EN 10216-5 is the European standard for seamless stainless steel tubes for pressure purposes. Its full title is Seamless steel tubes for pressure purposes — Technical delivery conditions — Part 5: Stainless steel tubes, and the current edition, EN 10216-5:2021, was approved by CEN on 12 March 2021 and supersedes EN 10216-5:2013. This guide covers the delivery conditions, the most-ordered grades with their chemistry and mechanical properties, elevated-temperature strength and the options buyers most often specify.
1. What EN 10216-5 covers
- Seamless tubes only. Welded stainless tubes for pressure purposes are covered by the companion standard EN 10217-7.
- Three steel families: austenitic corrosion-resisting steels (Table 2), austenitic creep-resisting steels for high-temperature service (Table 3), and austenitic-ferritic (duplex) steels (Table 4).
- General delivery requirements of EN 10021:2006 also apply.
- Grades are designated by steel name and steel number, for example X2CrNiMo17-12-2 / 1.4404.
2. Delivery conditions (Table 1)
| Symbol | Delivery condition | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| HFD | Hot finished, heat treated, descaled | Metallically clean |
| CFD | Cold finished, heat treated, descaled | Metallically clean |
| CFA | Cold finished, bright annealed | Metallically bright |
| CFG | Cold finished, heat treated, ground | Bright-ground; roughness agreed at enquiry and order |
| CFP | Cold finished, heat treated, polished | Bright-polished; roughness agreed at enquiry and order |
For CFG and CFP, the order must say whether the roughness requirement applies to the inside, the outside, or both surfaces. Combinations of conditions may be agreed.
3. Chemical composition of common grades
Cast analysis, % by mass. For the austenitic grades: Si ≤ 1.00, Mn ≤ 2.00, P ≤ 0.040 and S ≤ 0.015.
| Steel number | Steel name | C max | Cr | Ni | Mo | N | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4301 | X5CrNi18-10 | 0.07 | 17.0–19.5 | 8.0–10.5 | – | ≤0.10 | – |
| 1.4307 | X2CrNi18-9 | 0.030 | 17.5–19.5 | 8.0–10.0 | – | ≤0.10 | – |
| 1.4306 | X2CrNi19-11 | 0.030 | 18.0–20.0 | 10.0–12.0 | – | ≤0.10 | – |
| 1.4541 | X6CrNiTi18-10 | 0.08 | 17.0–19.0 | 9.0–12.0 | – | – | Ti 5×C to 0.70 |
| 1.4401 | X5CrNiMo17-12-2 | 0.07 | 16.5–18.5 | 10.0–13.0 | 2.0–2.5 | ≤0.10 | – |
| 1.4404 | X2CrNiMo17-12-2 | 0.030 | 16.5–18.5 | 10.0–13.0 | 2.0–2.5 | ≤0.10 | – |
| 1.4571 | X6CrNiMoTi17-12-2 | 0.08 | 16.5–18.5 | 10.5–13.5 | 2.00–2.50 | – | Ti 5×C to 0.70 |
| 1.4436 | X3CrNiMo17-13-3 | 0.05 | 16.5–18.5 | 10.5–13.0 | 2.50–3.0 | ≤0.10 | – |
| 1.4435 | X2CrNiMo18-14-3 | 0.030 | 17.0–19.0 | 12.5–15.0 | 2.50–3.0 | ≤0.10 | – |
| 1.4462 | X2CrNiMoN22-5-3 (duplex) | 0.030 | 21.0–23.0 | 4.5–6.5 | 2.50–3.5 | 0.10–0.22 | P ≤0.035 |
| 1.4410 | X2CrNiMoN25-7-4 (super duplex) | 0.030 | 24.0–26.0 | 6.0–8.0 | 3.00–4.5 | 0.20–0.35 | P ≤0.035 |
Source: EN 10216-5:2021, Tables 2 and 4. For tubes to be machined, a controlled sulphur content of 0.015–0.030% may be agreed (Option 3). For some grades the maximum nickel may be raised slightly for hot workability or low magnetic permeability. Elements not listed may not be added intentionally without the purchaser’s agreement.
