🔬 Content of carbon, manganese, silicon, phosphorus, sulphur, chromium, nickel, copper, molybdenum, vanadium, aluminium and niobium in carbon and low-alloy steels — emission spectrometry (in accreditation scopes: with spark excitation), PN-H-04045

Materials and NDT PN-H-04045

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. The “Scope” field of the PKN card of PN-H-04045:1997 (Polish version), in full: “A method for determining the content of a number of elements is given and the ranges of application of the method are specified. The principle of the method, the materials used, the apparatus, the method of preparing test samples, the performance of the determination, the way of accepting analytical values, the final result of the determination and the test report are specified”. The subject is defined by the title on the card: “Analiza chemiczna surówki, żeliwa i stali -- Oznaczanie zawartości węgla, manganu, krzemu, fosforu, siarki, chromu, niklu, miedzi, molibdenu, wanadu, glinu i niobu w stalach węglowych i niskostopowych metodą spektrometrii emisyjnej” (Chemical analysis of pig iron, cast iron and steel — Determination of carbon, manganese, silicon, phosphorus, sulphur, chromium, nickel, copper, molybdenum, vanadium, aluminium and niobium content in carbon and low-alloy steels by emission spectrometry). The first part of the title is the name of a series of standards on the chemical analysis of pig iron, cast iron and steel; the determination itself concerns carbon and low-alloy steels and the twelve elements listed. The card does not give the ranges of application (from what to what content of each element), the type of spectrum excitation or the boundary between low-alloy and alloy steel.

STATUS (PKN card as of 06.11.2026). The card of PN-H-04045:1997 (Polish version): no “Withdrawn” label and no “Withdrawal date” field, publication 19-12-1997, 8 pages, price group D, Metallurgy Sector, KT 29 Chemical Analysis of Ores, Concentrates and Metals, ICS 77.080.01. The card has no “Replaces”, “Replaced by” or “Adopts” fields — it is a national standard, it does not adopt a European or international standard.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database refreshed from the production server on 02.11.2026, read on 06.11.2026; counted are records in which number 04045 with the letter H appears in the reference document in any notation — excluding PN-Z-04045, which is a different standard). 42 records at 7 Polish laboratories, none at Czech laboratories. The number of records is not the number of tests: 35 of the 42 are one AB 053 entry split up during loading (separate records for successive rows of elements, in Polish and in English). In the current scope documents on the PCA website (read on 06.11.2026, issues from 23.04.2025 to 12.10.2026) the standard appears 8 times at these 7 laboratories: one entry each at AB 053, AB 083, AB 490, AB 608, AB 1623 and AB 1898 and two entries at AB 1700 (the Materials Testing Laboratory at two locations: Gdańsk, ul. Śnieżna 5, and Szczecin, ul. Dubois 23); none of these entries is suspended. Notations: “PN-H-04045:1997” — AB 053, AB 083, AB 1623, AB 1700, AB 1898; “PN-97/H-04045” — AB 490; “PN-H-04045” without a year — AB 608. Together with the standard, 5 laboratories cite an own procedure: AB 053 — IP-BLM-10, issue II of 10.01.2025; AB 083 — PB 05/LIM, issue 4 of 17.03.2021; AB 490 — QR-04-01-16, issue 8 of 30.09.2017; AB 608 — PT-1/L2; AB 1623 — FP/ZK/P7 issue 1/2026 of 11.05.2026; only the standard is stated by AB 1700 and AB 1898. The “Laboratories” tab (“PN-H-04045”) shows the same 7 laboratories (query of the tab on labcoda.pl, 06.11.2026).

