What are the differences of steel specifications in different countries

Steel specifications vary with national standards, most of which define the name by the chemical composition of steel.

For experienced engineers, the chemical composition indicates the heat treatment method that can be used for steel and the corresponding mechanical properties can be obtained. Some standards also name steels by mechanical properties or hardenability.

Although the meaning is not exactly the same, "steel specification" is usually closely related to the steel standard. Therefore, the German steel grade usually starts with the code DIN of the German standard, the Japanese steel usually starts with the letter JIS, the international standard usually starts with ISO, and so on.