Overview
ISO 3574:2012 specifies requirements for cold-reduced carbon steel sheet of commercial and drawing qualities. The standard covers sheets produced from hot‑rolled descaled steel that are cold‑reduced and annealed, and is intended for applications where surface appearance is of prime importance. Material is supplied in coils or cut lengths, commonly in thicknesses from 0.36 mm and up and widths 600 mm and over.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Material grades: Defines commercial and drawing qualities identified as CR1 (commercial) and CR2–CR5 (drawing / deep drawing / extra deep drawing, including stabilized interstitial free - IF - steels).
- Chemical composition: Heat analysis limits and product analysis tolerances are specified; certain alloying element limits and combinations are constrained (see Tables 1–3 in the standard).
- Surface condition and finish: Two surface qualities-A (unexposed) and B (exposed)-with permitted imperfections listed; surface finish and oiling practices (oil usually applied to deter rust) are addressed.
- Manufacturing conditions: Requirements on skin passing, annealing options, weldability and fabrication behaviour. Skin pass is used to improve surface smoothness and flatness but can affect ductility.
- Mechanical testing: Tensile test sampling and tensile tests (referencing ISO 6892‑1) and provisions for retests and additional tests.
- Dimensional and shape tolerances: Coil size, thickness and width ranges, camber, out‑of‑square and related tolerances (see ISO 16162 for dimensional tolerance details).
- Strain ageing: Guidance on susceptibility to Lüders lines and recommended stock rotation and handling to minimise strain ageing effects.
- Inspection, marking and purchaser information: Inspection/acceptance clauses, marking, and information the purchaser must supply at ordering.
Applications
ISO 3574:2012 is used where formability and surface quality matter. Typical practical applications include:
- Formed and drawn parts (automotive body panels, appliance shells)
- Decorative or exposed sheet components where surface appearance is critical
- Fabricated items requiring good weldability and controlled surface finish
Who uses this standard
- Steel producers and coil suppliers for quality control and product specification
- Purchasing/specification engineers for procurement of cold‑reduced sheets
- Fabricators, stampers and OEMs requiring defined drawing qualities (CR2–CR5)
- Quality assurance and inspection teams validating chemical and mechanical tests
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 3574:2012, cold‑reduced carbon steel sheet, drawing qualities, CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5, skin pass, strain ageing, surface finish, tensile test.