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (complete entries from the PCA documents). All — technique: atomic emission spectrometry with spark excitation; result — content of the element in percent. AB 053 — metal products and materials: low-, medium- and high-alloy steel; C (0,05 – 1,40) %, Mn (0,05 – 2,20) %, Si (0,01 – 1,60) %, P (0,01 – 0,05) %, S (0,01 – 0,05) %, Cr (0,09 – 23,50) %, Ni (0,05 – 18,90) %, Mo (0,10 – 2,40) %, V (0,03 – 0,80) %, W (0,015 – 2,90) %, Cu (0,045 – 0,55) %, Al (0,01 – 0,88) %, Ti (0,01 – 0,150) %, Nb (0,02 – 0,120) %; the test is marked with an asterisk — the laboratory formulates opinions and interpretations on the basis of its results. AB 083 — iron alloys; C (0,01 -1,5) %, Mn (0,01 - 1,7) %, Si (0,01 - 2,5) %, P (0,005 - 0,1) %, S (0,005 - 0,1) %, Cr (0,01 - 20,0) %, Ni (0,02 – 12,0) %, Cu (0,01 - 0,4) %, Mo (0,01 – 4,0) %, V (0,01 - 0,6) %, Al (0,005 - 0,2) %, W (0,01 – 2,0) %, Ti (0,01 - 0,3) %, Mg (0,01 - 0,1) %. AB 490 — steel, cast steel, cast iron; C (0,01 -3,5) %, Mn (0,01 - 1,8) %, Si (0,01 - 3,5) %, P (0,005 - 0,1) %, S (0,005 - 0,07) %, Cr (0,01 - 20,0) %, Ni (0,01 – 12,0) %, Cu (0,01 - 0,5) %, Mo (0,01 – 5,5) %, V (0,01 – 4,0) %, Al (0,005 - 0,2) %, Nb (0,004 - 0,1) %, Ti (0,01 - 0,7) %, Sn (0,005 - 0,1) %, B (0,0003 – 0,01) %, Co (0,005 – 0,1) %, W (0,01 – 6,5) %, Pb (0,002 – 0,003) %, As (0,005 – 0,02) %; cobalt is not in the heading of the entry, but it is in the list of ranges. AB 608 — steel (flexible scope of accreditation, marking E); C (0,02 – 1,5) %, Si (0,02 – 1,4) %, Mn (0,02 – 2,2) %, P (0,006 – 0,07) %, S (0,007 – 0,22) %, Cr (0,03 – 28,0) %, B (0,003 – 0,01) %, Cu (0,03 – 0,6) %, W (0,01 – 17,0) %, Ni (0,05 – 32,0) %, Co (0,006 – 0,4) %, Mo (0,01 – 4,7) %, V (0,004 – 1,8) %, Ti (0,003 – 1,4) %, Al (0,01 – 0,1) %, Nb (0,02 – 0,2) %. AB 1623 — steel; C (0,006 - 0,95) %, Mn (0,045 - 2,04) %, Si (0,0015 - 2,05) %, P (0,0049 - 0,067) %, S (0,0008 - 0,101) %, Cr (0,022 – 2,64) %, Ni (0,0129 – 5,33) %, Cu (0,011 - 0,41) %, Mo (0,0044 - 2,55) %, Nb (0,0065 - 0,074) %, Ti (0,0007 - 0,24) %, V (0,0088 - 0,619) %, Al (0,0008 - 0,263) %, Sn (0,0007 - 0,109) %, W (0,008 - 0,275) %, As (0,0011- 0,0293) %, N (0,0023 - 0,017) %, B (0,0005 - 0,0048) %. AB 1700, Gdańsk — metallurgical products; C (0,01 – 0,6) %, Mn (0,01 – 1,8) %, Si (0,01 – 2,0) %, P (0,005 – 0,05) %, S (0,005 – 0,05) %, Cr (0,01 – 3,0) %, Ni (0,01 – 4,5) %, Cu (0,01 – 0,5) %, V (0,01 – 0,3) %, Nb (0,01 – 0,1) %, Al (0,005-0,2) %, Mo (0,01-0,5) %. AB 1700, Szczecin — metallurgical products; C (0,07 – 0,2) %, Mn (1,1 – 1,8) %, Si (0,3 – 1,0) %, P (0,005 – 0,043) %, S (0,007 – 0,02) %, Cr (0,18 – 3,0) %, Ni (0,11 – 4,5) %, Cu (0,19 – 0,36) %, Mo (0,04 – 0,05) %, V (0,045 – 0,1) %. AB 1898 — steel products and materials; C (0,001 – 1,3) %, Mn (0,001 – 1,8) %, Si (0,001 – 2,0) %, P (0,005 – 0,05) %, S (0,01 – 0,05) %, Cr (0,01 – 3,0) %, Ni (0,01 – 4,5) %, Cu (0.01 – 0,5) %, Mo (0,01 – 0,5) %, V (0,01 – 0,6) %, Al (0,005 – 0,2) %, Nb (0,01 – 0,1) %. All 7 laboratories determine C, Mn, Si, P, S, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mo and V; the other elements — only some of them.

