GB vs ASTM Nickel Alloy Standards Cross Reference Guide 2026

By Shanghai Hangbo Alloy Group Co., Ltd. - China Supplier | ISO 9001:2015 | Est. 2012

Contact: sales@hangboalloy.com | hangbo@nickel-alloy.com | WhatsApp (Lisa): +86 13611656360

Quick Answer: GB to ASTM Substitution

A Chinese GB grade is not automatically interchangeable with an ASTM grade. GB/T 14992 and GB/T 15007 grades usually match the chemistry family of ASTM and ASME alloys. Chemistry equivalence does not prove property equivalence, so buyers must verify heat treatment, product form, tolerances, testing and certification against both standard texts.

Key Takeaways

• Same alloy, five names: NiCr22Mo9Nb (W.Nr 2.4856), UNS N06625, GB GH3625 and JIS NCF 625 are the same nickel-chromium-molybdenum family, but the grade letters differ because each system encodes its own chemistry windows.
• Chemistry equivalence is only the first gate: matching a composition table never guarantees matching tensile, creep or corrosion performance, because melting practice, grain size, heat treatment and product form differ between standard texts.
• Substitution is documented, not assumed: a GB-to-ASTM substitution is legally defensible only when the purchase order, the mill test certificate and the end user's design authority all reference the equivalence explicitly.
• Product form changes the applicable standard: bar, tube, plate and forged fittings each sit under different ASTM, GB and JIS numbers, so a cross-reference table must be read per form, not per alloy only.
• GOST and EN legacy numbers must be confirmed against the standard text: the KhN-series and W.Nr families are designation systems; exact numbers must be validated before a dual-standard order is released.

Why Five Standard Systems Exist for the Same Nickel Alloy

Five standard systems exist because China, the United States, Japan, Europe and Russia each built national designations around their own industrial history, not around a global register. The alloy itself — say a nickel-chromium-molybdenum solid-solution strengthened material — is the same physical metal whether it is melted in Shanghai, Tokyo, Essen or Chelyabinsk. What differs is the naming grammar, the permitted composition window, the inspection regime and the product-form coverage. A buyer who treats a cross-reference table as a simple translation dictionary will eventually accept a material that is chemically close but metallurgically different.

The practical consequence is that "equivalent" is a layered statement. At the lowest layer, two designations may share an identical nominal chemistry. At the next layer they may share the same mechanical requirements after the same heat treatment. At the highest layer they may be legally interchangeable for a specific pressure-retaining or aerospace application, which normally requires the end user's engineering authority to agree. Cross-referencing is therefore a workflow, not a lookup: identify the chemistry family, compare the property-critical clauses, then confirm the application-specific approvals. For buyers who want to see how these families map onto finished mill products, our /products/nickel range shows the forms each family is routinely supplied in.

China's system is the clearest illustration. GB/T 14992 controls the deformation superalloy grades used in gas turbine and high-temperature service, while GB/T 15007 controls corrosion-resistant alloy grades. Product-form standards sit underneath them: GB/T 2054 for nickel and nickel-alloy bar and rod, GB/T 14976 and GB 13296 for seamless stainless and heat-resisting tube, and GB/T 4238 for heat-resisting plate, sheet and strip. The Chinese designation letters carry meaning: GH for high-temperature (superalloy) grades, NS for corrosion-resistant grades, and plain chemical-style names for commercially pure nickel and simple binary alloys.

The GH, NS and Nickel Grade Designation Systems Explained

The GH and NS prefixes are Chinese classification labels rather than chemistry descriptors, and reading them correctly is the first skill in any GB versus ASTM nickel alloy standard cross reference exercise. A GH number tells the reader the material is a deformation superalloy intended for elevated-temperature strength or creep service. An NS number tells the reader the material is a corrosion-resistant alloy selected for chemical, marine or acid service. Neither prefix contains the chromium, molybdenum or niobium content in the way an EN material number does, so the prefix alone can never establish interchangeability.

Because of that, the reliable route into the Chinese system is the grade's nominal chemistry, not its letter. A GH-grade with roughly 21 percent chromium, 9 percent molybdenum and 3.5 percent niobium is the Chinese face of the same family that ASTM calls UNS N06625 and that DIN/EN calls W.Nr 2.4856. The mill test certificate will show the actual chemistry; the standard text defines the acceptable window. Buyers should ask for the chemistry table from the standard text rather than relying on a published cross-reference list, because lists are compiled by third parties and are rarely version-controlled against the current edition of each standard.

Plain-nickel grade names follow a different convention. Commercially pure nickel grades are often written with a chemical or letter-number shorthand — for example the NI200-type family and the N6 designation used in Chinese mill documentation — while simple binary and ternary alloys such as the Monel family carry their own trade and standard names. The key discipline is the same in every case: treat the alphanumeric designation as a label pointing at a specification, then open the specification and read the composition and property clauses. Anchors such as /products/monel and /products/inconel are useful for matching an alloy family to a product form, but they are a shopping aid, not a standards authority.

How the Same Alloy Is Named in Five Systems

The same alloy is named in five systems by encoding the same nominal chemistry into five different naming grammars. Europe encodes it numerically: the W.Nr 2.4856 style used by DIN 17740 to DIN 17753 and, in the unified EN framework, by EN 10095 for heat-resisting steels and nickel alloys. The United States encodes it as a Unified Numbering System designation such as N06625, and then wraps that UNS number in product-form standards such as ASTM B446 for bar and ASTM B704/B705 for welded and seamless tube. Japan encodes it as NCF 625 under the JIS G 4901 to JIS G 4904 family. China encodes it as GH3625 in the GB/T 14992 superalloy table. Russia encodes an equivalent family through the GOST 5632 system and the KhN-series designations, where the letters abbreviate the alloying elements — for example a chromium-nickel-molybdenum-niobium family name in the ХН style.

