niedriglegierte

Niedriglegierte is a German term used in materials science and engineering to describe alloys, especially steels, that contain relatively small amounts of alloying elements beyond iron and carbon. It is mainly applied to low-alloy steels, whose total content of alloying elements such as chromium, nickel, molybdenum, vanadium, copper or niobium is kept modest. The threshold is not fixed universally, but these steels typically have a few percent or less of additional elements, often around 1–3% in structural applications, and up to about 5% in broader definitions.

The purpose of adding these elements is to improve properties such as strength, hardenability, toughness, and sometimes weldability, without incurring the higher costs or processing challenges of high-alloy steels. Niedriglegierte steels aim to offer a favorable balance between mechanical performance and manufacturability, making them suitable for large-volume engineering components. They are generally easier to weld and machine than high-alloy varieties, while still providing better performance than plain carbon steels in many circumstances.

Applications of niedriglegierte stähle include construction steel, automotive components, machinery parts, pipelines, and general structural uses. They are often specified under national or international standards for structural and engineering steels, such as EN 10025, which define chemical composition ranges and mechanical properties for specific grades. The term can also describe non-steel alloys with low levels of alloying elements.

In contrast, hochlegierte (high-alloy) materials contain larger proportions of alloying elements to achieve specialized properties such as extreme wear, corrosion resistance, or high-temperature stability.