# China GB Steel and Alloy Grade Equivalents Reference

> Source: https://netray.co/tools/china-gb-steel-grade-equivalents-reference
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: Free Tools

## Short answer

Cross-reference common Chinese material grades to approximate AISI/ASTM and EN designations before you accept a substitution.

## Category

engineering-plm

## Region

China

## Industry

Manufacturing

## Audience

- Design engineer
- Sourcing manager
- Supplier quality
- Buyer

## Tool

**Kind:** worksheet

**Mode:** reference

**Columns:**

#### Chinese grade

**Key:** gb

**Type:** text

#### Material family

**Key:** family

**Type:** text

#### Approx. US (AISI/ASTM/UNS)

**Key:** us

**Type:** text

#### Approx. EN / ISO

**Key:** en

**Type:** text

#### Note

**Key:** note

**Type:** text

**Rows:**

**Gb:** Q235B

**Family:** Carbon structural steel

**Us:** ASTM A36

**En:** S235JR

**Note:** Minimum yield 235 MPa for thin sections; weldable general steel

**Gb:** Q345B

**Family:** Low alloy high strength steel

**Us:** ASTM A572 Gr 50

**En:** S355JR

**Note:** Minimum yield 345 MPa for thin sections

**Gb:** 20

**Family:** Quality carbon steel

**Us:** AISI 1020

**En:** C22

**Note:** Often carburized or used for welded parts

**Gb:** 45

**Family:** Quality carbon steel

**Us:** AISI 1045

**En:** C45

**Note:** Common for shafts; usually quenched and tempered

**Gb:** 65Mn

**Family:** Spring steel

**Us:** AISI 1566 (approx)

**En:** No exact match

**Note:** Verify chemistry against drawing

**Gb:** 40Cr

**Family:** Alloy structural steel

**Us:** AISI 5140

**En:** 41Cr4

**Note:** Chromium steel for shafts and gears

**Gb:** 35CrMo

**Family:** Alloy structural steel

**Us:** AISI 4135

**En:** 34CrMo4

**Note:** Chromium molybdenum steel

**Gb:** 42CrMo

**Family:** Alloy structural steel

**Us:** AISI 4140

**En:** 42CrMo4

**Note:** High strength shafts, forgings

**Gb:** 20CrMo

**Family:** Alloy structural steel

**Us:** AISI 4118 (approx)

**En:** 18CrMo4 (approx)

**Note:** Carburizing and weldable applications

**Gb:** 20CrMnTi

**Family:** Carburizing steel

**Us:** No exact match

**En:** 20MnCr5 (closest, verify)

**Note:** Gear steel; titanium refines grain

**Gb:** GCr15

**Family:** Bearing steel

**Us:** AISI 52100

**En:** 100Cr6

**Note:** High carbon chromium bearing steel

**Gb:** Cr12MoV

**Family:** Cold work tool steel

**Us:** AISI D2 (approx)

**En:** X153CrMoV12 (approx)

**Note:** Dies and punches; confirm composition

**Gb:** 4Cr5MoSiV1 (H13)

**Family:** Hot work tool steel

**Us:** AISI H13

**En:** X40CrMoV5-1

**Note:** Die casting and forging dies

**Gb:** 3Cr2Mo (P20)

**Family:** Plastic mold steel

**Us:** AISI P20

**En:** 1.2311 (approx)

**Note:** Pre-hardened mold base steel

**Gb:** 06Cr19Ni10

**Family:** Austenitic stainless

**Us:** AISI 304 / UNS S30400

**En:** 1.4301 / X5CrNi18-10

**Note:** Older designation 0Cr18Ni9

**Gb:** 022Cr19Ni10

**Family:** Austenitic stainless

**Us:** AISI 304L / UNS S30403

**En:** 1.4307 / X2CrNi18-9

**Note:** Low carbon, better weld corrosion resistance

**Gb:** 06Cr17Ni12Mo2

**Family:** Austenitic stainless

**Us:** AISI 316 / UNS S31600

**En:** 1.4401 / X5CrNiMo17-12-2

**Note:** Molybdenum for chloride resistance

**Gb:** 022Cr17Ni12Mo2

**Family:** Austenitic stainless

**Us:** AISI 316L / UNS S31603

**En:** 1.4404 / X2CrNiMo17-12-2

**Note:** Low carbon 316

**Gb:** 10Cr17

**Family:** Ferritic stainless

**Us:** AISI 430

**En:** 1.4016 / X6Cr17

**Note:** Magnetic, lower corrosion resistance than 304

**Gb:** 12Cr13

**Family:** Martensitic stainless

**Us:** AISI 410

**En:** 1.4006 / X12Cr13

**Note:** Hardenable stainless

**Gb:** 12Cr17Mn6Ni5N

**Family:** Austenitic stainless

**Us:** AISI 201

**En:** 1.4372 / X12CrMnNiN17-7-5

**Note:** Low nickel grade, weaker corrosion resistance than 304

**Gb:** HT250

**Family:** Grey cast iron

**Us:** ASTM A48 Class 35 (approx)

**En:** EN-GJL-250

**Note:** Minimum tensile strength about 250 MPa

**Gb:** QT500-7

**Family:** Ductile cast iron

**Us:** ASTM A536 80-55-06 (approx)

**En:** EN-GJS-500-7

**Note:** Tensile 500 MPa, elongation 7 percent

**Gb:** 6061

**Family:** Aluminium alloy

**Us:** AA 6061

**En:** EN AW-6061

**Note:** Same numeric designation; check temper such as T6

**Gb:** 6063

**Family:** Aluminium alloy

**Us:** AA 6063

**En:** EN AW-6063

**Note:** Extrusion alloy

**Gb:** 5052

**Family:** Aluminium alloy

**Us:** AA 5052

**En:** EN AW-5052

**Note:** Sheet alloy, good formability

**Gb:** 7075

**Family:** Aluminium alloy

**Us:** AA 7075

**En:** EN AW-7075

**Note:** High strength; check temper

**Gb:** 1060

