DC01 vs S235JR: differences explained
DC01 vs S235JR: DC01 is cold-rolled forming sheet (EN 10130, yield 140–280 MPa, no minimum guarantee); S235JR is hot-rolled structural steel (EN 10025-2, yield ≥ 235 MPa, 27 J impact). Same low-carbon steel, different guarantees — table and buying guide.
Overview
DC01 and S235JR confuse buyers because their chemistry overlaps almost completely — both are plain low-carbon steels with about 0.05–0.15 % C — yet they are ordered from different standards, in different forms, for different reasons. DC01 (EN 10130) is a cold-rolled sheet bought for its surface, flatness, gauge accuracy and formability; the standard gives a yield *window* (140–280 MPa) and no impact value. S235JR (EN 10025-2) is a hot-rolled structural steel bought for a guaranteed *minimum* yield of 235 MPa and 27 J Charpy toughness, in plate, coil, sections and bar.
In practice the choice is settled by product form: below about 3 mm with a smooth surface you are buying DC01 (or DD11 hot-rolled if scale is acceptable); for anything load-bearing or thicker than 3 mm you are buying S235JR. The table shows exactly what each standard promises.
DC01 vs S235JR side by side
| Property | DC01 | S235JR |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | EN 10130 (cold-rolled products for cold forming) | EN 10025-2 (hot-rolled structural steels) |
| Material number | 1.0330 | 1.0038 |
| Old name | St12 (DIN 1623) | St37-2 (DIN 17100) |
| Rolling | cold-rolled, skin-passed | hot-rolled (+AR) or normalized (+N) |
| Thickness range | 0.35–3.0 mm | ≥ 1.5 mm coil; plate to 400 mm; sections |
| Surface | smooth, bright/matt, scale-free (A or B quality) | mill scale as rolled (pickled on request) |
| Yield strength | 140–280 MPa (window; upper limit only 8 days after skin-pass) | ≥ 235 MPa (minimum, ≤ 16 mm) |
| Tensile strength | 270–410 MPa | 360–510 MPa |
| Elongation | ≥ 28 % (A80) | ≥ 26 % (A, L0 = 5.65√S0) |
| Impact toughness | not specified | 27 J at +20 °C |
| Carbon max | 0.12 % | 0.17 % (≤ 40 mm) |
| Mn max | 0.60 % | 1.40 % |
| P / S max | 0.045 / 0.045 % | 0.035 / 0.035 % |
| r / n values | not guaranteed (DC04+ only) | not applicable |
| Structural design (EN 1993) | not a listed structural grade | fy = 235 MPa |
| Weldability | excellent (spot, MAG, laser) | excellent (all arc processes, no preheat) |
| Coating options | +ZE electro-galvanized (EN 10152); hot-dip as DX51D | hot-dip after fabrication; coil as S250GD+Z |
| Typical price basis | per tonne, cold-rolled coil (≈ 10–15 % above hot-rolled) | per tonne, hot-rolled coil/plate/sections |
| Typical use | enclosures, panels, appliances, furniture, drums | frames, beams, plates, brackets, structures |
Which should you choose?
Order DC01 when the part is thin (≤ 3 mm), pressed or bent, and the surface matters — enclosures, panels, cabinets, drums, brackets that will be painted or powder-coated. You are paying for surface and gauge control, and you accept that yield is a window, not a minimum.
Order S235JR when the part carries load, is designed to a structural code, is thicker than 3 mm, or needs an impact guarantee — frames, base plates, beams, welded structures. If you need both a smooth surface and a guaranteed yield in thin gauge, the structural galvanized grades S250GD/S280GD+Z (EN 10346) or hot-rolled pickled S235JR+P are the answer.
Substituting DC01 for S235JR in a structural drawing is a specification error even if the measured yield happens to be above 235 MPa; substituting S235JR for DC01 is usually impossible in thin gauge and gives a scaled surface.
- Sheet 0.4–3 mm for pressing, bending, roll forming
- Painted or powder-coated enclosures and panels
- Appliance and furniture parts, office equipment
- Drums, pails, ducting, lighting fixtures
- Parts to be electro-galvanized (DC01+ZE)
- Spot-welded assemblies
- Load-bearing members designed to EN 1993
- Plate > 3 mm, sections, bar
- Welded frames, machine bases, base plates
- Anything requiring a guaranteed minimum yield or Charpy value
- Hot-dip galvanized structural steelwork
- Drawings calling St37, A36, SS400
Frequently asked questions
Is DC01 the same as S235?
No. They are similar low-carbon steels, but DC01 (EN 10130) is a cold-rolled forming sheet with a yield window of 140–280 MPa and no impact guarantee, while S235JR (EN 10025-2) is a hot-rolled structural steel with a guaranteed minimum yield of 235 MPa and 27 J at +20 °C. They are ordered, priced and used differently.
Which is stronger, DC01 or S235JR?
S235JR is guaranteed ≥ 235 MPa yield and 360–510 MPa tensile; DC01 may be anywhere from 140 to 280 MPa yield and 270–410 MPa tensile. Typical DC01 coil tests around 180–220 MPa, so S235JR is usually stronger and always the one with a guarantee.
Can I use DC01 for a structural part?
Not where a structural code applies — DC01 is not a listed structural grade in EN 1993 and has no minimum yield. For thin structural sheet use S235JR/S275JR hot-rolled coil, or the galvanized structural grades S250GD–S350GD (EN 10346).
Is S235JR available cold-rolled?
Not under EN 10025-2, which is a hot-rolled standard. Thin cold-rolled sheet with structural guarantees is sold as S235JRC-type bright products (EN 10277 bar) or as the cold-rolled/galvanized structural grades of EN 10346 (S220GD…S550GD).
What is the German / Polish name for these grades?
DC01 was St12 (DIN 1623) and S235JR was St37-2 (DIN 17100) — 'St12 vs St37' is the same question. In Polish practice DC01 replaced St0S/St1S-type cold-rolled sheet and S235JR replaced St3S.
Related comparisons
Verified against EN 10130:2006 and EN 10025-2:2019. Last checked: September 2026.