Technical Sources & Reference Data

These references explain the inputs behind Know Steel tools. A published nominal value supports an estimate; it does not certify a delivered grade, coating or dimension. Use the contract edition, grade data and measured material for acceptance.

Generic steel density

The coil, plate, pipe, bar and slitting tools use 7,850 kg/m³ as the generic steel assumption, equivalent to 7.85 g/cm³. This is not an exact density for every carbon, alloy or tool steel. Galvanized and Galvalume presets represent base steel only: use base-metal thickness and account for coating mass separately.

SSAB

Austenitic stainless steel density

The 7,900 kg/m³ preset is a representative value for cold-rolled austenitic sheet at 20°C in the cited declaration. Ferritic, martensitic and other grades can differ. Grade and temperature matter; a stainless family name does not determine one universal density.

Outokumpu

Aluminum reference density

The plate calculator uses 2,700 kg/m³ as a representative 1050A aluminum value. It is an estimating reference, not a universal value for all aluminum alloys or a supplied-material certificate.

Hydro 1050A

Exact length and mass conversions

The unit definitions are exact: 1 in = 25.4 mm; 1 ft = 0.3048 m; 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg; 1 avoirdupois oz = 28.349523125 g. Therefore 1 ft² = 0.09290304 m². A mass ounce is not a fluid ounce. Exact unit definitions do not remove dimensional or weighing uncertainty.

NIST SP 811

Coating mass: g/m² and oz/ft²

Divide 28.349523125 g by 0.09290304 m²: 1 oz/ft² = 305.15172727394… g/m². Thus 275 g/m² ≈ 0.9012 oz/ft² and 0.90 oz/ft² ≈ 274.6366 g/m². The input basis is preserved: total both sides remains total both sides. These conversions do not establish equivalence between ASTM/EN designations or convert mass into guaranteed coating thickness.

GalvInfoNote 2.5

Pipe Schedule dataset provenance

Lookup dimensions are a selected Atlas snapshot revised 8 April 2021, whose carbon-steel columns cite ASTM A106M / ASME B36.10M-2004. Examples are NPS 2: OD 60.3 mm, Sch 40 3.91 mm; NPS 10: OD 273.1 mm, Sch 40 9.27 mm; NPS 24: OD 610 mm, Sch 160 59.54 mm. The tool offers carbon-steel Schedule values only, not stainless S schedules. ASME B36.10-2022 is the newer published edition identified in the official reference; this snapshot has not been validated against a legally accessible complete 2022 dimensional table. No dimensions have been changed on that basis. Use the governing contract edition for acceptance; B36.19 applies separately to stainless pipe dimensions.

Atlas · 2021-04-08

Standards: ASME B36.10 · ASME B36.19

Gauge dataset methodology

This legacy dataset uses the source inch value as authoritative. Millimetres are calculated with exactly 25.4 mm/in and stored/displayed with three-decimal conventional half-up rounding. At 4 gauge, standard steel 0.2242 in gives 5.695 mm; the old 5.095 mm entry conflicts with the inch source. The anomalous 38 gauge standard-steel value remains blank/withheld. Other blank cells mean no source value, never zero. Gauge systems are material-specific and cannot be interpolated linearly or used as tolerance specifications. The CSV and lookup share the same values and notes.

Reference CSV · Gauge

Primary producer and technical references

Read producer claims within the named product, revision and exposure conditions. Coating chemistry, corrosion tests, paint resin names and color codes do not establish cross-brand equivalence or a universal service life. The references below support specific background explanations; the full product and contractual requirements still control.