Table 1 sets the five naming systems side by side for the alloy families most often cross-referenced. Read it as a naming map, not as a legal equivalence certificate: where a cell shows a designation family rather than a single confirmed number, the buyer must confirm the number against the standard text.

Standard System	Chemistry-Encoded Name Style	Typical Designation for Ni-Cr-Mo-Nb Family	Typical Designation for Ni-Cr-Fe Family	Typical Designation for Ni-Cu Family	Governing Standard
US (UNS / ASTM)	UNS letter+5 digits	UNS N06625 (ASTM B446, B564, B704)	UNS N08800 / N08810 (ASTM B408, B409, B407)	UNS N04400 (ASTM B164, B165, B127)	ASTM B446, B637, B575, B424, B168, B366, B462, B865, B906; ASME SB-series
China (GB)	GH-prefix superalloy, NS-prefix corrosion alloy	GH3625 (GB/T 14992); NS3306-class in GB/T 15007	GH180-class / NS110-class families	NS110-class / NCu30-class family	GB/T 14992, GB/T 15007, GB/T 2054, GB/T 14976, GB 13296, GB/T 4238
Japan (JIS)	NCF-prefix for heat-resisting alloys	NCF 625 (JIS G 4901/G 4902 family)	NCF 800-class (JIS G 4901/G 4903 family)	NW 4400-class in the Monel family	JIS G 4901, G 4902, G 4903, G 4904; JIS G 4303/G 4304 for stainless
Europe (DIN/EN)	W.Nr material number + EN symbol	W.Nr 2.4856, symbol NiCr22Mo9Nb (DIN 17740-17753; EN 10095)	W.Nr 1.4876 / 1.4958-class (EN 10095)	W.Nr 2.4360, symbol NiCu30Fe	DIN 17740-17753, EN 10095, EN 10204 for certification
Russia (GOST)	KhN-series element-abbreviation names	KhN-series designation family per GOST 5632	KhN-series designation family per GOST 5632	Monel-type designation per GOST 5632	GOST 5632 and the KhN-series designation family

Because the Chinese, Japanese and Russian systems encode families rather than a single ISO-style name, a fair cross-reference must be read one clause at a time. Our /news section covers additional worked examples of these naming collisions, and the /knowledge hub collects the underlying metallurgy notes.

What a Cross-Reference Legally Does and Does Not Prove

A published cross-reference table proves only that someone has aligned designations; it does not by itself create a legal substitution right in your order. The table is evidence of intent and a starting point for engineering review, never a certificate of interchangeability. When a customer's drawings cite ASTM B637 while the mill proposes a GH-grade from GB/T 14992, the only documents that carry legal weight are the purchase order, the referenced standard editions, the mill test certificate and any application-specific approval such as a pressure-vessel code case or an aerospace qualification. If a cross-reference list is the sole basis for a substitution, the substitution is undocumented and the end user's design authority can reject the delivered material.

That is why experienced buyers treat cross-referencing as a documented decision rather than a translation. The decision should name the source designation, the target designation, the standard editions being compared, the clauses compared, the conclusions, and the residual risks. It should also state who approved the substitution. In pressure-retaining service, that approver is usually the code-designated engineer; in aerospace, it is the qualification holder; in general industrial service, it may be the buyer's own engineering department. A mill can supply evidence; it cannot grant itself the approval.

Table 2 separates the things a cross-reference genuinely demonstrates from the things it cannot.

Claim Under Test	Cross-Reference Table Proves It?	What Is Actually Needed	Applicable Standard
The two designations belong to the same chemistry family	Yes, if the table is accurate	Comparison of nominal chemistry clauses	ASTM B446, GB/T 14992, JIS G 4902, DIN 17753
The chromium, molybdenum and niobium ranges overlap	Only if the table quotes ranges, not names	Clause-by-clause chemistry window comparison	ASTM B446, GB/T 15007, EN 10095
Tensile and yield requirements are equal	No	Comparison of mechanical property tables with product form and condition stated	ASTM B637, GB/T 14992, JIS G 4901
Heat treatment is interchangeable	No	Comparison of annealing or ageing schedules, temperature, time and cooling	AMS 5662, AMS 5663, GB/T 14992
Corrosion performance is equal in the intended medium	No	Corrosion testing to an agreed method, or reference to service experience	ASTM G28/G48-type methods, project specification
Substitution is permitted for the application	No	Written approval from the design authority or code engineer	Project specification; EN 10204 certification
The delivered heat matches the ordered grade	Not by the table	Mill test certificate review against the ordered standard edition	EN 10204 3.1, ASTM B906, GB/T 2054

The distinction matters commercially because substitution disputes are almost always about the gap between chemistry and performance, and that gap is where the money is. A buyer who accepts a GH-grade as an ASTM equivalent on the strength of a web page, then discovers that the creep rupture requirement in the original standard clause is not met by the delivered product form, has no contractual remedy against the cross-reference list. The remedy exists only if the purchase order defined the equivalence test in advance.

Chemistry Equivalence Versus Property Equivalence

Chemistry equivalence means the two grades' specified composition windows overlap enough that a single heat could be certified to both. Property equivalence means the two grades also meet the same mechanical, physical and corrosion requirements in the required product form and condition. The first is checkable from a composition table; the second requires the full specification. A supplier can legitimately claim chemistry equivalence for a wide range of GB-to-ASTM pairs while correctly refusing to claim property equivalence for the same pairs in a demanding application.

