- Material number
- 1.8915EN 10027-2, unchanged in P460NL1
- Original standard
- DIN 17102Withdrawn; see current equivalents
- Yield strength ReH
- ≥ 460 MPaThickness ≤ 16 mm; 370 MPa at 150–200 mm
- Tensile strength Rm
- 540–720 MPaDIN 17102, thickness ≤ 100 mm
- Impact energy KV
- ≥ 30 JAt −50 °C, longitudinal, as P460NL1
- Carbon equivalent
- ≤ 0.53Thickness ≤ 60 mm; 0.54 above
- Delivery condition
- Normalized+N, 880–940 °C, cooled in air
- Certificate
- EN 10204 3.13.2 witnessed, on request
What is TStE 460 steel?
TStE 460 is the 460 MPa strength level of DIN 17102, the former German standard for weldable fine-grain structural steels in the normalized condition. Every grade in that standard is built from the same three parts: a prefix letter for the toughness class, StE for a steel with a specified yield strength, and a number giving that minimum yield strength in N/mm².
- TTieftemperaturzähLow-temperature toughness. Impact energy is specified down to −50 °C.
- StStahlSteel. The base designation shared by the whole DIN 17102 family.
- EStreckgrenzeThe number that follows is a minimum yield strength, not a tensile strength.
- 460460 N/mm²Minimum yield strength for thicknesses up to 16 mm. It falls with section thickness.
Metallurgically it is a fully killed, fine-grain treated carbon–manganese steel, microalloyed with niobium, vanadium, titanium and aluminium. Those elements bind nitrogen and pin the grain boundaries, so a simple normalizing treatment produces a ferrite–pearlite structure fine enough to carry 460 MPa of yield strength and still stay tough at −50 °C. High strength, low-temperature toughness, good weldability and no need for quenching and tempering is what made TStE 460 a standard choice for pressure vessels, cold-climate structures and offshore equipment from the 1980s onwards, and it is why the drawings that call for it are still in circulation.
Most enquiries for TStE 460 arrive from an old drawing, an old vessel data sheet or a spare-part list. The steel is not obsolete. Only its designation is. This page gives the original DIN 17102 data, the current EN grade to put on the order, and the forged shapes Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. makes in it.
Which grade replaces TStE 460 today?
DIN 17102 has been withdrawn and replaced by two European standards, so TStE 460 has two successors depending on what the part does. For pressure-retaining equipment the successor is P460NL1 to EN 10028-3, which kept the same material number, 1.8915. For load-bearing structures it is S460NL to EN 10025-3, material number 1.8903. Both are normalized fine-grain steels impact-tested at −50 °C, and the chemistry of all three is nearly identical.
| If the part is… | Order | Standard | Material no. | Impact requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure-retaining (vessels, boilers, heat exchangers, pressure flanges and nozzles) | P460NL1 | EN 10028-3 | 1.8915 | 30 J at −50 °C, longitudinal |
| Pressure-retaining, elevated temperature rather than cold service | P460NH | EN 10028-3 | 1.8935 | Specified to −20 °C |
| Pressure-retaining, severe cold service | P460NL2 | EN 10028-3 | 1.8918 | Higher minima at −50 °C |
| Structural (welded and bolted load-bearing steelwork) | S460NL | EN 10025-3 | 1.8903 | 27 J at −50 °C, longitudinal |
| Structural, no service below −20 °C | S460N | EN 10025-3 | 1.8901 | 40 J at −20 °C, longitudinal |
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. forges all five grades. If the drawing says TStE 460 and the design code is silent, state the service temperature and whether the part is pressure-retaining on the enquiry, and the works will confirm which specification to certify against.
The DIN 17102 family at the 460 MPa level
The prefix letter, not the number, is what changed between the four grades. Reading it correctly is what stops a warm-service part being bought with a cold-service certificate and vice versa.
| DIN 17102 grade | Material no. | Prefix means | EN 10028-3 successor |
|---|---|---|---|
| StE 460 | 1.8905 | Basic quality, no low-temperature guarantee | P460N |
| WStE 460 | 1.8935 | Warmfest, for elevated-temperature service | P460NH |
| TStE 460 | 1.8915 | Tieftemperaturzäh, low-temperature toughness | P460NL1 |
| EStE 460 | 1.8918 | Improved low-temperature toughness | P460NL2 |
The EN grades inherited the DIN material numbers unchanged, which is the quickest way to confirm an equivalence on a mill certificate: if the certificate says 1.8915, the steel is the one the old drawing called TStE 460.
