Shipbuilding steel plate

B

Core stockMulti-class certified

Grade B carries impact testing at 0°C and is specified for primary hull structural members with a general notch-toughness requirement.

Mechanical properties

Grade class
Normal strength
Minimum yield ReH
235 MPa
Tensile strength Rm
400–520 MPa
Elongation A5
22%
Impact test temperature
0 °C

Impact energy in joules is not listed here because it varies with plate thickness and specimen orientation. The value that governs your order is the one on the mill test certificate, issued per heat.

Impact toughness for B is verified by Charpy V-notch testing at 0°C, per IACS UR W11.

Definitions of ReH, TMCP and other terms: see the glossary

Chemical composition

Ladle analysis limits in weight per cent, as the WISCO mill publishes them for this grade to CCS. Als is acid-soluble aluminium.

CMnSiPSAlsNbV
≤ 0.210.80 – 1.20≤ 0.35≤ 0.035≤ 0.035———

These are the mill's published limits for ladle samples. The actual values for your plate are on the mill test certificate, and a classification society can ask for tighter limits.

Stock & dimensions

Thickness
3–22 mm
Widths
1,500 / 1,800 / 2,000 mm
Lengths
6,000 / 8,000 / 10,000 mm

Mill rolling range

Sizes the WISCO mill rolls to order, beyond what is held in stock. Supplied to GB 712 and to the rules of BV, CCS, DNV, GL, LR, KR, NK and RINA, with dimensional tolerance to GB/T 709 and a lower thickness deviation of −0.30 mm. Send the requirement for availability and a lead time.

Thickness
2–25.4 mm
Widths
800–2,100 mm
Lengths
2,000–12,000 mm

Also rolled as coil

Original coil
2–25.4 mm × 800–2,100 mm
Skin-pass coil
2–12.7 mm × 800–2,100 mm

Coil sizes are the ranges in the mill's own product table. Confirm coil availability before you plan around it.

Thickness tolerance reference (EN 10029 / ASTM A6)

Currently in stock

ThicknessWidthLengthAvailability
6 mm1,500 mm6,000 mmEnquire
8 mm1,800 mm10,000 mmEnquire
10 mm1,800 mm10,000 mmEnquire
12 mm1,800 mm10,000 mmEnquire
8 mm2,000 mm10,000 mmEnquire
10 mm2,000 mm10,000 mmEnquire
12 mm2,000 mm10,000 mmEnquire

Classification society approvals

Material is produced at the WISCO mill, which holds works approval from the nine classification societies below. Material is released with the mill test certificate for the relevant heat.

  • CCS B
  • ABS B
  • DNV B
  • GL B
  • BV B
  • LR B
  • RINA B
  • KR B
  • NK B
How to read a mill test certificate

Standards & cross-reference

This grade is also recognized under ASTM A131/A131M (the U.S. shipbuilding-steel specification) and GB/T 712 (the Chinese national shipbuilding-steel standard), both of which use the same B designation as the IACS classification-society rules.

General structural-steel standards such as EN 10025 (Europe) and JIS G3106 (Japan) lack classification-society approval for ship hulls and cannot replace B on a classed vessel. AH36 vs A36

Quick answers

What is the lead time for B plate from ZCMetals?

B is held in stock in Wuhan — ex-warehouse delivery in 3–7 days from order confirmation.

What certificate ships with B plate?

A mill test certificate (MTC) to EN 10204 3.1, issued per heat, plus a classification society certificate copy for whichever of our nine approved societies your project requires. Independent third-party witnessed inspection (EN 10204 3.2) can be arranged on request.

What is the minimum order quantity for B?

From 1 tonne on sizes already held in stock — bundles are broken to order.

Welding & cutting

Cutting

Both oxy-fuel (flame) and plasma cutting are suitable for this thickness range; cut to your drawing or DXF file.

Welding & preheat

Readily weldable by standard shipyard procedures (SMAW, FCAW, SAW). Preheat is generally not required at typical hull-plate thicknesses, but always follow your yard's approved welding procedure specification (WPS) and classification society requirements for the specific joint and thickness.

Related grades

Grade selection guide
Grade B vs Grade D steel plateGrade A vs Grade B steel plate

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