Automotive Worldwide

High strength low alloy (HSLA) steels for cold

forming

Extract from the product catalogue -European edition

Note: Information contained in this catalogue is subject to change.

Please contact our sales team whenever you place an order to ensure that your requirements are fully met.
Please contact us if you have a specific requirement that is not included in the range of products and services covered by this catalogue.
We are also reachable by the e-mail address automotive.request@arcelormittal.com.

We are also reachable by the e-mail address automotive.request@arcelormittal.com.

High strength low alloy (HSLA) steels for cold forming

High yield and tensile strength
steels

Description
Steels in the HSLA (High Strength Low Alloy) range are hardened by a combination of precipitation and grain size refining, resulting in high
strength with low alloy content. This enhances weldability and choice of coatings, since these steels exhibit neither weld zone softening nor
grain coarsening. These grades are particularly suitable for structural components such as suspension systems and chassis and
reinforcement parts.
For their respective yield strength levels, these steels all exhibit excellent cold forming and low-temperature brittle fracture strength (starting
at grade 320).
The entire range of HSLA steels offers good fatigue strength (suspension arm, shock tower) and impact strength (longitudinal beams, cross
members, reinforcements, etc.).
Because of their mechanical strength, the weight of reinforcement and structural components can be reduced.
The HSLA range of products is available in hot and cold rolled grades. The various grades are identified by their yield strength.
Hot rolled HSLA grades can be given a Class 1 hot-dip galvanized coating according to the EN 36503 standard (post-galvanizing).

Applications
The steels in the HSLA range are suitable for structural parts such as suspension systems, reinforcements, cross members, longitudinal
beams, chassis components, etc. The mechanical properties of hot rolled HSLA steels and their excellent cold forming performance and
low-temperature brittle fracture resistance support cost-effective solutions for many parts and sub-assemblies for which weight, thickness and
size reduction are sought, such as:
chassis components;
wheels;
slide rails;
cross members.

Rear cross member in Extragal-coated HSLA 300

Front reinforcement in Dual Phase 780

Shock absorber in HSLA 300

Designation and standard

Designation and standard

HSLA 260
HSLA 300
HSLA 340
HSLA 380
HSLA 420

Euronorms
HC260LA (+ZE) /HX260LAD (+Z,
+ZF, +ZA)
HC300LA (+ZE) /HX300LAD (+Z,
+ZF, +ZA)
HC340LA (+ZE) /HX340LAD (+Z,
+ZF, +ZA)
HC380LA (+ZE) /HX380LAD (+Z,
+ZF, +ZA)
HC420LA (+ZE) /HX420LAD (+Z,
+ZF, +ZA)

VDA 239-100
CR240LA (-UNC,-EG,-GI,-GA)
CR270LA (-UNC,-EG,-GI,-GA)
CR300LA (-UNC,-EG,-GI,-GA)
CR340LA (-UNC,-EG,-GI,-GA)
CR420LA (-UNC,-EG,-GI,-GA)

Euronorms
Uncoated ( EN 10268: 2006+A1: 2013): Steel grade name
Electrogalvanized (EN 10268 :2006+A1: 2013 + EN 10152 :2009): Steel grade name +ZE
Extragal (EN 10346 :2015): Steel grade name +Z
Galvannealed (EN 10346 :2015): Steel grade name +ZF
Galfan (EN 10346 :2015): Steel grade name +ZA
VDA 239-100
Uncoated: Steel grade name-UNC
Electrogalvanized: Steel grade name-EG
Extragal: Steel grade name-GI
Galvannealed: Steel grade name-GA

Hot rolled Cold rolled

While the ArcelorMittal grades conform perfectly well to the indicated EN standards, ArcelorMittal grades generally offer tighter mechanical
properties (see table below).

Euronorms

VDA 239-100

HSLA 320

S315MC/HX340LAD (+Z)

HR300LA (-UNC,-GI)

HSLA 360

S355MC/HX380LAD (+Z)

HR340LA (UNC,-GI)

HSLA 420

S420MC/HX420LAD (+Z)

HR420LA (-UNC,-GI)

HSLA 460

S460MC/HX460LAD (+Z)

HR460LA (-UNC,-GI)

HSLA 500

S500MC/HX500LAD (+Z)

HR500LA (-UNC,-GI)

HSLA 550

S550MC

Euronorms
Uncoated (EN 10149-2 :1995): Steel grade name
VDA 239-100
Uncoated: Steel grade name-UNC
Extragal: Steel grade name-GI

Hot rolled Cold rolled

While the ArcelorMittal grades conform perfectly well to the indicated EN standards, ArcelorMittal grades generally offer tighter mechanical
properties(see table below).
The above indicative tables summarize the European and VDA standards corresponding to the ArcelorMittal product range.