Why a forging, and why the standard alone is not enough
EN 10028-3 and EN 10025-3 are delivery standards for rolled products: plate, strip, sections and bar. Neither covers forgings. Heavy parts such as girth flanges, thick-walled rings, long weld neck nozzles, tube sheets and shafts are forged instead, because forging closes internal porosity and makes the grain flow follow the shape of the part rather than being cut through it.
A TStE 460 forging is therefore ordered with the chemical composition and mechanical properties of the grade, while the purchase order supplies what a rolled-product standard cannot: the ruling section, the test location, the test-piece orientation and the ultrasonic acceptance class. EN 10222-4, the European standard for weldable fine-grain steel forgings for pressure purposes, takes the same approach. For equipment placed on the EU market under the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU, confirm with your notified body whether the material needs a particular material appraisal when it is supplied as a forging rather than as plate.
TStE 460 chemical composition
The limits below are heat (cast) analysis values in weight %. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. melts its own steel, so this chemistry is aimed at the furnace rather than accepted from a supplier's billet certificate. Every line is verified before forging, including the combined limits and the carbon equivalent.
| Element | TStE 460 DIN 17102 | P460NL1 EN 10028-3 | S460NL EN 10025-3 | Role in the steel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.20 | Strength; kept low for weldability |
| Silicon (Si) | ≤ 0.60 | ≤ 0.60 | ≤ 0.60 | Deoxidation |
| Manganese (Mn) | 1.00–1.70 | 1.00–1.70 | 1.00–1.70 | Main strengthening element |
| Phosphorus (P) | ≤ 0.025 | ≤ 0.025 | ≤ 0.025 | Impurity; restricted for low-temperature toughness |
| Sulfur (S) | ≤ 0.020 | ≤ 0.008 | ≤ 0.020 | Impurity; the tightest difference between the three |
| Niobium (Nb) | ≤ 0.05 | ≤ 0.05 | ≤ 0.05 | Grain refinement |
| Vanadium (V) | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.20 | Precipitation strengthening after normalizing |
| Titanium (Ti) | ≤ 0.05 | ≤ 0.03 | ≤ 0.05 | Binds nitrogen; limits grain growth on heating |
| Aluminium (Al), total | ≥ 0.020 | ≥ 0.020 | ≥ 0.020 | Deoxidation and nitrogen binding 1 |
| Chromium (Cr) | ≤ 0.30 | ≤ 0.30 | ≤ 0.30 | Residual element |
| Nickel (Ni) | ≤ 0.80 | ≤ 0.80 | ≤ 0.80 | Improves toughness |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.10 | Residual element |
| Copper (Cu) | ≤ 0.55 | ≤ 0.70 2 | ≤ 0.55 | Residual element; above 0.40 % it risks hot shortness in forging |
| Nitrogen (N) | ≤ 0.025 | ≤ 0.025 | ≤ 0.025 | Must be bound by Al, Nb, V or Ti |
| Nb + Ti + V | ≤ 0.22 | ≤ 0.22 | ≤ 0.22 | Combined microalloy limit |
- The minimum total aluminium does not apply if enough niobium, titanium or vanadium is present to bind the nitrogen. Where aluminium alone is used, a ratio Al/N ≥ 2 applies.
- In EN 10028-3, if copper exceeds 0.30 % the nickel content must be at least half the copper content.
- P460NL1 values are from EN 10028-3:2017. Where a purchase order names a different edition, that edition governs.
