What is ST52 steel plate?
ST52 is DIN 17100's 52 kp/mm² (≈ 510 MPa) tensile class with 355 MPa minimum yield — the workhorse high-strength structural steel. The suffix mattered: ST52-3 N was normalised or normalised-rolled, fully killed, with 27 J at −20 °C, and maps to S355J2 (or S355J2+N when normalised delivery is required); ST52-3 U was the as-rolled version with 27 J at 0 °C, today's S355J0. There was no ST52 with only a room-temperature test, but the market has stretched the name to cover S355JR as well, so an "ST52" enquiry must be pinned down: if the plate will be welded in heavy sections or used outdoors in winter, or if the drawing says ST52-3 N, order S355J2; if it is a general fabrication in a warm workshop, S355JR is cheaper and in stock. The chemistry is the same family — up to 0.20–0.24 % C, 1.60 % Mn, 0.55 % Si — and the mechanical values in the table below apply to all three.
Chemical composition
| Element | C | Si | Mn | P | S | Cu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| max. % (ladle) | 0.20 (≤ 30 mm) | 0.55 | 1.60 | 0.025 | 0.025 | 0.55 |
S355JR allows C 0.24, P/S 0.035 and N 0.012; S355J0 C 0.20, P/S 0.030. CEV ≤ 0.45 up to 30 mm, 0.47 to 40 mm.
Mechanical properties
| Thickness | Yield ReH min (MPa) | Tensile Rm (MPa) | Elongation A min | Impact KV (JR / J0 / J2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 16 mm | 355 | 470–630 | 22 % | 27 J at +20 / 0 / −20 °C |
| > 16–40 mm | 345 | 470–630 | 22 % | 27 J |
| > 40–63 mm | 335 | 470–630 | 21 % | 27 J |
| > 63–80 mm | 325 | 470–630 | 20 % | 27 J |
| > 80–100 mm | 315 | 470–630 | 20 % | 27 J |
Equivalent grades
| System | Grade | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EN 10025-2 | S355J2 (1.0577) | ST52-3 N |
| EN 10025-2 | S355J0 (1.0553) | ST52-3 U |
| EN 10025-2 | S355JR (1.0045) | market "ST52" |
| ASTM | A572 Gr. 50 | 345 MPa yield |
| JIS G3106 | SM490B / SM490C | |
| GB/T 1591 | Q355B / Q355D | D = −20 °C |
| BS 4360 | 50B / 50D | historic |
Thickness range and stock sizes
| Thickness | Widths × lengths | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 mm | 1 500 × 6 000 | to order (sheet) |
| 6–20 mm | 1 500 / 2 000 × 6 000 | stock — S355JR and S355J2 |
| 25–30 mm | 2 000 × 6 000 | stock — S355J2 |
| 40–100 mm | 2 000–2 500 × 6 000–12 000 | to order 2–4 weeks (S355J2+N) |
Weight per m² and per plate
| Thickness | kg/m² | 1 500 × 6 000 (kg) | 2 000 × 6 000 (kg) | 2 500 × 12 000 (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 mm | 23.6 | 212 | 283 | 707 |
| 4 mm | 31.4 | 283 | 377 | 942 |
| 5 mm | 39.3 | 353 | 471 | 1 178 |
| 6 mm | 47.1 | 424 | 565 | 1 413 |
| 8 mm | 62.8 | 565 | 754 | 1 884 |
| 10 mm | 78.5 | 707 | 942 | 2 355 |
| 12 mm | 94.2 | 848 | 1 130 | 2 826 |
| 15 mm | 117.8 | 1 060 | 1 413 | 3 533 |
| 20 mm | 157.0 | 1 413 | 1 884 | 4 710 |
| 25 mm | 196.3 | 1 766 | 2 355 | 5 888 |
| 30 mm | 235.5 | 2 120 | 2 826 | 7 065 |
| 40 mm | 314.0 | 2 826 | 3 768 | 9 420 |
| 50 mm | 392.5 | 3 533 | 4 710 | 11 775 |
| 60 mm | 471.0 | 4 239 | 5 652 | 14 130 |
| 80 mm | 628.0 | 5 652 | 7 536 | 18 840 |
| 100 mm | 785.0 | 7 065 | 9 420 | 23 550 |
Nominal weights — mill tolerance to EN 10029 class A adds up to +4 % on thin plate; invoiced on theoretical weight unless agreed otherwise.
Welding, cutting and forming
ST52 / S355 welds well but not carelessly: CEV up to 0.45 means preheat 75–100 °C above 25 mm, or above 12 mm on restrained, multi-pass or wet-site joints, and low-hydrogen consumables (E50 basic rods, G4Si1 / G46 wire) as standard. Keep heat input moderate to preserve the −20 °C toughness of J2 in the HAZ. Cold bending needs an inside radius of 1.5–2 × t transverse; rolling to 12 × t. Laser cuts to 20 mm, plasma to 50 mm, oxy-fuel beyond; flame-cut edges on thick plate are hard — grind before welding on dynamic structures. Hardness after forming makes S355 the practical upper limit for shop-bent plate before you move to normalised or QT grades.