Technical characteristics
Mechanical properties
Guaranteed for uncoated sheet in the transverse direction.

YS (MPa)

UTS (MPa)

ef (%)
L0 = 80 mm
th < 3 mm

HSLA 260

260 -320

350 -410

28

HSLA 300

300 -360

390 -450

26

HSLA 340

340 -400

420 -490

23

HSLA 380

380 -450

460 -530

20

HSLA 420

420 -520

470 -590

17

Hot rolled Cold rolled

Guaranteed for uncoated sheet in the rolling direction.

YS (MPa)

UTS (MPa)

ef (%)
L0 = 80 mm
th < 3 mm

Ef (%)
L0 = 5,65 S0 (mm)
th 3 mm

HSLA 320

325 -385

415 -470

24

28

HSLA 360

360 -435

450 -520

21

25

HSLA 420

420 -500

490 -570

20

23

HSLA 460

460 -550

550 -650

17

21

HSLA 500

500 -590

570 -670

15

19

HSLA 550

550 -650

650 -730

15

18

Hot rolled Cold rolled

Because HSLA steels can exhibit an extended elastic-plastic transition zone with variations in YS values, by convention only the lower yield
strength (LYS) is taken into account in this zone.

Microstructure of a cold rolled HSLA 340 steel

Chemical composition (%)

C
Max

Mn
Max

Si
Max

HSLA 260

0,080

0,50

0,04

HSLA 300

0,080

0,60

0,04

HSLA 340

0,080

0,70

0,04

HSLA 380

0,080

0,90

0,35

HSLA 420

0,140

1,60

0,40

HSLA 320

0,080

0,50

0,03

HSLA 360

0,080

0,60

0,03

HSLA 420

0,080

0,75

0,03

HSLA 460

0,120

1,60

0,40

HSLA 500

0,090

1,50

0,03

HSLA 550

0,090

1,65

0,35

Hot rolled Cold rolled

Available coatings and surface conditions

Available coatings and surface conditions

Uncoated

Electrogalvanized

Galvannealed

Extragal

HSLA 260

HSLA 300

HSLA 340

HSLA 380

HSLA 420

HSLA 320

HSLA 360

HSLA 420

HSLA 460

HSLA 500

HSLA 550

Hot rolled Cold rolled

X Available
Please consult us about the availability of additional HSLA products.

Recommendations for use and secondary processing

Forming
Drawability declines progressively with increasing yield strength. Forming limit curves can be used to define maximum strains without necking
for different deformation paths.

Example of forming limit curves calculated for cold rolled

HSLA sheet (thickness: 1.0 mm)

We can provide additional forming data for steels in the HSLA range with particular thicknesses and coatings.

Welding
Weldability is determined according to the ISO 18278-2 method.

HSLA 300 Extragal

(thickness: 2 mm)

Welding range (kA)

3,5

HSLA 340 Extragal

(thickness: 1 mm)

Hot rolled Cold rolled

1,1

Cold rolled
HSLA steels can be readily welded using all common welding processes.
Based on long experience in the characterization of its products, ArcelorMittal can provide technical assistance in adjusting the resistance
spot and arc welding parameters of any steel in the HSLA range.
5

Based on long experience in the characterization of its products, ArcelorMittal can provide technical assistance in adjusting the resistance
spot and arc welding parameters of any steel in the HSLA range.

Fatigue strength
HSLA steels have good fatigue strength.
Examples of Whler curves for a variety of HSLA steels are given in the graph below. The curves plot maximum stress versus number of
cycles to failure. They are calculated for a tension-tension loading ratio of R = 0.1.

Whler curves for cold rolled HSLA steels

Because of their high endurance limits, these steels are particularly well suited to parts subject to fatigue stress. To restore the base metal
endurance limit adjacent to welds in areas subjected to severe cyclic loading, a post-weld treatment such as TIG melting, hammering,
peening or grinding should be applied to the weld toe.
Hot rolled grades above HSLA 420 in thicknesses greater than 6 mm are generally used for fatigue applications and applications involving
straightening and stress relieving treatments. These steels cannot be heated above 700C without risk of impairing the mechanical properties
obtained by thermo-mechanical treatment.
ArcelorMittal can make available a comprehensive database concerning the fatigue performance of the steels in its HSLA range.
ArcelorMittal | Last update: 22-10-2015