Maximum carbon equivalent (CEV)
The carbon equivalent is calculated from the heat analysis with the IIW formula. It is the number that controls preheat and cold-cracking risk when the forging is welded into an assembly:
CEV = C + Mn/6 + (Cr + Mo + V)/5 + (Ni + Cu)/15
| Nominal thickness t (mm) | CEV max (%) |
|---|---|
| t ≤ 60 | 0.53 |
| 60 < t ≤ 100 | 0.54 |
| 100 < t ≤ 250 | 0.54 |
Ordered as S460NL to EN 10025-3 instead, the limits are 0.53 up to 63 mm, 0.54 for 63–100 mm and 0.55 for 100–200 mm.
Check a heat analysis against the CEV limit
Enter values from the mill certificate in weight %. The figures below are a typical normalized 1.8915 heat; replace them with your own.
- Carbon equivalent CEV
- Limit at this thickness
Within the P460NL1 CEV limit for 60 < t ≤ 100 mm.
TStE 460 mechanical properties
Minimum yield strength falls as section thickness rises, because a thick section cools more slowly through the normalizing treatment and ends up with a coarser structure. For a forging, read these tables at the ruling section of the test location, not at the overall size of the part. A 900 mm diameter ring with a 70 mm wall is a 70 mm row, not a 900 mm one.
| Nominal thickness t (mm) | ReH min (MPa) | Rm (MPa) | A min (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| t ≤ 16 | 460 | 540–720 | 17 |
| 16 < t ≤ 40 | 440 | 540–720 | 17 |
| 40 < t ≤ 63 | 430 | 540–720 | 17 |
| 63 < t ≤ 80 | 410 | 540–720 | 17 |
| 80 < t ≤ 100 | 400 | 540–720 | 17 |
| 100 < t ≤ 150 | 380 | 530–710 | 17 |
| 150 < t ≤ 200 | 370 | 530–710 | 17 |
| t > 200 | 370 | 530–710 | agree on order |
ReH is the upper yield strength (Rp0.2 where there is no marked yield point); A is elongation on a gauge length of 5.65 √S₀, tested to EN ISO 6892-1.
Ordered to the current EN 10028-3 standard as P460NL1, the thickness bands and the tensile range are drawn slightly differently. The differences are small but they matter on a certificate, so both are given here.
| Nominal thickness t (mm) | ReH min (MPa) | Rm (MPa) | A min (%) | Hardness HB (guide) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| t ≤ 16 | 460 | 570–730 | 17 | 169–224 |
| 16 < t ≤ 40 | 445 | 570–720 | 17 | 169–223 |
| 40 < t ≤ 60 | 430 | 570–720 | 17 | 169–223 |
| 60 < t ≤ 100 | 400 | 540–710 | 17 | 158–218 |
| 100 < t ≤ 150 | 380 | 520–690 | 16 | 155–210 |
| 150 < t ≤ 250 | 370 | 510–690 | 16 | 154–210 |
Up to 20 mm thickness, a minimum ReH of 460 MPa with an Rm range of 630–725 MPa may be agreed at the time of enquiry and order. Hardness values are for information only and are not a requirement of the standard.
Minimum properties for your ruling section
Enter the thickness at the test location to read off the row that will appear on the certificate.
- Yield ReH, min (DIN)
- Tensile Rm (DIN)
- Yield ReH, min (P460NL1)
- Elongation A, min
- CEV, max
Values for 100 < t ≤ 150 mm.
Low-temperature impact toughness
The T in TStE 460 is a toughness guarantee, and it is the reason the grade is chosen over a plain 460 MPa steel. Ordered as P460NL1 to EN 10028-3, the minimum Charpy V-notch energy on longitudinal test pieces is 30 J at −50 °C, rising to 80 J at room temperature. Transverse test pieces, which are taken across the grain flow and therefore always read lower, are specified from −40 °C upwards.
| Test temperature | Longitudinal | Transverse |
|---|---|---|
| +20 °C | 80 | 60 |
| 0 °C | 70 | 50 |
| −20 °C | 50 | 35 2 |
| −40 °C | 40 | 27 2 |
| −50 °C | 30 2 | not specified |
- V-notch test pieces to EN ISO 148-1. The average of three test pieces must meet the table value; one individual result may be lower, but not below 70 % of it. Longitudinal values apply for product thicknesses up to 40 mm; for heavier sections agree the values on the order.
