Technical steel knowledge, structured for practical use.
10 of 10 articles
A practical comparison of API 5L Product Specification Levels 1 and 2, including chemistry, mechanical properties, toughness, NDT, traceability and a correction to a common hydrotest misconception.
Why X52 and L360 are corresponding line-pipe strength designations, but should not be treated as a complete material equivalence without checking PSL, edition, delivery condition and supplementary requirements.
What CEV is, how the common IIW formula is calculated, what it says about weldability and why it should not be used as a universal pass/fail number.
Why CEV and Pcm are different weldability indices, how their formulas differ and why the governing standard — not personal preference — decides which one to use.
A reusable method for comparing EN, API, ASTM, ISO, GB, JIS and class-society steel grades without reducing the analysis to yield strength alone.
A buyer-focused explanation of EN 10204 type 3.1 and 3.2 certificates: who validates them, what specific inspection means and what 3.2 does not automatically guarantee.
A practical comparison of hot-finished EN 10210 and cold-formed EN 10219 structural hollow sections, including grades, dimensions, section properties and purchasing implications.
How to decode JR, J0, J2 and K2 in European structural steel grades and keep toughness, strength and delivery condition separate.
A practical guide to EN 10025 fine-grain structural steel grades S355N, S355NL, S355M and S355ML, and why they are not the same as S355J2+N.
What NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 is, how Parts 1–3 are organized, and why sour-service acceptability depends on material condition and environment rather than grade name alone.