EN 10130 Cold-Rolled Flat Products for Cold Forming

1. Definition

EN 10130 specifies the technical delivery conditions for cold-rolled, uncoated, low-carbon steel flat products intended for cold forming operations. The standard defines steel grades DC01 through DC07, each representing a step on the formability ladder from basic commercial quality to extra-deep-drawing grade. Cold-rolled strip conforming to EN 10130 is the most widely used feedstock material for roll forming lines producing profiles, panels, and components across the building, automotive, appliance, and furniture industries.

The standard covers chemical composition limits, mechanical property requirements, surface quality, dimensional tolerances on thickness and width, and the designation system for ordering. EN 10130 applies to material in coil or cut sheet form before any coating, forming, or further processing. Once the strip is galvanized, aluminized, or pre-painted, the product falls under EN 10346 or EN 10169 rather than EN 10130.

2. Scope and Dimensions

EN 10130 applies to cold-rolled flat products with nominal thickness from 0.35 mm up to and including 3.00 mm, and nominal width of 600 mm and above. Thinner gauges below 0.35 mm and wider coils above typical mill limits are subject to bilateral agreement. The standard does not cover hot-rolled pickled and oiled strip, although hot-rolled feedstock is sometimes used in heavy-gauge roll forming above 3 mm — that material is governed by EN 10025 or EN 10149 (high-strength low-alloy).

2.1 Dimensional Scope

2.2 Thickness Tolerance Examples

3. DC01–DC07 Formability Grades

The DC grade system arranges steels by increasing formability (decreasing yield strength and increasing elongation). Higher DC numbers indicate steel that can withstand more severe bending and drawing without cracking. In roll forming, grade selection balances formability against structural strength requirements and cost.

3.1 Grade Ladder Overview

DC02 is a less common intermediate grade between DC01 and DC03, specified in some national adoptions but not always listed in summary tables. Mechanical property ranges above represent EN 10130:2006 values for material in the delivery condition (cold-rolled, annealed, skin-pass rolled). Actual mill certificates may show values within these ranges rather than at the limits.

3.2 Chemical Composition Limits (Ladle Analysis, %)

4. Mechanical Properties

Mechanical properties in EN 10130 are specified for the delivery condition after cold rolling, annealing (batch or continuous), and skin-pass temper rolling. The skin-pass reduces stretcher-strain markings (Lüders lines) and sets the final surface texture. Properties are tested transverse to the rolling direction on specimens cut from the coil.

4.1 Full Mechanical Property Table (Delivery Condition)

The plastic strain ratio r90 and strain hardening exponent n90 are anisotropy and work-hardening indicators used primarily for deep drawing and stretch forming. In roll forming, r-value affects earing in circular profiles and longitudinal springback in asymmetric sections. Higher n-value means the material work-hardens more during bending, increasing forming force requirements in later roll stands.

4.2 Hardness Reference Values

5. Surface Quality Classes

EN 10130 defines two surface quality classes for the as-delivered condition. Surface quality affects appearance after forming, suitability for painting or coating, and the risk of surface defects propagating through bend radii.

5.1 Surface Class Definitions

5.2 Surface Finish Types

6. Designation and Ordering

The EN 10130 designation encodes the steel grade, surface quality, surface finish, thickness, width, and length (for sheets). Orders must specify all mandatory elements to ensure the delivered material matches roll forming line requirements.

6.1 Designation Structure

6.2 Designation Examples

7. Exclusions and Related Standards

EN 10130 covers uncoated cold-rolled low-carbon flat products only. Several related European standards govern adjacent product categories that roll forming shops commonly use but that are outside the EN 10130 scope.

8. Roll Forming Feedstock Requirements

Roll forming lines impose specific requirements on EN 10130 feedstock beyond the standard's minimum specifications. Coil quality directly affects line uptime, profile accuracy, and surface appearance of the finished product.

8.1 Incoming Coil Quality Checks

8.2 Grade Selection for Roll Forming Profiles

DC01 is the default feedstock for profiles with moderate bend severity and no visible surface requirement. DC03 and DC04 are specified when profiles include tight internal bend radii (r < 2t) or when the material will be pre-painted before forming. DC06 and DC07 are reserved for profiles with extreme forming severity or where minimum springback is critical for dimensional accuracy. Structural profiles requiring yield strength above 280 MPa should use EN 10268 HSLA grades or galvanized structural grades per EN 10346 rather than EN 10130 DC grades.

9. Application Scenarios and Technical Requirements

When EN 10130 feedstock is used for profiles that will be hot-dip galvanized after roll forming, the steel must have chemistry compatible with the galvanizing process: silicon content below 0.04% or in the Sandelin range (0.04–0.15%) to avoid excessive coating growth. Aluminum-killed steel (DC04 and above) generally galvanizes well; rimming steel (some DC01 production) may produce uneven coating.