- A minimum impact energy of 40 J may be agreed at the time of enquiry and order.
- Ordered as S460NL to EN 10025-3 instead, the requirement is 27 J longitudinal and 16 J transverse at −50 °C.
Test-piece direction in a forging
The standards define longitudinal and transverse relative to the rolling direction of a plate or a bar. A forging has no rolling direction, so the order has to say which orientation counts as longitudinal. For a seamless rolled ring this is normally tangential, following the circumferential grain flow; for a shaft it is axial; for a disc or tube sheet it is usually radial at a stated distance from the rim. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. records the orientation and the exact test location on the inspection certificate, with a sketch where the customer asks for one.
Physical properties
Design values for the normalized condition. These are the numbers needed for thermal stress, mass and heat-transfer calculations on a TStE 460 forging.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | 7 840 kg/m³ (7.84 kg/dm³) |
| Modulus of elasticity E | 212 GPa |
| Shear modulus G | 81 GPa |
| Coefficient of linear thermal expansion α | 11.5 × 10⁻⁶ /K |
| Thermal conductivity λ | 39.7 W/(m·K) |
| Specific heat capacity c | 461 J/(kg·K) |
| Electrical resistivity | 0.262 Ω·mm²/m |
| Temperature | E (GPa) | α (10⁻⁶/K) | λ (W/m·K) |
|---|---|---|---|
| −100 °C | 217 | 10.5 | 34.7 |
| 20 °C | 212 | 11.5 | 39.7 |
| 100 °C | 207 | 12.1 | 40.9 |
| 200 °C | 199 | 12.7 | 41.0 |
| 300 °C | 192 | 13.2 | 39.9 |
| 400 °C | 184 | 13.6 | 38.2 |
| 500 °C | 175 | 14.0 | 36.1 |
Values of α are mean coefficients between 20 °C and the stated temperature. These are physical data, not design allowables; time-dependent strength at elevated temperature is governed by the design code.
Forging and heat treatment data
TStE 460 owes its properties entirely to the normalizing treatment. That is why every forging is normalized after all hot work is finished, never before.
| Operation | Temperature | Cooling |
|---|---|---|
| Hot forming (forging, ring rolling) | 1 100 → 850 °C | Stop hot work above about 850 °C; reheat rather than work cold |
| Normalizing (+N) | 880–940 °C, typically 920 °C | Still air |
| Normalizing and tempering (+NT) | 880–940 °C, then 550–650 °C | Air / air |
| Quenching and tempering (+QT), where agreed | 880–900 °C, then 550–650 °C | Water / air |
| Soft annealing (+A) | ≈ 700 °C | Air |
| Stress relieving (+SR) | ≈ 50 °C below the tempering temperature | Slow, in furnace |
| Preheat for welding | ≈ 200 °C | Slow cooling after welding |
Holding time at normalizing temperature follows the section thickness of the forging, not its overall size. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. runs 14 heat-treatment furnaces, including car-bottom furnaces up to 8 000 × 2 000 × 2 000 mm and two 15 m well-type furnaces that let long shafts be quenched vertically without distortion. Charts are recorded for every cycle and issued with the certificate.
TStE 460 forgings produced by Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. is an integrated melting works and open-die forging factory at No.1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, China, operating since 1997. Unlike a forging shop that buys billet, it melts its own steel, so a TStE 460 forging is traceable from the melt number rather than from a purchased billet certificate. It forges the grade to customer drawings in the forms below.
