information.

For translation or study notes, keeping both names and a short relationship note is often more useful than replacing the original with a single overseas designation. When the chart has no verified entry, that gap can stay visible while you continue the search.

On a computer, Find (Ctrl+F or Command+F) can locate a full designation or UNS number. On a phone, the material-family links in the contents lead to the relevant tables. For more background, see our metal materials reference covering density, magnetism and grade basics.

7. Frequently Asked Questions

Why are metal grade names different between countries?

The systems developed in different industrial and standardization settings. Some names emphasize composition, others use established series or material numbers.

Does every Chinese grade have a US equivalent?

No. Some relationships are approximate, and some have no verified one-to-one reference. An unfilled entry is meaningful information.

Why can one grade point to several overseas numbers?

Systems differ in how finely they divide materials, while common names can span several composition variants. 304L, 420 and the 2205 family illustrate this.

Is a UNS number a material standard?

UNS is an identification system. A full product standard can additionally specify form, condition, dimensions and properties. ^[1]

Does an old designation mean the material is obsolete?

An old name alone does not show that the material is no longer used. Name changes, standard revisions and changes to the material itself are separate questions.

Do identical numbers mean identical materials?

First identify the system. Shared aluminum registration numbers are different from unrelated steel, copper, nickel or titanium numbers. Matching alloy numbers also do not establish the same temper or every property.

Can a grade name tell me the melting point or density?

It helps locate relevant data, but it is not a direct formula for every property. This naming chart does not replace a property database.

Does being in the same row mean the materials are identical?

The relationship label matters. An explicit name/number association and an approximate cross-standard match convey different information. The chart helps locate references; the full designations and source documents explain what is actually shared.

Why include sources and an update date?

References and editions can change. Sources show where each relationship or value came from and allow readers to investigate differences.

8. Bringing the References Together

A useful cross-reference lets you find a related name and understand why it appears there. The family tables provide the lookup; the naming and composition examples explain the relationships.

When you return to a handbook, drawing or set of notes, keeping the complete designation, relationship and source together makes the information easier to use again. Some matches will be clear, some approximate, and some will remain open questions. The chart is most useful when those differences remain visible.

About the author: Jack Sun works in metal wire mesh weaving and industrial filter manufacturing in Anping County, Hengshui, Hebei, China.

Sources and Version Notes

This guide organizes public registration and producer literature. Historical handbooks provide naming clues rather than proof that every entry meets all current national standards. Check current Chinese standard titles and status through the official national standards platform when tracing an edition. Composition summaries retain their named reference and are not complete chemical specifications.

1. ASTM E527-23. UNS identification-system explanation.
2. Baosteel stainless long-products handbook. 2010 edition, grade cross-reference section. Obvious printing errors were not copied; S31008 was cross-checked for 310S.
3. Outokumpu Core; Supra; Therma; Forta; Dura. Stainless families and European material numbers.
4. NTK 2025 technical catalog. Pages Y22–Y26; some Chinese names are historical.
5. JFS Steel grade comparison. Selected steel cross-checks.
6. The Aluminum Association Teal Sheets. December 2025 edition: registration numbers, variants and selected major-element limits. The complete composition database is not reproduced.
7. UACJ aluminum alloy types. AA and Japanese alloy-number references.
8. Chalco aluminum alloy products. Chinese-market aluminum alloy designations.
9. OSG work-material reference. Cross-system aluminum references; suspected printing errors were not copied.
10. Jintian copper bar catalog. Original PDF: copper-alloy names and references. KME was preferred where European numbers differed, or the number was omitted.
11. KME industrial rolled copper downloads. Copper-alloy names and EN/UNS references.
12. Jintian copper families; QSn6.5-0.1 bronze; BZn12-24 copper alloy. Cross-checked names only; price and broad performance claims were not adopted.
13. Copper Development Association UNS register. Material families and identification numbers.
14. Special Metals Nickel 200 & 201. 2006 edition, Tables 1 and 28 and material numbers.
15. Special Metals INCONEL technical bulletins. UNS and material-number references.
16. Special Metals MONEL technical bulletins. Alloy 400 naming and numbers.
17. Haynes HASTELLOY C-276. Alloy identification and nominal composition; the C-276 entry is explicitly labeled nominal.
18. Baosteel special metallurgy handbook. 2010 edition: titanium and high-temperature-alloy naming references.
19. ATI Corrosion-Resistant Titanium. 2013 edition, page 4 composition table; historical scope retained.
20. ATI 304. Composition example for Type 304.
21. ATI 304L. Composition example for Type 304L.
22. Sanyo stainless steel catalog (2025). Printed pages 11–12: the named Japanese-grade composition entries and S32750 reference; not Chinese-standard composition limits.
23. ATI 301. Type 301 composition limits.
24. Iwata carbon steels for machine structural use. S15C, S20C, S35C and S45C major elements.
25. JIS S25C; JIS S30C; JIS S40C; JIS S55C; JIS SCr440; SCM440. JFS Steel product/database entries. Only the stated major elements were extracted; suspected mismatched standard-number headings were not adopted.
26. C11000; C10200; C12000; C12200; C21000; C22000; C23000; C24000; C26000; C27200; C51900; C17200; C70600; C75700. Copper Development Association individual registrations, including footnotes that copper/nickel values include silver/cobalt where specified.
27. MONEL alloy 400; INCONEL alloy 600; INCONEL alloy 601; INCONEL alloy 625; INCONEL alloy 718. Special Metals composition tables. Limits are not presented as measured results.
28. ATI 6-4 ELI. Aluminum, vanadium and oxygen reference values.
29. TIMETAL 6-4; TIMETAL 3-2.5. Table 1 in each datasheet. Historical producer-data scope retained.
30. Jintian copper strip catalog. QSn6.5-0.1 tin and phosphorus ranges used in Section 4.6.