NEXT TO THIS STANDARD. In the same database copy, spark emission spectrometry (the word “iskrow” in the technique or in the test description) for an object whose name contains “stal”, “staliwo”, “żeliwo”, “hutnicz” or “żelaz” (steel, cast steel, cast iron, metallurgical, iron) is held by 19 Polish laboratories; 12 of them — AB 001, AB 018, AB 099, AB 193, AB 197, AB 205, AB 554, AB 1038, AB 1141, AB 1187, AB 1449 and AB 1825 — do not cite this standard in any entry, only own procedures. Entries whose object was named differently (e.g. railway rails) remain outside this set. AB 1700 also has spark spectrometry entries according to procedure PP TENSLAB/OES/1/2023, without this standard — products and materials made of iron alloys, carbon (0,046 – 3,1) %; in the PCA document they appear at both of these locations.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — the range of the element and of the material: each laboratory has its own limits for each element (e.g. carbon up to 0,6 % at AB 1700 in Gdańsk, up to 3,5 % at AB 490 (steel, cast steel, cast iron); molybdenum at AB 1700 in Szczecin only 0,04 – 0,05 %), and a result outside these limits is not covered by accreditation, although the instrument will give it. Second — the subject: according to its title the standard concerns carbon and low-alloy steels and twelve elements. AB 053 uses it together with procedure IP-BLM-10 also for medium- and high-alloy steel (Cr up to 23,50 %, Ni up to 18,90 %), AB 490 with procedure QR-04-01-16 — for cast steel and cast iron (C up to 3,5 %), AB 083 with procedure PB 05/LIM — for iron alloys, AB 608 with procedure PT-1/L2 — for steel with Cr up to 28,0 %, Ni up to 32,0 % and W up to 17,0 %; elements outside the twelve (W, Ti, Sn, B, Co, Pb, As, N, Mg) appear only in entries with an own procedure. A result for high-alloy steel, cast iron or an element outside the title described as “according to PN-H-04045” looks compliant with the standard, but according to its title goes beyond its subject — how the laboratory’s procedure resolves this depends on its content, which we do not know. AB 1700 and AB 1898, which state the standard alone, determine only elements from its title (AB 1700 in Szczecin — 10 of 12, without Al and Nb) in metallurgical products and steel products. Third — the document actually used: 5 of 7 laboratories cite the standard together with an own procedure; what the procedure adds to the standard does not follow from the scope documents, and we do not know the content of the procedures — it is worth the test report stating both documents. Fourth — the elements on the laboratory’s list: the list of elements differs between laboratories (nitrogen only at AB 1623, magnesium only at AB 083, lead only at AB 490, tin at AB 490 and AB 1623); an element that is not in the entry is not determined by the laboratory within accreditation. Fifth — the wording of the document: at AB 490 cobalt is in the list of ranges but not in the heading of the entry — whether cobalt is covered by accreditation is decided by PCA, not by us.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — PKN makes it available for a fee (8 pages). We do not give the sample preparation, standards and calibration procedure, excitation conditions, analytical lines, number of measurements, formulas or precision data. According to the card, the standard specifies the ranges of application of the method, but we do not know their values — the ranges given above come from the PCA documents of the individual laboratories, and we do not know whether they fall within the ranges of the standard. We did not check references to the standard in legislation.

Method principle

According to the title and the “Scope” field of the PKN card, the content of C, Mn, Si, P, S, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mo, V, Al and Nb in carbon and low-alloy steels is determined by emission spectrometry, within the ranges of application specified in the standard, with sample preparation, acceptance of analytical values and a test report. All accredited laboratories state atomic emission spectrometry with spark excitation and a result in percent. We DO NOT GIVE the measurement conditions — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Carbon and low-alloy steels: C, Mn, Si, P, S, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mo, V, Al, Nb — subject according to the title of the standard (PKN card)
• In accreditation scopes: low-, medium- and high-alloy steel, iron alloys, steel, cast steel and cast iron, metallurgical products, steel products and materials — 7 Polish laboratories
• Elements determined at all 7 laboratories: C, Mn, Si, P, S, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mo, V; at some also Al, Nb, Ti, W, Sn, B, Co, Pb, As, N, Mg

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-H-04045:1997

Title (PL)

Analiza chemiczna surówki, żeliwa i stali — Oznaczanie zawartości węgla, manganu, krzemu, fosforu, siarki, chromu, niklu, miedzi, molibdenu, wanadu, glinu i niobu w stalach węglowych i niskostopowych metodą spektrometrii emisyjnej

Title (EN)

Chemical analysis of pig iron, cast iron and steel — Determination of carbon, manganese, silicon, phosphorus, sulphur, chromium, nickel, copper, molybdenum, vanadium, aluminium and niobium content in carbon and low-alloy steels by emission spectrometry

Step-by-step procedure

1. Status of the document

   PKN card: PN-H-04045:1997 without a withdrawal label (card as of 06.11.2026).

2. Object and elements

   Checking whether the material and each element ordered fall within the laboratory’s scope entry (object, list of elements, limits in %).

3. Measurement

   Atomic emission spectrometry with spark excitation; we DO NOT GIVE the preparation of the sample surface, calibration and excitation conditions.

4. Result

   Content of the elements in percent, stating the standard and — if the laboratory cites it — the own procedure.

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• Spark excitation: high voltage in the spark stand and UV radiation — work with the stand closed
• Grinding of the sample surface before measurement — eye protection and dust extraction
• SUBSTANTIVE NOTE: a result for an element outside the list or outside the limits of the scope entry is not covered by accreditation

Frequently asked questions