Primary producer and technical references
Source	Technical context
SSAB	Surface preparation and pickling: process context, not universal delivery conditions.
BSSA · martensitic	Stainless families and composition: select the actual grade and applicable product data.
BSSA · 304/316	Stainless families and composition: select the actual grade and applicable product data.
Outokumpu	Stainless families and composition: select the actual grade and applicable product data.
Steelscape	Metallic coatings: keep the coating chemistry, test basis and named product separate.
NCCA · Toolkit 8	Coil-coating topcoat families: resin labels alone do not define film thickness or service life.
ArcelorMittal · E20	Metallic coatings: keep the coating chemistry, test basis and named product separate.
AGA	Surface preparation and pickling: process context, not universal delivery conditions.
Wheatland	Pipe product dimensions and manufacture: product literature is distinct from the calculator dataset and governing standard.
GalvInfoNote 1.4	Metallic coatings: keep the coating chemistry, test basis and named product separate.
NPTEL	Annealing principles: cycle, atmosphere and resulting properties depend on grade and product.

Scroll within the table to see all columns →

Applying the sources

Use the Standards directory to distinguish product requirements, dimensional rules and inspection documents. Use a tool only within its stated geometric and density assumptions. Measured weight governs lifting and acceptance decisions; calculated mass is not a load rating.

Standards · Steel tools

Stainless steel corrosion

The corrosion resistance of stainless steel depends on a thin chromium-rich passive surface film. Local breakdown can lead to pitting or crevice corrosion, with chlorides, temperature, alloy composition and local geometry among the important factors.

Source: British Stainless Steel Association — Introduction to Corrosion Resistance .

Iron contamination on stainless steel

Carbon-steel particles and other free-iron contamination can rust on a stainless surface and produce brown or orange staining. Storage, handling and fabrication practices therefore affect the delivered surface condition.

Source: British Stainless Steel Association — Iron contamination and rust staining on stainless steel .

Stainless steel passivation

A clean stainless surface naturally forms a chromium-rich passive layer in a suitable oxygen-containing environment. Pickling and passivation are distinct surface-treatment concepts and should be specified according to the component and service requirement.

Source: worldstainless — Pickling and Passivating Stainless Steel .

Sheet thickness selection

For rectangular strips, the second moment of area contains thickness cubed; classical plate bending rigidity also contains this term. These mechanics relations do not assign a load rating to an arbitrary panel. Yield strength and elastic stiffness are separate: high-strength steel lightweighting needs independent strength, stiffness and stability checks. Press-brake planning must combine grade, thickness, rolling direction, bend radius and tooling. Dimensional tolerances follow the applicable product specification together with its general requirements.

SSAB: Structural stiffness and high-strength design .
SSAB: Press-brake recommendations .
Engineering LibreTexts: Plate bending mechanics .
ASTM A568/A568M : General requirements and dimensional tolerances.

Steel sheet thickness and tolerances

These sources support standard scope, unit systems and thickness terminology. They do not replace the applicable contract edition or its acceptance tables.

ASTM A568/A568M-25a : General requirements for applicable hot- and cold-rolled carbon, structural and HSLA sheet. The product specification prevails in a conflict; SI and inch-pound requirements are separate systems.
ASTM A924/A924M-26 : General requirements for continuous hot-dip metallic-coated sheet. Scope 1.8 counts base steel plus metallic coating; scope 1.10 keeps SI and inch-pound systems separate.
BS EN 10051:2024 : Applicable continuously hot-rolled wide strip and sheet/plate cut from it.
BS EN 10131:2006 : Applicable cold-rolled uncoated and electrolytically coated flat products.
BS EN 10143:2006 : Applicable continuously hot-dip coated steel sheet and strip.
AS/NZS 1365:1996 (R2016) · MBIE CodeHub : Dimensional tolerances for flat-rolled products within its scope: thickness, width, length and shape. Classes A and B are distinguished, with B more stringent. Stainless, high-alloy and quenched-and-tempered steels are outside its scope. For coated products, thickness tolerances apply to the base metal.
ISO 16162:2012 : Dimensional and shape tolerances for cold-rolled steel sheet products. Confirmed in 2023; this is international reference context, not the automatic governing standard for all markets.
LYSAGHT TRIMDEK : Australian producer usage of BMT: 0.42 mm and 0.48 mm describe substrate thicknesses for the named product, not a universal supply or tolerance rule.
CSSBI 23M-15 · CSSBI 61:21 : Canadian industry context: design thickness and minimum base-steel thickness are separate concepts; apply the actual product/design requirements.