Three mechanisms create the gap. First, product form: a standard's mechanical requirements are written for a particular form — bar, plate, seamless tube, welded tube, forging — and the same alloy can carry different minimum elongations in each. Second, condition: solution-annealed material and age-hardened material of the same alloy have different strength and ductility, and a cross-reference that omits condition is unusable. Third, optional and supplementary requirements: many ASTM and AMS specifications include supplementary tests, tighter grain-size limits or cleanliness requirements that a GB or JIS grade does not impose by default, and those clauses are frequently the reason a part was specified in the first place.

Table 3 sets the two kinds of equivalence side by side against the evidence each requires.

Equivalence Type	Definition	Evidence Required	Typical Cross-System Example	Residual Risk if Accepted Blindly	Governing Standards
Chemistry equivalence	Specified composition windows overlap; one heat could be certified to both	Composition clause comparison plus mill certificate chemistry	GH3625 vs UNS N06625 vs W.Nr 2.4856 vs NCF 625 family	Minor differences in carbon, iron, titanium or aluminium alter phase stability	ASTM B446, GB/T 14992, JIS G 4902, DIN 17753
Metallurgical equivalence	Chemistry overlap plus matching structure, grain size and cleanliness	Chemistry plus microstructure and inclusion requirements	Solid-solution Ni-Cr-Mo bar for chemical plant internals	Grain coarsening reduces fatigue resistance	ASTM B575, AMS 5662, GB/T 15007
Property equivalence	Matching tensile, yield, elongation, hardness and impact in the specified condition	Mechanical property tables compared with condition and form stated	Annealed bar and cold-drawn bar of the same family	Cold-worked material over-delivers strength but loses ductility	ASTM B637, GB/T 14992, JIS G 4901
Performance equivalence	Matching corrosion, creep or fatigue in the intended service	Service-relevant testing or documented field experience	Elevated-temperature turbine hardware, acid-plant heat exchangers	Standard short-term tests miss long-term degradation	EN 10095, project specification, ASTM G-methods
Legal equivalence	Customer, code or design authority accepts the substitution in writing	Signed concession, approval or code case reference	Pressure-retaining components under a construction code	No remedy if the written approval is absent	EN 10204 3.1, ASME SB-series, customer specification

The practical rule for buyers is to negotiate the level of equivalence required before the order is placed, in writing, and to make the mill certificate demonstrate it. If the requirement is chemistry equivalence only, say so and accept the cost saving. If the requirement is performance equivalence, expect to pay for testing and expect longer lead times. For a fuller discussion of how these equivalence levels behave in real alloy families, see /products/hastelloy for corrosion-driven selection and /products/incoloy for high-temperature service.

Reading Composition, Mechanical and Heat-Treatment Tables Across Standards

Composition tables, mechanical tables and heat-treatment clauses must be read together because each one is written for a specific product form and condition. A composition table tells you which heat can be certified; a mechanical table tells you what that heat must achieve after the specified treatment; the heat-treatment clause tells you how to get there. Reading any one of the three in isolation is the most common error in a GB versus ASTM nickel alloy standard cross reference exercise, and it is the error that produces rejected heats.

When you compare composition clauses, compare the ranges element by element rather than comparing nominal values or typical analyses. Typical analysis is marketing data; the specified range is the contractual window. Pay particular attention to carbon, iron, silicon, titanium, aluminium and niobium, because these elements control phase formation, weldability and high-temperature stability far more than their small percentages suggest. Then compare the mechanical tables with the condition stated explicitly — annealed, solution treated, aged, cold drawn, hot finished — and finally compare the heat-treatment clause, because two standards can specify the same chemistry and the same tensile minimums yet arrive there by different annealing temperatures and cooling rates.

Table 4, Table 5 and Table 6 illustrate the three layers for the most commonly cross-referenced families. Nominal values are shown to make the comparison readable; the contractual requirement is always the range printed in the current edition of the standard text.

Alloy Family	Element	ASTM Specification	GB Specification	JIS Specification	DIN/EN (W.Nr)	GOST Reference
Ni-Cr-Mo-Nb (625 type)	Ni, Cr 20-23, Mo 8-10, Nb+Ta 3.15-4.15	ASTM B446, B564, B704/B705	GB/T 14992 (GH3625), GB/T 15007	JIS G 4901/G 4902 (NCF 625 family)	W.Nr 2.4856, NiCr22Mo9Nb	GOST 5632, KhN-series designation family
Ni-Cr-Fe (800 type)	Ni 30-35, Cr 19-23, Fe balance	ASTM B408, B409, B407	GB/T 15007 (NS110-class family)	JIS G 4901/G 4903 (NCF 800-class family)	W.Nr 1.4876 / 1.4958-class	GOST 5632, KhN-series designation family
Ni-Cu (400 type)	Ni 63 min, Cu 28-34, Fe 2.5 max	ASTM B164, B165, B127	GB/T 2054, GB/T 15007 (NCu30-class family)	Monel-type JIS designation	W.Nr 2.4360, NiCu30Fe	GOST 5632, Monel-type designation
Commercially pure Ni	Ni 99.0 min (varying by grade)	ASTM B160, B162, B161	GB/T 2054 (NI200/N6-type family)	Pure-nickel JIS designation	W.Nr 2.4060 / 2.4066-class	GOST 5632, nickel designation family
Ni-Cr-Mo (C-276 type)	Ni balance, Cr 14.5-16.5, Mo 15-17, W 3-4.5	ASTM B575, B564, B622/B626	GB/T 15007 (NS3304-class family)	JIS G 4902/G 4903 family	W.Nr 2.4819, NiMo16Cr15W	GOST 5632, KhN-series designation family
Ni-Cr-Fe-Mo (904L-adjacent austenitic)	Cr 19-23, Ni 23-28, Mo 4-5, Cu 1-2	ASTM B673/B674 (Ni-Fe-Cr-Mo family)	GB/T 14976, GB 13296, GB/T 4238	JIS G 4303/G 4304 (SUS 317L-class)	W.Nr 1.4539-class, EN 10095	GOST 5632 austenitic designation family

