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China GB Steel and Alloy Grade Equivalents Reference

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.

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Chinese grade	Material family	Approx. US (AISI/ASTM/UNS)	Approx. EN / ISO	Note
Q235B	Carbon structural steel	ASTM A36	S235JR	Minimum yield 235 MPa for thin sections; weldable general steel
Q345B	Low alloy high strength steel	ASTM A572 Gr 50	S355JR	Minimum yield 345 MPa for thin sections
20	Quality carbon steel	AISI 1020	C22	Often carburized or used for welded parts
45	Quality carbon steel	AISI 1045	C45	Common for shafts; usually quenched and tempered
65Mn	Spring steel	AISI 1566 (approx)	No exact match	Verify chemistry against drawing
40Cr	Alloy structural steel	AISI 5140	41Cr4	Chromium steel for shafts and gears
35CrMo	Alloy structural steel	AISI 4135	34CrMo4	Chromium molybdenum steel
42CrMo	Alloy structural steel	AISI 4140	42CrMo4	High strength shafts, forgings
20CrMo	Alloy structural steel	AISI 4118 (approx)	18CrMo4 (approx)	Carburizing and weldable applications
20CrMnTi	Carburizing steel	No exact match	20MnCr5 (closest, verify)	Gear steel; titanium refines grain
GCr15	Bearing steel	AISI 52100	100Cr6	High carbon chromium bearing steel
Cr12MoV	Cold work tool steel	AISI D2 (approx)	X153CrMoV12 (approx)	Dies and punches; confirm composition
4Cr5MoSiV1 (H13)	Hot work tool steel	AISI H13	X40CrMoV5-1	Die casting and forging dies
3Cr2Mo (P20)	Plastic mold steel	AISI P20	1.2311 (approx)	Pre-hardened mold base steel
06Cr19Ni10	Austenitic stainless	AISI 304 / UNS S30400	1.4301 / X5CrNi18-10	Older designation 0Cr18Ni9
022Cr19Ni10	Austenitic stainless	AISI 304L / UNS S30403	1.4307 / X2CrNi18-9	Low carbon, better weld corrosion resistance
06Cr17Ni12Mo2	Austenitic stainless	AISI 316 / UNS S31600	1.4401 / X5CrNiMo17-12-2	Molybdenum for chloride resistance
022Cr17Ni12Mo2	Austenitic stainless	AISI 316L / UNS S31603	1.4404 / X2CrNiMo17-12-2	Low carbon 316
10Cr17	Ferritic stainless	AISI 430	1.4016 / X6Cr17	Magnetic, lower corrosion resistance than 304
12Cr13	Martensitic stainless	AISI 410	1.4006 / X12Cr13	Hardenable stainless
12Cr17Mn6Ni5N	Austenitic stainless	AISI 201	1.4372 / X12CrMnNiN17-7-5	Low nickel grade, weaker corrosion resistance than 304
HT250	Grey cast iron	ASTM A48 Class 35 (approx)	EN-GJL-250	Minimum tensile strength about 250 MPa
QT500-7	Ductile cast iron	ASTM A536 80-55-06 (approx)	EN-GJS-500-7	Tensile 500 MPa, elongation 7 percent
6061	Aluminium alloy	AA 6061	EN AW-6061	Same numeric designation; check temper such as T6
6063	Aluminium alloy	AA 6063	EN AW-6063	Extrusion alloy
5052	Aluminium alloy	AA 5052	EN AW-5052	Sheet alloy, good formability
7075	Aluminium alloy	AA 7075	EN AW-7075	High strength; check temper
1060	Aluminium alloy	AA 1060	EN AW-1060	Commercially pure aluminium
2A12	Aluminium alloy	AA 2024 (approx)	EN AW-2024 (approx)	Old Chinese designation style; confirm chemistry
H62	Brass	UNS C28000 (approx)	CuZn37 / CW508L (approx)	Copper 62 percent, zinc balance
HPb59-1	Free-cutting brass	UNS C36000 (approx)	CuZn39Pb3 (approx)	Contains lead; check RoHS and REACH exposure
T2	Copper	UNS C11000 (approx)	Cu-ETP (approx)	Electrolytic tough pitch copper
TU1	Oxygen-free copper	UNS C10200 (approx)	Cu-OF (approx)	Oxygen-free grade for vacuum and electronics

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.

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How to use the table

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

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

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.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 06Cr19Ni10 the same as 304 stainless steel?

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?

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?

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?

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.

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

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