Symbolic designation
Standard steel designations

A symbolic designation is made up of literal and numerical symbols expressing certain information relating to the mechanical or physical characteristics and/or chemical composition of steels, and sometimes to their use. Each designation corresponds to a single steel grade.

Unless otherwise specified, all symbols are written without spaces between them.

Two symbolic designations are used:

• that which refers to use and mechanical or physical characteristics;

• the one that refers to chemical composition.

To describe them and explain their interpretation, we'll just follow the logical order in which the symbols are read.

The symbolic designation...