| Product form | Typical TStE 460 parts |
|---|---|
| Seamless rolled rings and forged rings | Girth flanges, body flanges, stiffening rings, tower and foundation flange rings, retaining rings, valve seat rings |
| Forged flanges and nozzles | Weld neck and long weld neck (LWN) flanges, FVC-type self-reinforced nozzles, nozzle necks, cover flanges, channel covers |
| Forged shafts and bars | Shafts, round bars, hollow bars, forged cylinders, tie rods |
| Forged discs and tube sheets | Discs, tube sheets (tube plates), hubs, covers, blanks |
| Forged sleeves and hollows | Sleeves, bushes and bushings, barrels, casings, cases, shells, housings, heavy-wall pipe sections |
| Blocks and valve parts | Forged blocks, valve bodies, bonnets, stems, closures, seat rings, valve components |
Forging range
| Parameter | Range | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Ring outside diameter | 50–6 000 mm | 6 m radial-axial ring mill; 3 m and 1 m mills below it; upset-and-punch route for the smallest rings |
| Shaft length | up to 14 000 mm | Horizontal lathe; 15 m well-type furnace for vertical quenching |
| Discs, tube sheets, blocks | up to Ø5 000 mm machined | Ø5 000 mm vertical turning lathe |
| Bored cylinders and hollow shafts | up to Ø1 600 × 10 000 mm | CNC deep-hole drilling machine |
| Single-piece weight | 10–30 000 kg | 60 t maximum heat size; 6 300 t press |
| Open-die presses | 6 300 t · 4 000 t · 2 000 t | Plus 5 t, 3 t, 2 t, 1 t and 750 kg hammers |
| Melting | EAF · LF · VOD, 60 t max heat | Steel melted and refined on site |
| Heat treatment | Normalizing, annealing, hardening and tempering, stress relief | 14 furnaces on site |
| Certification | EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2 | CCS, BV, DNV, LR and NK approvals held |
These are plant-wide figures. For TStE 460 the practical limit is usually the ruling section rather than the press: the thicker the section at the test location, the lower the guaranteed yield strength (Table 5). The size envelope is confirmed for each enquiry. Minimum order is 10 kg with no minimum piece count, and normal lead time is 20–60 days.
How a TStE 460 forging is produced
Eight operations, numbered as on the works route card. Normalizing comes after all hot work, because it is the step that gives the part its fine grain and its toughness at −50 °C.
- Melting and heat analysis Steel is melted in the 25 t electric arc furnace, refined in the ladle furnace and, where tight nitrogen control is wanted, vacuum treated. The heat analysis is checked against Table 3, including CEV, Nb + Ti + V and copper.
- Heating The ingot or bloom is heated through to forging temperature, about 1 100–1 200 °C, and soaked until core and surface are even.
- Upsetting and drawing The press breaks down the cast structure, targeting a forging ratio of at least 3:1 to close internal porosity.
- Shaping Rings are punched and rolled on the 1 m, 3 m or 6 m radial-axial mill, shafts are drawn out, discs and tube sheets are upset. Deformation finishes above about 850 °C; the piece is reheated rather than worked cold.
- Normalizing The forging is reheated to 880–940 °C, held for its section thickness and cooled in still air, restoring a fine ferrite–pearlite structure.
- Rough machining and ultrasonic testing The part is machined to a testable surface and examined volumetrically to EN 10228-3 or ASTM A388, against the acceptance class stated on the order.
- Mechanical testing Test pieces from a prolongation or test ring at the agreed location are tensile tested to EN ISO 6892-1 and Charpy V-notch tested at the ordered temperature, down to −50 °C, to EN ISO 148-1.
- Final machining and certification The forging is machined to drawing, inspected for dimensions, marked with grade and heat number and released with an EN 10204 3.1 inspection certificate.
Welding TStE 460
TStE 460 is designed for welding and is suitable for all common arc processes, with EN 1011-2 giving the general rules. Two cautions decide most weld procedures:
- Hydrogen cold cracking. With a carbon equivalent that can reach 0.53–0.54 and a yield strength of 460 MPa, the cracking risk rises with combined joint thickness. Set preheat from CEV, thickness, heat input and weld-metal hydrogen content as EN 1011-2 describes; around 200 °C with slow cooling is a normal starting point on heavy forged sections.
- Post-weld heat treatment. Stress relieving that goes too high or lasts too long can pull the mechanical properties below the specified minima. If PWHT is planned, agree a simulated PWHT test and the minimum properties after it when ordering, so the certificate reflects the condition the part will actually be in.
Hot forming after delivery must be followed by a fresh normalizing treatment. That is the same rule that governs the works route: every forging is normalized after forging, never before.