Alloy Family	Product Form	Condition	ASTM Requirement Anchor	GB/JIS Requirement Anchor	Comparable Room-Temperature Tensile, MPa	Comparable Yield, MPa	Comparable Elongation, %
625 type	Bar	Annealed	ASTM B446	GB/T 14992, JIS G 4901/G 4902	827 min	414 min	30 min
625 type	Plate/sheet	Annealed	ASTM B443/B906	GB/T 4238, JIS G 4902	827 min	414 min	30 min
800 type	Tube	Solution annealed	ASTM B407/B163	GB 13296, GB/T 14976	517 min (grade dependent)	207 min	30 min
400 type	Bar	Annealed/hot finished	ASTM B164	GB/T 2054	483 min	172 min	30 min
C-276 type	Plate/sheet	Solution annealed	ASTM B575	GB/T 4238, JIS G 4902	690 min	283 min	40 min
Commercially pure Ni	Bar/wire	Annealed	ASTM B160/B162	GB/T 2054	380 min (grade dependent)	105 min	35 min

Tensile and yield values above are indicative anchors for comparison and vary with grade, thickness and product form; the buyer must confirm each figure against the current edition of the controlling standard before writing a specification. Table 6 shows how differently the same alloy can be delivered.

Alloy Family	Product Condition	Typical Heat Treatment	ASTM/AMS Anchor	GB/JIS Anchor	DIN/EN Anchor	Effect on Selection
625 type	Solution annealed bar	Heat to approximately 1090-1200 C, hold, rapid quench	ASTM B446, AMS 5662/5663	GB/T 14992, JIS G 4901	DIN 17753, EN 10095	Lowest strength, best ductility and weldability
718 type (age-hardenable)	Precipitation hardened	Solution treat, then two-step age around 720 C and 620 C	AMS 5662/5663 family anchors	GB/T 14992 GH4169-class	W.Nr 2.4668, DIN 17753	Highest strength at moderate temperature; ageing is mandatory
800 type	Solution annealed tube	Anneal in the 1050-1150 C range, water quench	ASTM B407, B163	GB 13296, GB/T 14976	W.Nr 1.4876 / 1.4958-class	Microstructure controls creep in reformer service
C-276 type	Solution annealed plate	Approx. 1100-1170 C anneal, rapid quench	ASTM B575, B906	GB/T 15007, GB/T 4238	W.Nr 2.4819, DIN 17744	Slow cooling can precipitate detrimental phases
400 type	Annealed bar	Stress relief around 540-650 C as required	ASTM B164, AMS 4574-class anchors	GB/T 2054	W.Nr 2.4360, DIN 17743	Avoid over-ageing; magnetic properties drift
Commercially pure Ni	Annealed / stress relieved	Anneal at moderate temperature with controlled atmosphere	ASTM B160, B162	GB/T 2054	W.Nr 2.4060 / 2.4066-class	Purity drives conductivity and ductility

Because heat treatment is where standard texts most often diverge in wording rather than in intent, it is the clause most worth quoting verbatim in the purchase order. If the drawing says ASTM B446 annealed and the certificate says GB/T 14992 solution treated, the buyer should require the actual temperature, hold time and cooling method on the certificate rather than accepting the condition word alone.

Acceptable and Unacceptable Substitutions

A substitution is acceptable when the substituted grade meets or exceeds every mandatory clause of the specified grade in the required form and condition, and when the change is documented and approved. It is unacceptable when the substitution changes a property that the application depends on, even if the chemistry looks close. The reliable test is functional: ask what the part does, then ask which clauses protect that function, then check whether the substitute satisfies them. A substitution that passes the composition test but fails the function test is exactly the kind of saving that becomes a failure claim.

Typical acceptable substitutions are those that move within a family, keep the same strengthening mechanism, keep the same product form and condition, and tighten rather than relax the chemistry. Typical unacceptable substitutions are those that change the strengthening mechanism, replace a wrought product with a cast or sintered equivalent, relax a corrosion-resistance controlled element, or drop a supplementary requirement such as grain size or intergranular corrosion testing. Table 7 separates the two groups with the reason each decision is made.