Product analysis is optional (Option 4); permissible deviations from the cast limits are given in Table 5 — for example ±0.20% for chromium between 14.0 and 20.0%, and +0.005% for carbon where the limit is 0.030% or less.
4. Mechanical properties at room temperature
Solution annealed condition (+AT); austenitic grades up to 60 mm wall, duplex grades up to 30 mm wall.
| Steel number | Rp0.2 min, MPa | Rp1.0 min, MPa | Rm, MPa | A min, % (long.) | A min, % (transv.) | Solution annealing, °C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4301 | 195 | 230 | 500–700 | 40 | 35 | 1000–1100 |
| 1.4307 | 180 | 215 | 460–680 | 40 | 35 | 1000–1100 |
| 1.4306 | 180 | 215 | 460–680 | 40 | 35 | 1000–1100 |
| 1.4541 (cold finished) | 200 | 235 | 500–730 | 35 | 30 | 1020–1120 |
| 1.4541 (hot finished) | 180 | 215 | 460–680 | 35 | 30 | 1020–1120 |
| 1.4401 | 205 | 240 | 510–710 | 40 | 30 | 1020–1120 |
| 1.4404 | 190 | 225 | 490–690 | 40 | 30 | 1020–1120 |
| 1.4571 (cold finished) | 210 | 245 | 500–730 | 35 | 30 | 1020–1120 |
| 1.4571 (hot finished) | 190 | 225 | 490–690 | 35 | 30 | 1020–1120 |
| 1.4436 | 205 | 240 | 510–710 | 40 | 30 | 1020–1120 |
| 1.4435 | 190 | 225 | 490–690 | 40 | 30 | 1020–1120 |
| 1.4462 | 450 | – | 640–880 | 22 | 22 | 1020–1100 |
| 1.4410 | 550 | – | 800–1000 | 20 | 20 | 1040–1120 |
Source: EN 10216-5:2021, Tables 6 and 8. Rm for 1.4462 is limited to 920 MPa max. for cold finished, solution annealed tubes. For thicker walls the properties are agreed at enquiry and order. Minimum impact energy at room temperature is 100 J longitudinal / 60 J transverse for these austenitic grades, and 150 J / 100 J for 1.4462.
Unlike ASTM tube specifications, EN 10216-5 specifies Rp1.0 as well as Rp0.2 for austenitic grades, plus impact energy — useful to know when comparing an EN certificate with an ASTM one.
5. Proof strength at elevated temperature
Minimum Rp0.2 in MPa, solution annealed; the last column is the guideline limit temperature for susceptibility to intergranular corrosion (Tables 9 and 11).
| Steel number | 100 °C | 200 °C | 300 °C | 400 °C | IGC limit temp., °C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4301 | 155 | 127 | 110 | 98 | 300 |
| 1.4307 | 145 | 118 | 100 | 89 | 350 |
| 1.4541 (cold finished) | 176 | 157 | 136 | 125 | 400 |
| 1.4401 | 175 | 145 | 127 | 115 | 300 |
| 1.4404 | 165 | 137 | 119 | 108 | 400 |
| 1.4571 (cold finished) | 185 | 167 | 145 | 135 | 400 |
| 1.4462 | 360 | 310 | – | – | 250 |
| 1.4410 | 480 | 420 | – | – | 250 |
Source: EN 10216-5:2021, Tables 9 and 11 (selected temperatures). The low-carbon and stabilised grades — 1.4307, 1.4404, 1.4541, 1.4571 — keep a higher limit temperature than 1.4301 and 1.4401, which is why they are preferred for welded and hot-service equipment.