Steel Sheet Thickness and Tolerances Explained · Standard .

Metal roofing thickness selection

These producer documents illustrate how roof thickness is tied to a named product system; their gauges, thicknesses and load values apply only to the products, revisions and conditions stated in each document, not as universal roof rules. Reviewed 2026-09-20.

MBCI — LokSeam: official product page. Lists 24 gauge as standard, with 26 gauge limited to specified width configurations and a 22 gauge option for designated widths; gauge availability depends on panel configuration and width.
MBCI — PBR Roof Panel Allowable Load Table: official load table. For the published panel data, 26 gauge = 0.0181 in and 24 gauge = 0.0223 in; allowable values vary with span, span condition and load direction. These decimal thicknesses are examples from that product documentation.
LYSAGHT — Roofing & Walling Installation Manual: official manual. Its recommendations are stated as being based on specific LYSAGHT profiles, BMT and material finishes.
LYSAGHT — SPANDEK Design & Installation Guide: official guide. Contains 0.42 BMT profile data and specific load / wind-pressure tables.
Euroclad — SF500 Secret Fix: official product literature. The profile uses 0.7 mm steel, illustrating direct metric thickness specification in UK literature.
Vicwest — HR5 Roof Allowable Load Table: official load table. Based on 26 gauge exterior/interior facings and explicitly considers panel strength, deflection limit and connection strength.

How to Choose Metal Roofing Thickness

Sheet-metal gauge explained

U.S. Bureau of Standards Circular 391 — Standard Thicknesses, Weights, and Tolerances of Sheet Metal (Customary Practice), 1931 : Historical customary-practice source, not a current steel product standard. Describes gauges as stock-size lists, multiple systems for sheet metal and sometimes for the same type and grade, and the recommendation to specify equivalent decimal thickness or weight alongside the gauge.
15 U.S.C. §206 — Standard gauge for sheet and plate iron and steel : Historical statutory U.S. Standard Gauge table; No. 16 is approximately 0.0625 in. This illustrates a named convention, not a universal gauge conversion.
46 CFR §182.440 — Table 1, note 1 (2025) : Table 1 to §182.440(a)(1), note 1, distinguishes USSG (U.S. Standard Gauge), MSG (Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge), and AWG (American Wire Gauge). Cited only for terminology; the regulation concerns independent marine fuel tanks, not general sheet-steel purchasing.
ASTM A568/A568M-25a : General requirements for applicable hot-/cold-rolled carbon, structural and HSLA sheet, including dimensional tolerances; the individual material specification prevails in a conflict.
ASTM A924/A924M-26 : For metallic-coated sheet within scope, thickness includes the base steel plus metallic coating. Product requirements and gauge lookup values serve different purposes.
KnowSteel Gauge CSV : Existing legacy reference dataset: 16 gauge standard steel 0.0598 in / 1.519 mm; galvanized steel 0.0635 in / 1.613 mm; stainless steel 0.0625 in / 1.588 mm. Millimetres are derived from stored inches ×25.4; source limitations remain in force. Gauge · thickness · material · tolerance .

Sheet Metal Gauge vs Thickness: What Gauge Actually Means

304 stainless steel data basis

These sources support the composition, property and application information on the 304 stainless steel page . They identify the origin of representative values; they do not replace the applicable product standard, certificate or contract edition.

Outokumpu — Steel Grades, Properties and Global Standards : Core 304/4301 and EN 1.4301 / Type 304 / UNS S30400 identification, representative typical chemistry, common product forms, representative physical properties, the EN 10088-2 mechanical-property examples, the ASTM A240 mechanical-property examples shown in the producer data, and general formability, weldability and common-use context.
British Stainless Steel Association — Chemical compositions of AISI (ASTM/ASME) and UNS austenitic stainless steel grades : S30400 and S30403 / 304L chemistry, the difference between flat-product and long-product composition tables, and the need to check composition against the applicable product standard.
British Stainless Steel Association — Cutlery stainless steel grades “18/8”, “18/10” and “18/0” : the common relationship between 18/8 and 304, the shorthand and consumer context of 18/8 and 18/10, and the limitation that such marks do not replace a full engineering specification.
British Stainless Steel Association — Effect of cold work and heat treatment on the magnetic permeability of austenitic stainless steels : the low magnetic permeability of annealed austenitic stainless steel and the increase in magnetic response where cold work forms martensite in formed, sheared or machined areas.