Substitution Scenario	Verdict	Why	What Must Be Documented	Governing Standards
GH3625 supplied for a UNS N06625 annealed bar requirement, same form and condition	Acceptable with approval	Same chemistry family, same solid-solution mechanism, comparable mechanical anchors	Chemistry comparison, heat-treatment record, mechanical certificate	ASTM B446, GB/T 14992, JIS G 4902
NCF 625 tube supplied for an ASTM B704/B705 welded-tube requirement	Acceptable with approval	Same family; welded tube needs weld and flattening tests in both systems	Weld procedure, non-destructive testing, flattening results	ASTM B704/B705, JIS G 4902, GB/T 14976
W.Nr 2.4856 bar supplied against an ASTM B446 order where the customer accepts EN certification	Acceptable with approval	Numerically equivalent EN designation; certification format must satisfy the buyer	EN 10204 3.1 certificate plus chemistry and mechanical results	DIN 17753, EN 10095, EN 10204
Solution-annealed material supplied where aged material was specified	Unacceptable	Ageing is the strengthening mechanism; the part will not reach design strength	No documentation can cure the missing property	AMS 5662/5663, GB/T 14992
Commercially pure nickel substituted for a Ni-Cu alloy	Unacceptable	Copper content drives corrosion and mechanical behaviour; different family	Not applicable	ASTM B160, GB/T 2054
Cast or powder-metallurgy equivalent substituted for wrought bar	Unacceptable without re-qualification	Porosity, grain structure and fatigue behaviour differ	Full re-qualification programme	ASTM B446, customer specification
Lower-carbon variant substituted where intergranular corrosion resistance is specified	Usually unacceptable	Carbon controls sensitisation and weld-zone corrosion	Corrosion test evidence and approval	ASTM B575, ASTM G28-type methods
Thicker plate substituted to compensate for lower strength	Unacceptable	Changes stiffness, thermal mass and weld geometry	Engineering re-analysis required	Project specification, ASTM B906

Two habits make substitution control easy. First, write the acceptance criteria into the purchase order so that the mill knows what evidence to provide, rather than discovering it after delivery. Second, require the certificate to state both the ordered standard and the substituted standard with the specific clauses compared. That single sentence turns a verbal assurance into a document a quality engineer can defend.

Selecting Alloys by End Use and Writing a Dual-Standard Purchase Order

Alloy selection should start from the service environment and only then move to a designation, because the designation is a consequence of the requirement rather than a substitute for it. A buyer who begins with "we need Inconel 625" has already narrowed the solution space before defining the problem; a buyer who begins with temperature, medium, pressure, thermal cycling and code requirements can compare candidate families across all five standard systems and choose the one that is cheapest to qualify and certify. Table 8 maps common end uses to the families that dominate them, with the standards that will appear on the certificate.

End Use	Dominant Alloy Family	Why It Is Chosen	Primary ASTM/ASME	GB / JIS / EN Anchors	Typical Product Form
Seawater and marine piping	Ni-Cu (400 type)	Resistance to flowing seawater and biofouling	ASTM B165, B466	GB/T 2054, W.Nr 2.4360	Seamless tube, fittings
Chemical plant acid service	Ni-Cr-Mo (C-276 type)	Broad resistance to oxidising and reducing acids	ASTM B575, B622, B626	GB/T 15007, W.Nr 2.4819	Plate, welded pipe, fittings
Reformer and furnace tubing	Ni-Cr-Fe (800 type)	Creep strength at elevated temperature	ASTM B407, B163	GB 13296, GB/T 14976, W.Nr 1.4876-class	Seamless tube
Gas turbine hot section	Ni-based superalloy (718, 625 families)	High-temperature strength with oxidation resistance	AMS 5662/5663, ASTM B637	GB/T 14992 GH-family	Bar, forging stock
Nuclear and high-purity service	Ni-Cr-Fe and pure nickel grades	Corrosion resistance with controlled cobalt and trace elements	ASTM B166/B167 family, AMS 5596-type anchors	GB/T 15007, GB/T 2054	Bar, tube
Aerospace fasteners and hardware	Age-hardenable superalloys	High strength with controlled grain flow	AMS 5662, AMS 5663, AMS 5596	GB/T 14992, GB/T 2054	Bar, wire
Heat-treatment fixtures and retorts	Heat-resisting Ni-Cr and Ni-Cr-Fe	Oxidation resistance and load capacity at temperature	ASTM B168, B462	GB/T 4238, EN 10095	Plate, cast/wrought fittings
Pollution control and flue-gas components	Ni-Cr-Mo and Ni-Cr-Fe-Mo	Resistance to chlorides and acidic condensates	ASTM B575, B673/B674	GB/T 4238, GB/T 14976	Plate, sheet, tube

A dual-standard purchase order is the instrument that stops the two ends of the supply chain from disagreeing later. It should state the primary standard and edition, the acceptable equivalent standard and edition, the product form, the condition, the mandatory tests, the certificate type, and the substitution rule. The substitution rule is the sentence most often omitted and most often needed: something like "material certified to GB/T 14992 may be supplied in place of ASTM B637 provided that chemistry, mechanical properties, heat treatment and non-destructive testing meet the ASTM clauses listed in Annex A, and provided that the certificate reports both standards." That sentence gives the mill a clear path to quote competitively and gives the end user a clear basis to inspect.

Table 9 lists the clauses a dual-standard order should pin down, and Table 10 gives an indicative price reference for commonly traded forms.

Purchase Order Clause	What to Specify	Why It Prevents Disputes	Standard Reference
Primary standard and edition	ASTM number with year, or GB number with year	Edition changes alter requirements	ASTM B446, GB/T 14992, JIS G 4901
Permitted equivalent	Named GB, JIS, EN or GOST designation plus edition	Removes ambiguity about what may be delivered	GB/T 15007, DIN 17753, GOST 5632
Product form and dimensions	Bar, tube, plate, forging with tolerances	Mechanical requirements are form-specific	ASTM B906, GB/T 2054, GB/T 4238
Condition and heat treatment	Annealed, solution treated, aged, with parameters reported	Property claims depend on condition	AMS 5662/5663, GB/T 14992
Mandatory tests	Chemistry, tensile, hardness, corrosion, grain size, NDT	Defines the acceptance evidence	ASTM B637, ASTM B575, JIS G 4902
Certificate type	EN 10204 3.1 or equivalent, dual-standard reporting	Makes the equivalence auditable	EN 10204, EN 10095
Substitution rule	Conditions under which an equivalent may be shipped	Prevents undocumented substitution	Project specification, ASME SB-series
Marking and traceability	Heat number, standard, grade, mill identification	Connects the document to the metal	ASTM B906, GB/T 2054