6. Intergranular corrosion and other options
- Resistance to intergranular corrosion is verified to EN ISO 3651-2 (method A, B or C as given per grade) when Option 12 is specified.
- For walls above the table limits, mechanical properties and proof strength values are agreed (Options 7, 8 and 10).
- Other specific corrosion tests must be agreed at enquiry and order.
7. Dimensional tolerances (Tables 12–14)
Tolerance classes D1–D4 and T1–T4 are taken from EN ISO 1127. Out-of-roundness is included in the diameter tolerance and eccentricity in the wall tolerance.
Hot finished tubes (Table 12)
| Outside diameter D, mm | Tolerance on D | Tolerance on T |
|---|---|---|
| 30 ≤ D ≤ 219.1 | D2: ±1.0% or ±0.5 mm, whichever is greater | T1: ±15% or ±0.6 mm, whichever is greater (T ≤ 4 mm) T2: ±12.5% or ±0.4 mm, whichever is greater |
| 219.1 < D ≤ 610 | D1: ±1.5% or ±0.75 mm, whichever is greater (sized ends ±0.6% over approx. 100 mm with Option 19) | +22.5% / −15% for T ≤ 0.05D T1: ±15% or ±0.6 mm for 0.05D < T ≤ 0.09D T2: ±12.5% or ±0.4 mm for T > 0.09D |
Cold finished tubes, D ≤ 219.1 mm (Table 13)
| Class | Tolerance on D | Class | Tolerance on T |
|---|---|---|---|
| D3 (standard) | ±0.75% or ±0.3 mm, whichever is greater | T3 (standard) | ±10% or ±0.2 mm, whichever is greater |
| D4 (Option 20) | ±0.5% or ±0.1 mm, whichever is greater | T4 (Option 20) | ±7.5% or ±0.15 mm, whichever is greater |
Example: a cold finished 25 × 2 mm tube to D3/T3 may measure 24.7–25.3 mm OD (±0.3 mm, as 0.75% of 25 mm is only 0.19 mm) and 1.8–2.2 mm wall (±10%). With Option 20 (D4/T4) the limits tighten to ±0.125 mm and ±0.15 mm.
Exact lengths (Table 14)
| Length L, mm | Tolerance |
|---|---|
| L ≤ 6000 | +5 / 0 mm |
| 6000 < L ≤ 12000 | +10 / 0 mm |
| L > 12000 | + by agreement / 0 |
Source: EN 10216-5:2021, Tables 12, 13 and 14.
8. Inspection and testing: Test Category 1 vs 2 (Table 15)
The order specifies test category 1 or 2. Category 2 adds more tensile and ring/flattening testing and mandatory ultrasonic or eddy-current inspection on smaller tubes.
| Test | Test category 1 | Test category 2 | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory | |||
| Cast analysis | One per cast | One per cast | – |
| Tensile test at room temperature | One per test unit | Two per test unit (from different tubes) | EN ISO 6892-1 |
| Flattening, ring tensile, drift expanding or ring expanding test (method at the manufacturer’s discretion) | One per test unit | 10% of tubes per test unit, at least one | EN ISO 8492 / 8496 / 8493 / 8495 |
| Leak tightness test | Each tube | Each tube | EN ISO 10893-1 or -10 |
| Dimensional inspection and visual examination | Each tube | Each tube | – |
| NDT for longitudinal imperfections, D > 101.6 mm or T > 5.6 mm | – | Each tube | EN ISO 10893-10 |
| Material identification | Each tube | Each tube | – |
| Optional | |||
| Product analysis (Option 4) | One per cast | One per cast | – |
| Tensile test at elevated temperature (Option 9) | As agreed, or one per cast and heat treatment condition | EN ISO 6892-2 | |
| Impact test at room temperature (Option 6) / low temperature (Option 11) | As agreed, or one per cast and heat treatment condition | EN ISO 148-1 | |
| Intergranular corrosion test (Option 12) | As agreed, or one per cast and heat treatment condition | EN ISO 3651-2 | |
| Wall thickness measurement away from tube ends (Option 23) | – | Each tube | – |
| NDT for longitudinal imperfections, D ≤ 101.6 mm and T ≤ 5.6 mm (Option 14) | – | Each tube | EN ISO 10893-10 |
| NDT for transverse imperfections (Option 15) | – | Each tube | EN ISO 10893-10 |
| NDT for laminar imperfections at tube ends, T > 40 mm (Option 16) | – | Each tube | EN ISO 10893-8 |
Source: EN 10216-5:2021, Table 15. An EN 10204 3.1 inspection certificate is issued unless Option 21 (3.2 certificate) is specified. Practical tip: for small-diameter tubes, test category 2 alone does not require NDT — add Option 14 if you need eddy-current or ultrasonic testing on every tube.