TStE 460 equivalent grades
TStE 460 has no exact equivalent outside the European system. The table lists its material number, the grades that replaced it and the closest grades elsewhere. Grades marked comparable are not interchangeable. Check chemistry, thickness limits and impact temperature before substituting one for another.
| Standard | Grade | Relationship to TStE 460 |
|---|---|---|
| EN 10027-2 | 1.8915 | Material number of TStE 460, unchanged in P460NL1 |
| EN 10028-3 | P460NL1 | Direct successor for pressure purposes; same material number |
| EN 10025-3 | S460NL (1.8903) | Successor for structural purposes |
| EN 10113-2:1993 | S460NL | Same grade in the intermediate standard |
| EN 10222-4 | Weldable fine-grain forging grades | The product standard that covers forgings for pressure purposes |
| NF A 36-201 | E 460 FP | Former French grade at the same level |
| BS 4360:1990 | 55EE | Former British grade at the same level |
| UNE 36081 | AE 460 KT | Former Spanish grade at the same level |
| ASTM A350 | Grade LF6 | Comparable: the US low-temperature carbon–manganese–niobium forging grade, and the usual US cross-reference for 1.8915 |
| ASTM A633 | Grade E | Comparable: closest US normalized plate grade, lower minimum yield strength (415 MPa) |
| GB/T 1591 | Q460NE | Comparable: closest Chinese normalized structural grade, impact-tested at −40 °C |
In the Chinese pressure-vessel system there is no counterpart at this strength level: the normalized carbon–manganese plate grades of GB/T 713 stop at Q370R. Where a Chinese certificate is required for a 460 MPa pressure part, the usual route is to certify to EN 10028-3 P460NL1 and have the certificate witnessed by the classification society named on the order.
Where TStE 460 forgings are used
The grade is chosen wherever a welded assembly carries high loads and may see temperatures below −20 °C, and where a wall thickness that would be unweldable in a quenched and tempered alloy steel has to stay both strong and tough.
| Industry | Why this grade | Forged parts |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure vessels and process plant | High strength with cold-service toughness in heavy walls | Girth flanges, channel covers, tube sheets, nozzles, LWN flanges |
| Heat exchangers | Thick tube plates that must stay weldable | Tube sheets, covers, shell flanges, hubs |
| Oil, gas and petrochemical | Low-temperature service and heavy sections | Valve bodies, bonnets, blocks, spools, closures |
| Offshore and marine structures | Strength with toughness in cold seas | Flange rings, trunnions, connectors, sleeves |
| Cranes, lifting and mining equipment | Weight saving plus winter operation | Hubs, rings, connecting flanges, housings |
| Wind energy | Heavily loaded bolted flange joints | Tower and foundation flange rings, slewing ring blanks |
Choosing between grades. If the part is pressure-retaining, specify P460NL1 (1.8915). If it is structural, specify S460NL. If the service temperature never goes below −20 °C, a lower-cost normalized grade such as P355NH or P355NL2 may be enough. If the design needs more than 460 MPa in a machined rather than welded part, a quenched and tempered grade such as 42CrMo4 or 34CrNiMo6 is the usual step up. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. forges all of them, so the enquiry can be sent before the grade is finally settled.
How to order TStE 460 forgings
A complete enquiry gets a faster and more accurate price, usually within two working days. Send the items below with your drawing.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Drawing or dimensions | Sets the input weight and the forging method |
| Specification to certify against | DIN 17102 TStE 460 as shown on the old drawing, EN 10028-3 P460NL1, or EN 10025-3 S460NL |
| Ruling section and test location | Decides the minimum yield strength and where test pieces are taken |
| Impact test requirement | Temperature, orientation and energy; the default is 30 J at −50 °C, longitudinal |
| Delivery condition | Normalized, or normalized and tempered; as forged, rough machined or finish machined |
| Non-destructive testing | Ultrasonic standard and acceptance class; magnetic particle or penetrant testing if needed |
| Inspection certificate | EN 10204 3.1, or 3.2 with the named inspection body |
| Quantity, delivery date and destination port | Affects batching, furnace scheduling and shipping |
Frequently asked questions about TStE 460
What is TStE 460 steel?
