SIST EN 2222:2018

Overview

EN 2222:2017 is a CEN (ASD-STAN) European Standard in the Aerospace series that specifies requirements for Steel FE‑PL31 - hardened and tempered - hand and die forgings intended for aerospace applications. The standard defines chemical composition limits, production and heat‑treatment practices, microstructural expectations and inspection/qualification points for forgings used in critical components such as bearings.

Key topics and requirements

• Material designation: Steel FE‑PL31 (a high‑carbon, chromium‑bearing forging steel).
• Chemical composition (specified ranges):
  • Carbon (C): 0.95–1.10 %
  • Silicon (Si): 0.15–0.35 %
  • Manganese (Mn): 0.25–0.45 %
  • Phosphorus (P) max: 0.030 %
  • Sulfur (S) max: 0.020 %
  • Chromium (Cr): 1.35–1.65 %
  • Nickel (Ni) max: 0.40 %
  • (Molybdenum not specified in the extract)
• Melting method: Air melted.
• Forms covered: Hand and die (press/matrix) forgings.
• Delivery condition: Spheroidised (prior to hardening).
• Use condition / heat treatment: Hardened and tempered; the reference tempering treatment calls for tempering at 180 °C ± 5 °C after hardening.
• Microstructure: Carbides shall be fine and non‑aligned (critical for fatigue and bearing performance).
• Testing and inspection: The standard lists required mechanical and physical tests (tensile, hardness, impact, etc.) and sample forms (e.g., disc sample a = 10 mm). Some tests are optional or to be applied by agreement. Product qualification programmes are to be agreed between manufacturer and purchaser.
• Typical application noted: Bearings.

Applications and who uses it

• Aerospace OEMs and suppliers specifying forgings for rotating and load‑bearing components (e.g., bearings, shafts).
• Forging manufacturers and heat‑treatment shops producing FE‑PL31 forgings to aerospace quality.
• Metallurgists and materials engineers responsible for material selection, processing and failure analysis.
• Quality, inspection and procurement teams who need to verify conformity to aerospace material requirements and to set up supplier qualification programmes.
• Structural designers and maintenance engineers who require traceable material specifications for critical parts.

Related standards

• EN 2157‑2 - Aerospace series: Steel - Forging stock and forgings - Technical specification - Part 2: Forging stock (referenced for technical delivery requirements).
• EN 4258 - General organization of aerospace metallic material standardization.
• EN 4500‑005 - Rules for drafting/presentation of metallic material standards (specific rules for steels).

EN 2222:2017 is a focused CEN standard for aerospace forgings of FE‑PL31, emphasizing controlled chemistry, spheroidised delivery, hardened-and‑tempered finishing and fine, non‑aligned carbide microstructure - all essential for high‑reliability bearing and rotating hardware.