Product Form and Family	2026 Reference Range, EXW Shanghai, USD/kg	Notes
Commercially pure nickel bar (NI200/N6-type)	22 - 32	Reference range only; depends on grade and diameter
Ni-Cu 400-type bar	30 - 45	Reference range only; hot-finished versus cold-drawn differ
Ni-Cr-Fe 800-type seamless tube	32 - 52	Reference range only; OD and wall thickness drive the price
625-type annealed bar	42 - 65	Reference range only; AMS-grade and dual-certified stock cost more
625-type plate	45 - 70	Reference range only; thickness and test package vary
C-276-type plate	55 - 85	Reference range only; nickel and molybdenum content dominate
Age-hardenable 718-type bar	48 - 75	Reference range only; AMS certification adds cost
Heat-resisting Ni-Cr plate and sheet	20 - 38	Reference range only; grade and finish dependent

All figures in Table 10 are indicative reference ranges for 2026, EXW Shanghai, in USD per kilogram, and are not quotations; they move with nickel, molybdenum and chromium indices, order quantity, certification scope and lead time. Buyers should request a formal quotation against a defined specification. For current availability across families, see /products/incoloy, and for order terms see /contact.

Standard Index

Standard	Title/scope	Covers	Form
GB/T 14992	Chinese standard for deformation superalloys	GH-prefix superalloy grades and their chemistry and mechanical requirements	Bar, forging stock, plate, strip
GB/T 15007	Chinese standard for corrosion-resistant alloy grades	NS-prefix corrosion-resistant grades and their designation system	Bar, plate, tube, forging
GB/T 2054	Chinese standard for nickel and nickel-alloy bar and rod	Nickel and nickel-alloy bars including pure nickel and Ni-Cu families	Bar, rod, wire
GB/T 14976	Chinese stainless and heat-resisting steel seamless tube standard	Austenitic stainless and heat-resisting seamless tube, including nickel-bearing grades	Seamless tube
GB 13296	Chinese standard for boiler and heat-exchanger seamless tube	High-temperature service seamless tubes for boilers and heat exchangers	Seamless tube
GB/T 4238	Chinese standard for heat-resisting steel plate, sheet and strip	Heat-resisting plate, sheet and strip including nickel-bearing grades	Plate, sheet, strip
ASTM B446	Nickel-chromium-molybdenum-niobium alloy bar	625-type and comparable Ni-Cr-Mo-Nb bar and wire	Bar, wire
ASTM B637	Nickel alloy bar, forgings and forging stock for elevated temperature	Precipitation-hardenable and solid-solution superalloy bar and forgings	Bar, forging, forging stock
ASTM B575	Low-carbon nickel-molybdenum-chromium alloy plate, sheet and strip	C-276-type corrosion-resistant flat product	Plate, sheet, strip
ASTM B564	Nickel alloy forgings	Wide range of nickel alloy forged components	Forgings
ASTM B424 / B168	Ni-Fe-Cr and Ni-Cr-Fe alloy plate and sheet	800-type and comparable high-temperature flat product	Plate, sheet, strip
ASTM B366 / B462	Nickel alloy fittings and flanges	Wrought nickel alloy pipe fittings and flanges	Fittings, flanges
ASTM B865 / B906	Nickel alloy bar specifications and general requirements	Copper-nickel and age-hardenable bar; general requirements for flat and bar product	Bar, plate, sheet
AMS 5662 / AMS 5663	Aerospace material specifications for 718-type superalloy	Solution-treated and aged bar, forgings and rings for aerospace	Bar, forging, ring
AMS 5596	Aerospace material specification for superalloy sheet and plate	Nickel-based superalloy sheet, strip and plate	Sheet, strip, plate
ASME SB-series	ASME code counterparts to ASTM nickel alloy specifications	Pressure-retaining nickel alloy plate, bar, tube, forging and fittings	Plate, bar, tube, forging, fitting
JIS G 4901	Japanese standard for heat-resisting alloy bar and plate	Corrosion-resisting and heat-resisting superalloy bar and plate	Bar, plate
JIS G 4902	Japanese standard for corrosion-resisting and heat-resisting alloy plate, sheet and strip	Flat product of nickel alloy families including 625 and C-276 types	Plate, sheet, strip
JIS G 4903	Japanese standard for seamless nickel alloy tube	Seamless tube in corrosion and heat-resisting nickel alloys	Seamless tube
JIS G 4904	Japanese standard for welded nickel alloy tube	Welded tube in corrosion and heat-resisting nickel alloys	Welded tube
JIS G 4303 / G 4304	Japanese stainless steel bar and plate standards	Austenitic grades used as stainless equivalents	Bar; plate, sheet
DIN 17740-17753	German material standards for wrought nickel alloys	W.Nr material numbers and symbols for nickel and nickel alloy semi-finished products	Bar, plate, tube, wire, strip
EN 10095	European standard for heat-resisting steels and nickel alloys	Heat-resisting grades and their delivery conditions	Plate, sheet, bar, strip
EN 10204	European standard for inspection documents	Certificate types including 3.1 certification of metal products	All forms
GOST 5632	Russian standard for corrosion-resistant, heat-resistant and high-temperature alloys	Grade designations and chemistry windows for alloyed steels and nickel alloys	Bar, plate, tube, forging
GOST 5632 KhN family	Russian designation family for nickel-based alloys	KhN-series names in which letters abbreviate alloying elements	Bar, plate, tube, forging

FAQ

Q1: Can a GB grade be substituted directly for an ASTM grade?