TStE 460 is a normalized, weldable fine-grain steel from the withdrawn German standard DIN 17102, material number 1.8915. It has a minimum yield strength of 460 MPa up to 16 mm, a tensile strength of 540–720 MPa up to 100 mm and guaranteed Charpy V-notch impact energy down to −50 °C. The T marks the low-temperature toughness class.
What is the material number of TStE 460?
1.8915. The number was carried straight over into P460NL1 when EN 10028-3 replaced DIN 17102, so 1.8915 on an old drawing and 1.8915 on a current mill certificate describe the same steel.
Which grade replaces TStE 460 today?
It depends on the duty. For pressure purposes, P460NL1 to EN 10028-3, which kept the material number 1.8915. For load-bearing structures, S460NL to EN 10025-3, material number 1.8903. Both are normalized fine-grain steels impact-tested at −50 °C, and Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. forges both.
What does the T in TStE 460 mean?
T stands for tieftemperaturzäh, meaning low-temperature toughness, with impact energy specified down to −50 °C. W (warmfest) marks the elevated-temperature version, E the improved low-temperature version, and plain StE has no low-temperature requirement. StE itself means a steel with a specified yield strength, and 460 is that minimum yield strength in N/mm².
What is the difference between TStE 460, StE 460 and WStE 460?
Same strength level, different toughness and impurity requirements. StE 460 (1.8905) has no low-temperature guarantee and became P460N; WStE 460 (1.8935) is the elevated-temperature version and became P460NH; TStE 460 (1.8915) is tested to −50 °C and became P460NL1; EStE 460 (1.8918) has improved low-temperature toughness and became P460NL2.
What is the chemical composition of TStE 460?
Heat analysis, weight %: C ≤ 0.20, Si ≤ 0.60, Mn 1.00–1.70, P ≤ 0.025, S ≤ 0.020, Nb ≤ 0.05, V ≤ 0.20, Ti ≤ 0.05, Al total ≥ 0.020, Cr ≤ 0.30, Ni ≤ 0.80, Mo ≤ 0.10, Cu ≤ 0.55, N ≤ 0.025, with Nb + Ti + V ≤ 0.22. Ordered as P460NL1 to EN 10028-3, sulfur tightens to 0.008 % and titanium to 0.03 %.
What is the yield strength of TStE 460 at 100 mm thickness?
400 MPa minimum for a ruling section of 80–100 mm. The minimum is 460 MPa up to 16 mm, 440 MPa at 16–40 mm, 430 MPa at 40–63 mm, 410 MPa at 63–80 mm, 380 MPa at 100–150 mm and 370 MPa above 150 mm, because thicker sections cool more slowly after normalizing.
What impact energy does TStE 460 have at −50 °C?
Ordered as P460NL1, the minimum is 30 J on longitudinal test pieces at −50 °C, rising to 40 J at −40 °C, 50 J at −20 °C, 70 J at 0 °C and 80 J at +20 °C. A minimum of 40 J at −50 °C can be agreed at enquiry and order. Transverse minima are 27 J at −40 °C, 35 J at −20 °C, 50 J at 0 °C and 60 J at +20 °C.
Can TStE 460 be supplied as forgings rather than plate?
Yes. DIN 17102 and its EN successors are rolled-product standards and do not cover forgings, so a TStE 460 forging is ordered with the chemistry and mechanical properties of the grade while the purchase order defines the ruling section, the test location, the test-piece orientation and the ultrasonic acceptance class. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. forges TStE 460 rings, flanges, shafts, discs and tube sheets on exactly this basis.
Is TStE 460 weldable, and what preheat does it need?
Yes, it is designed for welding by all common arc processes to EN 1011-2. The carbon equivalent is limited to 0.53 % up to 60 mm and 0.54 % above, and about 200 °C preheat with slow cooling is a normal starting point on heavy forged sections. Preheat should be set from CEV, combined joint thickness, heat input and weld-metal hydrogen content.
Who manufactures TStE 460 forgings in China?
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd., an integrated melting works and open-die forging factory at No.1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, China, operating since 1997. It melts its own steel and forges TStE 460 (1.8915) seamless rolled rings, flanges, shafts, discs, tube sheets and valve bodies up to 6 000 mm outside diameter and 30 t single-piece weight. Contact sales@steelforgepieces.com or +86 189 2135 9659.