9. EN 10216-5 vs ASTM A213 / A312
- EN 10216-5 designates grades by EN number (1.4404) where ASTM uses TP316L; the chemistry is similar but not identical — for example 1.4404 allows Mo 2.0–2.5%, while ASTM TP316L allows 2.00–3.00%.
- Dual certification (for example EN 10216-5 1.4404 and ASTM A213 TP316L) is possible when the heat meets both specifications — state it in the order.
10. How to order EN 10216-5 tubes
State: EN 10216-5, steel name or number, delivery condition (e.g. CFA), test category (1 or 2), outside diameter × wall thickness, length, quantity, required options (e.g. Option 4 product analysis, Option 12 intergranular corrosion test) tolerance classes if tighter than standard (Option 20 for D4/T4), and the inspection document (3.1 by default, Option 21 for 3.2).
Example: “Seamless tube EN 10216-5 – 1.4404 – CFA – TC2 – 25 × 2 mm – 6 m – 500 m – Option 12 – EN 10204 3.1.”
How TeCarve supplies EN 10216-5 tubes
TeCarve is the sole export arm of two stainless steel tube factories in Foshan and Wenzhou, China. We supply seamless stainless steel tube and heat exchanger tube to EN 10216-5 and dual-certified to ASTM. Every order ships with an EN 10204 3.1 certificate; 3.2 certification and third-party inspection on request. Trial orders start from 100–300 kg; in-stock sizes ship in 7–10 days and custom production in 10–25 days. Contact sales@tecarve.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is the latest edition of EN 10216-5?
EN 10216-5:2021, approved by CEN on 12 March 2021. It supersedes EN 10216-5:2013.
Does EN 10216-5 cover welded tubes?
No. EN 10216-5 covers seamless tubes only; welded stainless tubes for pressure purposes are covered by EN 10217-7.
What is the minimum proof strength of 1.4404 tube to EN 10216-5?
Rp0.2 190 MPa and Rp1.0 225 MPa minimum, with tensile strength 490–690 MPa, in the solution annealed condition.
What is the difference between test category 1 and 2?
Test category 2 requires two tensile tests per test unit instead of one, flattening or expanding tests on 10% of tubes instead of one per test unit, and NDT on every tube for D > 101.6 mm or T > 5.6 mm. Smaller tubes need Option 14 for NDT.
What are the standard tolerances for cold finished EN 10216-5 tubes?
D3 on outside diameter (±0.75% or ±0.3 mm, whichever is greater) and T3 on wall (±10% or ±0.2 mm). Option 20 specifies the tighter D4/T4 classes.
What does CFA mean?
Cold finished, bright annealed, with a metallically bright surface.
Is 1.4404 the same as 316L?
They are close equivalents, but the limits differ: EN 10216-5 1.4404 has Mo 2.0–2.5% and Ni 10.0–13.0%. Ask for dual certification if both are required.
Related reading: EN 10217-7 welded tube guide · ASTM A269 tubing guide · ASTM A312 pipe guide · 304 vs 316 vs 316L · EN 10204 3.1 certificates