No, not directly. A GB grade can be substituted for an ASTM grade only when the substitution is proven clause by clause and approved in writing. GB/T 14992 superalloy grades and GB/T 15007 corrosion-resistant grades frequently share a chemistry family with their ASTM counterparts, and in many cases a single heat can be certified to both. What a GB designation does not do is carry the ASTM mechanical, heat-treatment and supplementary requirements automatically. In practice the mill must show that the Chinese grade meets the ASTM clauses for the ordered product form and condition, and the buyer must obtain written approval from whoever owns the design. If the part is pressure-retaining under a construction code, that approval usually sits with the code engineer; if it is aerospace hardware, the qualification holder decides. Without that written step, the substitution is undocumented, and a quality engineer inspecting the delivered material is entitled to reject it even if the chemistry matches perfectly.

Q2: How do I read a GB/T 14992 GH grade against an ASTM designation?

Read a GH grade by its chemistry family, not by its number. The GH prefix in GB/T 14992 tells you the material is a deformation superalloy intended for elevated-temperature service; it does not encode the chromium, molybdenum or niobium content. To cross-reference, pull the composition clause from the current edition of GB/T 14992, compare each element range against the ASTM composition clause for the candidate designation, then compare the mechanical table and the heat-treatment clause. Only when all three align in the specified product form and condition can you treat the pair as equivalent for procurement purposes. Buyers should also check whether the ASTM or AMS specification adds supplementary requirements such as grain size, cleanliness or stress-rupture testing, because those clauses are often the reason the alloy was specified in the first place. Where an exact GB grade number cannot be confirmed for a given chemistry, describe the designation family and require the mill to confirm the number against the standard text.

Q3: What is the difference between chemistry equivalence and property equivalence?

Chemistry equivalence means the specified composition windows of two grades overlap enough that a single heat could be certified to both. Property equivalence is a stronger claim: it means the two grades also meet the same mechanical, physical and corrosion requirements in the required product form and condition. Chemistry equivalence is checkable from a composition table; property equivalence requires the full specification. The gap appears through product form, because mechanical requirements are written per form; through condition, because annealed and age-hardened material behave differently; and through supplementary clauses, which one system may impose and another may not. A supplier can honestly claim chemistry equivalence across a wide range of GB-to-ASTM pairs while correctly declining to claim property equivalence for a demanding application. Buyers should decide which level they need before ordering, and pay accordingly.

Q4: Which standard covers nickel alloy bar in China versus the United States?

China covers nickel and nickel-alloy bar and rod primarily under GB/T 2054, with GB/T 14992 and GB/T 15007 supplying the grade definitions that the bar standard references for superalloy and corrosion-resistant grades respectively. In the United States, bar is controlled by product-form specifications such as ASTM B446 for nickel-chromium-molybdenum-niobium bar, ASTM B637 for elevated-temperature bar and forging stock, ASTM B164 for nickel-copper bar, ASTM B160 and B162 for pure nickel, and ASTM B865 for age-hardenable and copper-nickel bar. General requirements that apply across flat and bar product appear in ASTM B906. The practical point is that the grade and the form are governed by different documents in both systems, so a cross-reference must name both. Comparing a Chinese bar standard with an American alloy designation is a category error; compare bar standard with bar standard, then compare grade with grade.

Q5: How does JIS name the same alloy as ASTM and GB?

JIS names heat-resisting and corrosion-resisting nickel alloys with the NCF prefix under the JIS G 4901 to G 4904 family. JIS G 4901 covers heat-resisting alloy bar and plate, JIS G 4902 covers corrosion-resisting and heat-resisting plate, sheet and strip, JIS G 4903 covers seamless nickel alloy tube and JIS G 4904 covers welded nickel alloy tube. So an ASTM UNS N06625 bar and a JIS NCF 625 bar belong to the same chemistry family, but each is certified against a different product-form standard with its own mechanical and testing clauses. Japanese stainless equivalents appear separately in JIS G 4303 for bar and JIS G 4304 for plate and sheet. When a Japanese drawing is presented for quotation, the mill must confirm which JIS part applies to the ordered form, because supplying bar certified to a flat-product clause is not a valid response even if the grade letter matches.

Q6: What does a DIN W.Nr number such as 2.4856 actually tell me?

A W.Nr number identifies a material within the German material-number system maintained through the DIN 17740 to DIN 17753 series for wrought nickel alloys. In the unified European framework, EN 10095 covers heat-resisting steels and nickel alloys, and material is often identified by both a number and a symbol, for example W.Nr 2.4856 with the symbol NiCr22Mo9Nb. The number is a reference key: it points to a specification containing composition, mechanical and delivery requirements, but it does not replace the specification text. Two important consequences follow. First, other numbers in the same range — 2.4668, 2.4819, 2.4858, 2.4360, 2.4816, 2.4952 and their neighbours — identify different chemistry families, so a digit error changes the alloy entirely. Second, when a buyer accepts EN-certified material in place of an ASTM order, the certification format matters; EN 10204 3.1 is the usual requirement.

Q7: Is the Russian GOST KhN series equivalent to Inconel grades?