Where it is used
- Crane beams, columns and runway girders
- Truck, trailer and construction-machine chassis
- Press tables, die sets and machine frames
- Seismic-code primary members (Turkey, Balkans, Iraq)
- Bridges and viaducts (J2 / +N)
- Offshore and port equipment, heavy lifting gear
ST52 vs S355J2 vs S355JR — which one to order
They are one strength class with three toughness levels. S355J2 is the true ST52-3 N: fully killed, 27 J at −20 °C, the grade for welded heavy structures, cold climates and anything certified to Eurocode 3 execution class 3. S355J0 (0 °C) is the compromise for mild outdoor use. S355JR (+20 °C) is the economy version for workshop fabrication. Price steps are small — J2 costs about 10 USD/t more than JR in our list — so when in doubt order J2: it satisfies every ST52 specification. Dedicated pages: S355JR, S355J0, S355J2, S355J2+N.
Price
ST52 is priced as S355: our list adds about 70 USD/t (JR) or 80 USD/t (J2) to the S235JR base. The bands below show both. Thicknesses above 40 mm and +N delivery are quoted separately as they come from the mill programme.
Bands from our weekly export list (September 2026), FOB Istanbul, full-container quantities, excluding freight and certificates. Firm price per project on RFQ within one working day.
Export and packing
Packing for ST52 steel plate: plates banded on hardwood skids (max 5 t per pack), edges protected, heat numbers marked; A 40' HC takes 24–25 t of 6 m plate. Over-length plate is loaded flat-rack, and heavy plate above 25 t per piece travels breakbulk from Derince. HS 7208.51 / 7208.52.
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| MOQ | 5 t of one thickness |
| Incoterms | FOB Istanbul · CIF / CFR Gulf, Africa · DAP EU, Balkans, Iraq, Caucasus · DAP Aktau |
| Lead time | Stock 6–30 mm: 3–7 working days; 3–100 mm to order 2–4 weeks |
| Packing | Skids up to 5 t, strapped; heavy plate loose on bearers |
| Container / truck | 40' HC ≈ 24–25 t of 6 m plate; 12 m by flat-rack |
| Documents | Invoice, packing list, EN 10204 3.1 (3.2 on request), certificate of origin; SASO / SONCAP / PVoC on request |
| Payment | 30% advance, balance against B/L copy; L/C at sight for orders above 100 t |
Certificates and testing
Documentation for ST52 steel plate: EN 10204 3.1 mill certificate as standard (heat number, analysis, tensile, Charpy, condition); 3.2 with an independent inspector, EN 10160 UT reports and additional low-temperature Charpy tests are available on plates above 8 mm at order.
How to order
Tell us which ST52 you need — J2 (ST52-3 N), J0 (ST52-3 U) or JR — plus thickness × width × length and tonnage. If the drawing only says ST52, we quote S355J2 by default and offer S355JR as the lower-cost option.
Standards
- DIN 17100 — ST52-3 N / ST52-3 U (withdrawn)
- EN 10025-2 — S355J2 (1.0577) / S355J0 (1.0553) / S355JR (1.0045)
- EN 10029 class A
- EN 10164 Z-quality on request
Grades
Grade data sheets (chemistry, mechanicals, equivalents) are on our reference site: S355J2 · S355JR · S355J0
Frequently asked questions
Is ST52 the same as S355?
Yes. ST52-3 (DIN 17100) is the old name of the 355 MPa structural grade now certified to EN 10025-2 as S355J2 (ST52-3 N, −20 °C impact) or S355J0 (ST52-3 U, 0 °C); the market also calls S355JR "ST52".
What is the difference between ST52-3 N and ST52-3 U?
N = normalised, fully killed, 27 J at −20 °C → S355J2; U = as-rolled, 27 J at 0 °C → S355J0. Strength and chemistry class are the same.
What is the ASTM equivalent of ST52?
ASTM A572 Grade 50 (345 MPa yield, 450 MPa tensile) is the usual equivalent; for pressure parts compare with A516 Gr. 70 instead.
Does ST52 need preheating for welding?
Above 25 mm, or above 12 mm on restrained joints and in cold or wet conditions, preheat to 75–100 °C and use low-hydrogen consumables; thin plate welds without preheat.
How much stronger is ST52 than ST37?
355 vs 235 MPa yield — 51 % more — and 470–630 vs 360–510 MPa tensile; the price difference is about 10 % per ton.
What ST52 thicknesses are in stock in Turkey?
6–30 mm S355J2 and 6–20 mm S355JR at Dilovası in 1 500 / 2 000 × 6 000 mm; 3–5 mm and 40–100 mm to order in 2–4 weeks.