Stainless steel corrosion · Stainless steel passivation · 304/316 composition context

316 stainless steel data basis

These sources support the composition, property and application information on the 316 stainless steel page . They identify the origin of representative values; they do not replace the applicable product standard, certificate or contract edition.

ASTM International — ASTM A240/A240M-26 : current flat-product edition covering stainless steel plate, sheet and strip for pressure vessels and general applications, its chemical and mechanical requirements, the separate SI and inch-pound systems, and the rule that the governing product standard is the acceptance basis. See also the localized ASTM A240/A240M standards entry .
Outokumpu — Supra range and Supra range datasheet : Supra 316/4401 as ASTM Type 316 / UNS S31600 and Supra 316L/4404 as the low-carbon related grade, typical producer chemistry around 0.04% C, 17.2% Cr, 10.1% Ni and 2.1% Mo, PRE around 24, representative physical properties, and the EN 10088-2 and ASTM-oriented 316/316L mechanical-property examples shown in the producer data.
ATI — ATI 316 / UNS S31600 : cross-check of the S31600 composition range (Cr 16.0–18.0%, Ni 10.0–14.0%, Mo 2.00–3.00%, Mn ≤ 2.00%, Si ≤ 0.75%, N ≤ 0.10%, C ≤ 0.08%, P ≤ 0.045%, S ≤ 0.030%, Fe balance) and of representative ASTM-oriented minimum mechanical values (tensile 515 MPa / 75 ksi, yield 205 MPa / 30 ksi, elongation 40%).
Australian Stainless Steel Development Association — 316: The First Step Up : molybdenum improving pitting and crevice-corrosion resistance in chloride environments, 316L as the low-carbon variant that reduces sensitization risk in welded components, broadly similar localized-corrosion resistance for 316 and 316L when the principal alloying levels are comparable, chloride SCC requiring tensile stress, chlorides and elevated temperature together, and practical fabrication and magnetic-behavior context.
Australian Stainless Steel Development Association — Common Misconceptions About Stainless Steel : “marine grade” as shorthand rather than a seawater-immunity claim, the risk from immersion, salt deposits and crevices, and the influence of surface finish and washing or maintenance on coastal performance.
Nickel Institute — Guidelines for Corrosion Prevention : supporting reference for coastal architectural exposure and maintenance.

Stainless steel corrosion · Stainless steel passivation · 304/316 composition context

Stainless steel magnetism

The linked BSSA explanations support the distinction between low-permeability annealed austenite and ferromagnetic ferrite or martensite, the effects of cold work and weld structure, and the need to specify magnetic performance in the finished condition. worldstainless provides complementary family and property context. These are explanatory references, not a universal permeability acceptance limit.

BSSA — Austenitic magnetic properties
BSSA — Cold work and heat treatment
BSSA — Ferritic, martensitic and duplex properties
BSSA — Is stainless steel non-magnetic?
worldstainless — Mechanical and physical properties

Stainless steel welding

These sources support the welding workflow, filler examples, shielding and post-weld condition. The contract edition, qualified WPS and service requirements control; cleaning, oxide removal and chemical passivation are distinct operations.

How to Weld Stainless Steel

Official standards directories

Use the standard designation and contract edition to find the applicable record.

304 vs 316 Stainless Steel: Which Grade Should You Choose?

worldstainless

ASTM A36 Steel: Properties, Composition and Specification Guide

Bend Allowance and K-Factor Guide

Carbon Steel vs Stainless Steel: What Actually Changes?

Corrugated steel sheet: profiles, dimensions and material selection

CUSTOM ORB profile

Does Galvanized Steel Rust? White Rust, Red Rust, and Zinc Protection

Does Stainless Steel Tarnish?