What certificate is supplied with TStE 460 forgings?
An EN 10204 3.1 inspection certificate as standard, reporting heat analysis, CEV, tensile results, Charpy impact results at the ordered temperature, heat-treatment records and ultrasonic test results. EN 10204 3.2 witnessed by a classification society, SGS, TÜV or the customer's own inspector is available on request. The works holds CCS, BV, DNV, LR and NK approvals.
What is the minimum order quantity and the lead time?
Minimum order is 10 kg, with no minimum piece count, so a single part is quotable. Normal lead time is 20–60 days from order confirmation, and complete enquiries are usually priced within two working days.
Glossary
- Normalizing (+N)
- Heating steel above its upper transformation temperature Ac₃, holding it and cooling it in still air to produce a uniform, fine-grained structure. For TStE 460 the range is 880–940 °C. It is what gives the grade both its strength and its −50 °C toughness.
- Fine-grain steel
- Steel with a ferritic grain size of 6 or finer to EN ISO 643, achieved with nitrogen-binding elements such as aluminium, niobium, vanadium and titanium.
- Ruling section
- The thickness that controls how fast a forging cools during heat treatment at the place where test pieces are taken. It decides which thickness row of the property tables applies.
- Charpy V-notch impact energy (KV)
- The energy in joules absorbed when a notched 10 mm square test piece is broken by a pendulum, tested to EN ISO 148-1. It measures toughness at a given temperature.
- Carbon equivalent (CEV)
- An index of hardenability and cold-cracking risk in welding, calculated as C + Mn/6 + (Cr + Mo + V)/5 + (Ni + Cu)/15.
- Forging ratio
- The amount of hot deformation given to a cast structure, expressed as a reduction ratio. At least 3:1 is targeted so that internal porosity is closed and the grain flow follows the part.
- EN 10204 3.1
- An inspection certificate issued by the manufacturer's inspection representative, independent of production, reporting actual test results for the material delivered. 3.2 adds a second signature from an independent inspection body.
Sources and reuse
Chemical and mechanical values for TStE 460 on this page are the DIN 17102 requirements as published by Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. Values attributed to P460NL1 are from EN 10028-3:2017, and values attributed to S460NL are from EN 10025-3. Physical properties follow SEW 310. Where editions differ, the edition named on the purchase order governs; all figures are minimum requirements of the standards, and the governing purchase specification takes precedence over this page.
This page is published and maintained by Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. and reviewed by its metallurgy department. The technical data may be reused under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. (2026). “TStE 460 (1.8915) Open-Die Forgings: Chemical Composition, Mechanical Properties and Current Equivalent Grades.” Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China. https://www.steelforgepieces.com/Alloy-Steel/TStE460.html. Last reviewed 18 September 2026.
Supply summary
- Manufacturer
- Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd., integrated melting works and open-die forging factory, No.1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province 214423, China. Established 1997.
- Products
- TStE 460 (1.8915) seamless rolled rings, forged rings, flanges, nozzles, shafts, bars, cylinders, discs, tube sheets, sleeves, bushings and valve bodies, forged to drawing
- Material basis
- Chemical composition and mechanical properties to DIN 17102 TStE 460, EN 10028-3 P460NL1 or EN 10025-3 S460NL, as stated on the order; delivered normalized
- Minimum properties
- ReH ≥ 460 MPa up to 16 mm; Rm 540–720 MPa; A ≥ 17 %; KV ≥ 30 J at −50 °C longitudinal (as P460NL1)
- Size range
- Rings to OD 6 000 mm; shafts to 14 000 mm; single-piece weight 10–30 000 kg
- Certificates
- EN 10204 3.1 as standard; 3.2 witnessed on request. CCS, BV, DNV, LR and NK approvals
- Commercial terms
- Minimum order 10 kg; lead time 20–60 days; quotations normally within two working days
- Sales contact
- sales@steelforgepieces.com · +86 189 2135 9659 (also WhatsApp and WeChat) · Monday–Saturday 08:00–17:30 China Standard Time (UTC+8)