**Family:** Aluminium alloy

**Us:** AA 1060

**En:** EN AW-1060

**Note:** Commercially pure aluminium

**Gb:** 2A12

**Family:** Aluminium alloy

**Us:** AA 2024 (approx)

**En:** EN AW-2024 (approx)

**Note:** Old Chinese designation style; confirm chemistry

**Gb:** H62

**Family:** Brass

**Us:** UNS C28000 (approx)

**En:** CuZn37 / CW508L (approx)

**Note:** Copper 62 percent, zinc balance

**Gb:** HPb59-1

**Family:** Free-cutting brass

**Us:** UNS C36000 (approx)

**En:** CuZn39Pb3 (approx)

**Note:** Contains lead; check RoHS and REACH exposure

**Gb:** T2

**Family:** Copper

**Us:** UNS C11000 (approx)

**En:** Cu-ETP (approx)

**Note:** Electrolytic tough pitch copper

**Gb:** TU1

**Family:** Oxygen-free copper

**Us:** UNS C10200 (approx)

**En:** Cu-OF (approx)

**Note:** Oxygen-free grade for vacuum and electronics

**Notes:** Equivalents are approximate, for orientation only. Chemical limits, mechanical properties, heat treatment and test requirements differ between standards. Before approving a substitution, compare the full specification and ask for a mill certificate to the drawing callout.

## Content

**Intro:** Chinese drawings and quotations use GB grade names such as Q235B, 45, 42CrMo or 06Cr19Ni10, while your drawing may call out ASTM, AISI or EN grades. This table lists the most common grades with their closest international equivalents.

**Sections:**

#### How to use the table

**Body:** Search the Chinese grade, a US grade or a family name such as stainless. Read across to see the approximate US and EN designations and a short note. If your drawing says AISI 4140 and the factory quotes 42CrMo, the table shows they are the same type of chromium molybdenum steel, but you still need a certificate that confirms the chemistry and mechanical result after heat treatment. Export the filtered rows to Excel to add to an approved material list or a quality agreement.

#### How Chinese grade names are built

**Body:** Carbon steels such as Q235B use Q for yield point and the number for minimum yield in MPa, with a letter for quality class. Quality carbon steels such as 45 are named by carbon content in hundredths of a percent. Alloy steels such as 42CrMo show the carbon in hundredths followed by element symbols. Stainless grades such as 06Cr19Ni10 show carbon in hundredths and the nominal chromium and nickel percentages, and replaced older names like 0Cr18Ni9. Knowing the pattern helps you spot a wrong or unusual grade on a quote.

#### Where substitutions go wrong

**Body:** The usual failures are aluminium temper left off the callout, stainless 201 sold as 304, free-cutting brass containing lead on a RoHS part, and mild steel quoted when a heat-treated alloy was required. Ask for a positive material identification (PMI) result or lab report for safety critical lots, and specify the standard and edition on the purchase order, not only the grade name.

**Bullets:**

- Always add temper and heat treatment to the callout
- Verify stainless with PMI, not a magnet alone
- Request mill certificates with heat numbers
- State the governing standard on the PO

**Cta:** If your ERP item master carries material specifications, Netray can help build a private assistant that checks incoming certificates against the approved grade list.

**Faq:**

#### Is 06Cr19Ni10 the same as 304 stainless steel?

**Answer:** 06Cr19Ni10 is the current Chinese designation for the 18-8 austenitic stainless type that corresponds to AISI 304 and EN 1.4301. Limits are close but not word-for-word identical, so check the mill certificate against your specification.

#### Is Q235 the same as A36 steel?

**Answer:** They are comparable general-purpose structural steels and are often treated as approximate equivalents, but chemistry limits, mechanical tests and thickness rules differ. For structural or pressure applications, confirm with an engineer and the governing code.

#### What does 45 steel mean?

**Answer:** 45 is a quality carbon steel with about 0.45 percent carbon, comparable to AISI 1045 and EN C45. It is widely used for shafts and is usually supplied hot rolled, normalized or quenched and tempered, so state the condition.

#### Can I rely on this table for a drawing change?

**Answer:** Use it to start the conversation, not to approve a change. A design engineer must compare the full specifications, and your customer may require formal approval for any material change.

## Search terms

Q235 equivalent, 45 steel equivalent, 42CrMo equivalent AISI 4140, 06Cr19Ni10 equals 304, Chinese steel grade conversion, GB steel to ASTM, HT250 equivalent, GCr15 equivalent 52100

---
Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json