How to Choose Galvanized Coating Weight

How to Choose Sheet Metal Bend Radius

How to Polish Stainless Steel Sheet

Melting Point of Steel: Solidus, Liquidus and Typical Ranges

BSSA / ASM

S275 vs S355 Steel

Steel Density: Carbon, Stainless & Alloy Steel

TIG vs MIG Welding Stainless Steel: Which Process Should You Use?

Alloy Steel

Ovako’s 42CrMo4 data

Zn-Al-Mg Coated Steel

Sheet Metal Shearing Guide

Weathering Steel (Corten) Explained: Patina, Grades and Limits

Public catalog entries and primary technical guidance support the scope notes below. Paid standards were not reviewed; confirm the contractual editions and project requirements before procurement.

ASTM A588/A588M-24 — structural shapes, plates and bars; bare use depends on proper atmospheric exposure.
ASTM A242/A242M-24 — structural steel within the specified product and thickness scope.
ASTM A606/A606M-25 — sheet and strip with improved atmospheric corrosion resistance.
ASTM G101-04(2025) — estimation guide; real exposure and persistent wetness require separate assessment.
BS EN 10025-5:2019 — structural weathering-steel product scope; public catalog record only.
FHWA T 5140.22 — historical U.S. guidance on bridge drainage, salt exposure and inspection.
ArcelorMittal Indaten / Arcorox — manufacturer guidance on wet/dry exposure and chloride limits.
SSAB COR-TEN trademark guidance — trade-name context; COR-TEN is a registered trademark of United States Steel Corporation.
BlueScope welding technical note (2017) — manufacturer welding guidance; not a universal welding prescription.
BlueScope REDCOR — manufacturer context for AS/NZS 3678 weathering-steel products; standard revision status not independently established.

How to Choose a Steel Strength Grade

The BSI and ASTM catalog pages establish public scope and edition status, not paid mechanical-property tables. The 2016 Standards Australia notice is historical scope evidence. BlueScope shows product-specific availability; the full contract standard and certified product remain decisive.

BSI, BS EN 10025-2:2019 — public hot-rolled non-alloy structural product scope and edition.
ASTM A36/A36M-19 — public scope for structural shapes, plates and bars.
ASTM A572/A572M-25 — public grade list and structural product scope.
Standards Australia (2016) — historical AS/NZS product-standard scope; not current edition proof.
BlueScope XLERPLATE — manufacturer-specific AS/NZS 3678 grade, thickness and impact-option availability.
CSA G40.20/G40.21 (R2023) catalog — public scope, strength levels, type and Charpy categories.
SCI / BCSA steel material properties — strength, thickness, toughness and stiffness context.
TWI hydrogen-cracking guidance — welding controls depend on chemistry, thickness, restraint and hydrogen.

What Is HSLA Steel?

The ASTM catalog entries establish public scope and grade labels, not the paid standard text. Producer pages describe their own ranges; verify the contract edition and product data before specification.

ASTM A572/A572M-25 — public grade list and structural shapes, plate, sheet piling and bars within scope.
ASTM A656/A656M-24 — public plate scope, improved formability and grade-dependent thickness limits.
ArcelorMittal HSLA — producer explanation of precipitation and grain-refinement mechanisms in its automotive HSLA range.
SSAB Docol S650MC — producer-specific S650MC product example under EN 10149-2; confirm available thickness and properties.

Plasma Cutting Steel: Thickness, Quality and Distortion

The ISO catalog establishes the thermal-cut specification scope, not machine capability. Hypertherm describes process diagnosis for its systems; confirm the exact equipment cut chart. OSHA material applies to U.S. workplaces; follow local requirements elsewhere.

ISO 9013:2017 — public scope and 0.5–150 mm plasma applicability; no equipment rating.
ISO 9013:2017/Amd 1:2024 — public amendment record; use the contracted standard text for acceptance.
Hypertherm cut-quality tips — manufacturer guidance on speed, consumables and edge quality; system-specific.
Hypertherm torch-height control — manufacturer guidance on pierce/cut height and arc voltage; system-specific.
Hypertherm dross troubleshooting — manufacturer guidance on low-/high-speed dross; diagnose other variables too.
OSHA Technical Manual, Section II Chapter 1 — U.S. exposure-assessment context; not a machine setup chart.
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.252 — U.S. welding/cutting ventilation requirements; check applicable provisions and local rules.

