DC01 vs DD11: differences explained
DC01 vs DD11: the same job — sheet that has to bend — done cold or hot. Thickness, surface, tolerance and price all follow from that one difference.
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Overview
Both are forming steels, both are low carbon, and neither has a guaranteed minimum yield to design against. The difference is where the sheet was made thin. DC01 (EN 10130) is cold reduced: rolled at room temperature, then annealed and skin-passed, which gives a smooth bright surface and tolerances measured in hundredths of a millimetre. DD11 (EN 10111) is hot rolled: formed at over 900 °C, so it arrives with mill scale, wider tolerances and a lower price.
The practical line between them sits at about 2 mm and at the question of whether the finished part will be seen.
DC01 vs DD11 side by side
| Property | DC01 | DD11 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | EN 10130:2006 | EN 10111:2008 |
| Material number | 1.0330 | 1.0332 |
| Process | Cold reduced, annealed, skin-passed | Hot rolled, coiled hot |
| Old name | St 12, FeP01 | StW22 |
| Usual thickness | 0.30–3.0 mm | 1.5–11 mm (up to 20 mm by agreement) |
| Yield ReH | ≤ 280 MPa (ceiling, no minimum) | 170–360 MPa (range, no minimum) |
| Tensile Rm | 270–410 MPa | ≤ 440 MPa |
| Elongation A80 | ≥ 28 % | ≥ 24 % |
| Max C | 0.12 % | 0.12 % |
| Max Mn | 0.60 % | 0.60 % |
| Surface | Bright, oiled, class A or B | Mill scale, or pickled and oiled |
| Thickness tolerance, 1.5 mm | ± 0.05 mm (EN 10131) | ± 0.17 mm (EN 10051) |
| Flatness | Tight — suitable for visible panels | Wider — needs levelling for precision work |
| Paintability | Excellent as delivered | Needs pickling or blasting first |
| Price index | 115–130 | 100 |
| Formability family | DC01 → DC03 → DC04 → DC06 (improving) | DD11 → DD12 → DD13 → DD14 (improving) |
| Typical parts | Enclosures, appliance panels, brackets, tubes | Tube and profile mills, silo bodies, chassis parts |
| JIS closest | SPCC | SPHC |
| ASTM closest | A1008 CS Type B | A1011 CS Type B |
| Structural use | No guaranteed yield — not for design | No guaranteed yield — not for design |
Which should you choose?
DC01 below about 2 mm, or wherever the surface will be seen or painted without preparation. DD11 above about 2 mm, or wherever the part is welded, galvanized or hidden — the price advantage is real and the surface is irrelevant once it is coated. In the 1.5–3 mm overlap both are available and the decision is usually made by the finish, not the thickness: a visible enclosure panel in DC01, the same part inside a machine in DD11.
- Thin gauge — below 1.5 mm, DD11 is rarely produced at all
- Visible or painted surfaces where mill scale would have to be removed anyway
- Tight thickness and flatness tolerances, for example press tools that cannot absorb variation
- Deep drawing beyond a simple bend — and if DC01 cracks, the answer is DC03 or DC04 rather than a hot-rolled grade
- Precision tube and roll-formed profiles with a bright finish
- Thicker than about 2.5 mm, where cold reduction stops being economic
- Parts that are welded, galvanized, painted after blasting or otherwise hidden
- Tube and hollow section mills feeding on hot strip
- Silo and tank bodies, agricultural panels, chassis and ducting
- Cost-driven work where a 15–30 % material saving matters more than surface
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between DC01 and DD11?
DC01 is cold-reduced sheet to EN 10130 with a bright surface and tight tolerances; DD11 is hot-rolled sheet to EN 10111 with mill scale, wider tolerances and a lower price. Both are forming steels without a guaranteed minimum yield.
Which is stronger?
Neither, in a way you can design with. DC01 caps yield at 280 MPa and DD11 gives a 170–360 MPa range; both are specified for how they form, not for load capacity. For a structural sheet, use S235JR or S355MC.
Can DD11 be used below 2 mm?
It exists down to about 1.5 mm but the tolerance and flatness are looser and the surface still carries scale. Below 1.5 mm, cold-reduced grades are the practical choice.
Is DC01 the same as SPCC?
Functionally, yes — SPCC is the JIS cold-reduced commercial quality. The chemistry limits and the tolerance tables differ slightly, so treat it as near-equivalent rather than identical.
Which galvanizes better?
For continuous coil coating the base grades are DX51D and DX52D, not these two. For batch galvanizing of a formed part, DD11 is the usual base: its scale is removed in the pickling stage anyway.
What if I need more formability?
Move up within the same family rather than across: DC03, DC04 and DC06 for cold reduced; DD12, DD13 and DD14 for hot rolled. Each step tightens the carbon and improves the draw.
Related comparisons
Verified against EN 10130:2006 · EN 10111:2008. Last checked: October 2026.