HX260YD+Z
EN 10268 · 1.0979
HX260YD+Z is a sheet-forming steel (Bake Hardening family) to EN 10268 (1.0979). It has a specified 0.2 % proof stress of 260 MPa and a typical tensile strength of about 380 MPa, with a uniform elongation of 26 %. Nominal carbon content is around 0.12 %. For nonlinear FEA, a bilinear model uses E = 210 GPa up to yield and a tangent modulus of 467 MPa above it. It is a general-purpose wrought steel selected on strength, cost and availability.
Bilinear material model — nonlinear FEA
Uniform elongation εu = 26.0% · conservative analysis limit ½εu = 13.0%
Bilinear (BISO) approximation. Elastic modulus E up to the 0.2% proof stress R_p0.2, then a single tangent slope Eₜ to the ultimate tensile strength: Eₜ = (Rₘ − R_p0.2) / (εu − R_p0.2/E − 0.002), where εu is the uniform elongation and Rₘ is a typical (nominal) UTS within the specified band. The half-εu figure is a conservative strain limit for the analysis. Treat these as guidance for first-pass models; for critical work use a measured true stress–strain curve for the actual product and condition.
Ratings — engineering judgement
Weldabilitygood
Low carbon (~0.12%) gives good weldability by all common processes; preheat rarely needed in thin sections.
Machinabilitymoderate
Soft and gummy at low carbon — sharp tooling helps surface finish.
Corrosion resistancepoor
No inherent corrosion resistance — protect by paint, galvanising or plating in exposed use.
Hardenabilitylow
Limited hardenability at low carbon — surface hardening is possible but through-hardening is not.
Toughnessmoderate
Adequate toughness for general use at ambient temperature.
Indicative ratings derived from composition and family — engineering guidance, not specification values.
Physical properties
| Density | 7850 | kg/m³ |
| Elastic modulus | 210 | GPa |
| Shear modulus | 80.8 | GPa |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.30 | |
| Thermal expansion | 12.0 | ×10⁻⁶/°C |
| Thermal conductivity | 48 | W/(m·K) |
| Specific heat | 470 | J/(kg·K) |
| Magnetic | Yes |
Typical values for bake hardening steel — use the mill certificate for the specific product.
Chemical composition (wt %)
Typical composition per EN 10268 for this micro-alloyed / bake-hardening sheet grade — confirm limits against the standard.
Available forms
Common applications
- Automotive body panels and structural pressings
- White goods and enclosures
- Deep-drawn and roll-formed components
- General light fabrication
History
Micro-alloyed high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) and bake-hardening sheet were developed so car bodies could be made lighter without losing dent resistance or crash strength — strength from tiny niobium/titanium additions and controlled processing rather than carbon. EN 10268 covers the cold-rolled micro-alloyed grades. This is a cold-rolled micro-alloyed HSLA grade — the number is its minimum yield strength; higher numbers carry more Nb/Ti and controlled processing.
- 1975Micro-alloyed HSLA sheet adopted for automotive weight reduction
- 1985Bake-hardening steels gain strength during the paint-bake cycle
- 2006EN 10268 defines cold-rolled HSLA (H…LA) and bake-hardening (H…BD) sheet
This profile is generated from the grade's core data and family. Composition is decoded from the designation where its naming system defines it; physical properties are family-typical and ratings are indicative. Confirm critical values against the governing standard or the mill certificate. Equivalents, historical designations and hand-written expert notes are added per grade over time.