How to Reduce Springback in Sheet Metal Bending

Producer recommendations are specific to the material and process described. These references explain mechanisms and control options; they do not set a universal compensation angle or authorize exceeding equipment limits.

Austenitic vs Ferritic vs Martensitic Stainless Steel

These sources support family-level microstructure, magnetic behavior, corrosion and fabrication comparisons. Examples are not grade guarantees. ASTM A240/A240M-26 is cited only for its flat-product scope; specify the actual grade, condition, product and contract edition.

BSSA — Austenitic Stainless Steels : family structure and typical behavior.
BSSA — Ferritic Stainless Steels : family structure and typical behavior.
BSSA — General principles for selection of stainless steels : selection by corrosion and service.
Outokumpu — Mechanical properties : work hardening and temperature-dependent toughness.
Outokumpu — Austenitic stainless steel : austenitic family applications.
Outokumpu — Ferritic stainless steel : ferritic family fabrication and applications.
Outokumpu — Martensitic stainless steel and precipitation hardening grades : martensitic sections only, excluding precipitation-hardening grades.
TWI — Welding of ferritic/martensitic stainless steels : grade-specific welding, preheat and heat-treatment risks.
BSSA — Martensitic Stainless Steels · BSSA — Austenitic magnetic properties · Outokumpu — Stainless steel types · ASTM International — ASTM A240/A240M-26 : These sources support family-level microstructure, magnetic behavior, corrosion and fabrication comparisons.

Sheet Metal Punching Guide

Mate provides tooling-specific clearance, force and maintenance guidance: Rev E printed p.3 distinguishes material, thickness and piercing/blanking; p.13 gives 20–25% total clearance in its tool-maintenance/rapid-wear guidance; pp.6–8 address force. TRUMPF supports the process distinctions, and SSAB explains punched-edge formability. The clearance and 45 kN examples are arithmetic illustrations with stated assumptions. NIST supports the force-unit conversions. OSHA sources are U.S. rules: 1910.212 for general guarding, 1910.217 for mechanical presses within its scope, and 1910.147 for covered servicing and hazardous-energy control.

Steel Hardness Explained

Public catalogs establish the cited method scope and editions checked on 2026-10-07. Full paid standards were not reviewed. NIST guides and manufacturer explanations support measurement principles; the contract specification and current full standard govern actual testing.

How to Drill Stainless Steel Sheet

These sources support the drilling mechanisms, setup precautions and tool-selection limits discussed in this article. Manufacturer information applies to the named tool or product family; it does not establish one speed, feed, thickness limit or pilot-hole rule for all stainless sheet. The 15 m/min, 6 mm and 796 rpm example is a unit-conversion illustration with assumed inputs. Apply current tool data, machine instructions and the inspection requirements of the part.

Modulus of Elasticity of Steel

The public ASTM catalog establishes method scope and edition; the full paid standard was not reviewed. Producer values apply to the named products and stated temperatures. The worked examples are independent calculations with explicit assumptions, not product ratings or a design approval.

ASTM E111-17(2025)e1 — public method record.
SSAB — structural stiffness and high-strength steel.
Outokumpu Core — physical properties, printed page 10.
Alleima Sanmac 304/304L — billet physical properties and temperature table.
MIT OpenCourseWare — beam-bending mechanics.
NIST SP 811 — pressure and stress unit conversion.

How to Remove Heat Tint from Stainless Steel

Sources checked on 2026-10-09. The Euro Inox booklet is the second edition from 2007; the hosting path is not its publication date. ASTM public catalogs confirm the named editions and scope; the full paid standards were not reviewed. The article provides a selection and inspection framework, not a chemical operating procedure. Treatment parameters and acceptance limits must come from the applicable specification and qualified procedure.