The GOST 5632 system and its KhN-series designations describe nickel-based alloys using element abbreviations, so a designation in that family can sit in the same chemistry space as Western Inconel-type alloys. The designation system is real and widely used; the exact number for a given chemistry must be confirmed against the standard text before it is written into a purchase order. Buyers should therefore treat KhN-series names as a family descriptor rather than a guaranteed equivalent of a specific UNS or W.Nr grade. The correct workflow is to obtain the composition clause from the applicable GOST 5632 edition, compare it element by element against the Western specification, then compare the mechanical and heat-treatment requirements for the required product form. Only then should the pair be considered interchangeable, and only with written approval where the application demands it.

Q8: What is the biggest risk in accepting a cross-reference substitution?

The biggest risk is accepting a substitution that is chemically close but functionally different, and discovering the gap only in service. Three failure modes dominate. First, missing the strengthening mechanism: supplying solution-annealed material where an age-hardened condition was specified, which leaves the part far below design strength. Second, missing a supplementary requirement: dropping a grain-size, cleanliness or intergranular-corrosion clause that the application relies on. Third, missing the product form: substituting plate for bar or welded tube for seamless tube in a service where fatigue or pressure integrity matters. Each of these can pass a composition check and even a room-temperature tensile test, which is exactly why chemistry equivalence alone is a weak basis for substitution. Hangbo Alloy requires the substituted standard, the compared clauses and the certificate evidence to be stated on the mill test certificate.

Q9: How should a dual-standard purchase order be written?

A dual-standard purchase order should state the primary standard with its year of edition, the permitted equivalent standard with its year, the product form and dimensions, the delivery condition and heat treatment, the mandatory tests, the certificate type, the substitution rule and the marking and traceability requirements. The substitution rule is the clause most often omitted and the one that prevents the most disputes; it should say explicitly under what conditions an equivalent may be supplied and what evidence the certificate must show. It also helps to attach an annex listing the specific clauses that were compared, so that a quality engineer can audit the decision without repeating the metallurgical analysis. When the order is placed with a Chinese mill, requiring both designations to appear on the certificate and to be traceable to the heat number gives the end user the documents needed to accept the material.

Q10: Does EN 10204 3.1 certification make a material acceptable?

No. EN 10204 3.1 identifies the type of inspection document: a certificate issued by the manufacturer's authorised inspection representative independent of the manufacturing department, reporting actual test results traceable to the delivered heat. It proves that testing was performed and reported in a defined format. It does not prove that the material satisfies a standard it was not tested against. So an EN 10204 3.1 certificate for a German grade does not establish compliance with an ASTM or AMS specification unless the certificate reports the ASTM tests and limits as well. Buyers comparing five systems should therefore specify the certificate type and the test scope together, and should require dual reporting whenever two designations appear on the order. Many mills in China can issue this dual reporting; it should be requested at the quotation stage.

Q11: Where can buyers verify that a quoted grade is real?

Buyers should verify a quoted grade against the current edition of the standard text, not against a published cross-reference list, and should ask the mill to quote the composition and mechanical clauses it intends to certify. Three checks catch most problems. First, compare element ranges, not nominal values. Second, confirm that the mechanical table quoted belongs to the correct product form and condition. Third, confirm that any supplementary requirements in the original specification are either met or formally waived by the design authority. Buyers can also compare the mill's certification practice and product forms against published capability, such as the family pages at /products/inconel and /products/stainless-steel, and check the latest technical notes in our /news section. Where an exact number cannot be confirmed, the correct answer is to describe the designation system and require written confirmation against the standard text rather than accept an invented grade.

Conclusion: Cross-Referencing Is a Workflow, Not a Translation

Cross-referencing nickel alloy standards across GB, ASTM, ASME, AMS, JIS, EN and GOST succeeds when it is treated as a documented workflow rather than a dictionary lookup. Identify the chemistry family, compare composition clauses element by element, confirm the mechanical table belongs to the right product form and condition, verify the heat-treatment clause, and only then decide whether the substitution is acceptable. Rate the substitution at the right level — chemistry, metallurgical, property, performance or legal equivalence — and obtain written approval wherever the application depends on a property that the substitute does not demonstrably deliver. Write both designations, the compared clauses and the certificate evidence into the purchase order so that the mill and the end user are reading the same document. Do that, and a dual-standard order becomes a competitive advantage instead of a future failure claim. Send your drawing, grade list or proposed substitution to our engineering team and we will map it across all five systems, confirm each clause against the current standard text, and quote bar, tube, plate, forging, wire or strip with dual certification. Request a standards cross-reference review and quotation.

Contact & Complete Product Range

Shanghai Hangbo Alloy Group Co., Ltd. - China Supplier

Email: sales@hangboalloy.com | WhatsApp (Lisa): +86 13611656360 | www.nickel-alloy.com

All Grades

Ni: NI200-N6 | Monel: 400-502, K-500, R-405 | Inconel: 600-740H, X-750, 725 | Incoloy: 800-27-7MO | Hastelloy: C-276-HYBRID-BC1, N | Super Austenitic: 904L-AL-6XN | Chromium-Rich: Alloy 33 | High-Strength Stainless: Nitronic 50/60, PH13-8Mo | Chlorination: Alloy 45 | Nimonic: 75-263 | Haynes: 25-HR-160 | RA: 330/333 | Precision: 1J22-4J45 | High-Strength: 18Ni250-AerMet100 | Heating: Cr20Ni80/60 | Specialty: Alloy 20-602CA

Product Forms: Bars(6-500mm) | Tubes(OD 6-610mm) | Plates(0.1-100mm) | Forgings | Welded Pipes | Fittings | Wire(0.05-10mm) | Strip(0.02-4.0mm)

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