Docol martensitic steel: extreme strength, excellent cold formability
With good ductility and tensile strengths up to 1700MPa, Docol® martensitic steel from SSAB is ideal for both vehicle lightweighting and improved crashworthiness.
Main characteristics of Docol martensitic steel
- Very high yield strength (Rp0,2) and an extremely high tensile strength (Rm).
- Superior energy absorption and impact strength for anti-intrusion zones.
- Excellent for vehicle lightweighting.
- Outstanding cold formability in bending, stamping, and roll-forming — including 3D forming.
- Docol® martensitic steel (aka MS or MART) is significantly more cost-effective than aluminum: using optimized design profiles, Docol® martensitic steels can deliver high-strength performance that is similar to aluminum and at the same weight.
Applications for Docol martensitic steels
Battery protection
Sill reinforcements
Roof reinforcement
Door/side intrusion beams
Bumpers
Seat structures
DOCOL 1700M
Our strongest martensitic steel – now in use
Cold-rolled Docol 1700M steel from SSAB is an eco-friendly, pound-for-pound alternative to aluminum for lightweight components used in passive safety systems. Due to Docol martensitic steel’s ductility, critical safety components are now being fabricated using cost- and energy-efficient cold forming processes.
For example, Shape Corp. uses 3D roll-forming to create lighter, more compact, and stronger A-pillars and roof rail tubes in Docol martensitic 1700MPa. Designed for the Ford 2020 Explorer and 2020 Escape, these key safety components increase driver visibility, interior space, and air bag placement optimization.
Docol 1700 martensitic is the material of choice for ultra-high strength steel (UHSS) applications, including side impact beams, bumpers, structural components, and EV battery enclosures. Docol design specialists can provide stimulated crash performance data on several optimized 1700MPa profiles, as well as simulations for many of our other martensitic grades: Docol 900M, 1100M, 1200M, 1300M, 1400M and 1500M.
For example, Shape Corp. uses 3D roll-forming to create lighter, more compact, and stronger A-pillars and roof rail tubes in Docol martensitic 1700MPa. Designed for the Ford 2020 Explorer and 2020 Escape, these key safety components increase driver visibility, interior space, and air bag placement optimization.
Docol 1700 martensitic is the material of choice for ultra-high strength steel (UHSS) applications, including side impact beams, bumpers, structural components, and EV battery enclosures. Docol design specialists can provide stimulated crash performance data on several optimized 1700MPa profiles, as well as simulations for many of our other martensitic grades: Docol 900M, 1100M, 1200M, 1300M, 1400M and 1500M.
Grades and mechanical properties for Docol martensitic steel
For best weight reduction, use higher grades with reduced thicknesses. Corrosion-resistant martensitic grades: electrogalvanized (EG) coatings are available on Docol 900M, Docol 1100M, Docol 1200M, Docol 1300M, Docol 1400M, and Docol 1500M. All Docol martensitic steel grades are available cold rolled (CR); Docol 1200M is available both cold rolled and hot rolled (HR). For more details, please download the data sheets listed below.
| PRODUCT NAME | COATING | DIMENSIONS | STANDARDS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Docol 900M | UC, EG; | T: 0.5–2.1 mm W: Up to 1530 mm | SSAB |
| Docol 1100M | UC, EG | T: 0.5–2 mm W: Up to 1530 mm | SSAB |
| Docol 1200M | UC, EG | T: 0.5–4 mm W: Up to 1530 mm | VDA239-100:2016 SSAB |
| Docol 1300M | UC, EG | T: 0.5–2.1 mm W: Up to 1530 mm | VDA239-100:2016 |
| Docol 1400M | UC, EG | T: 0.5–2.1 mm W: Up to 1530 mm | SSAB |
| Docol 1500M | UC, EG | T: 0.5–2.1 mm W: Up to 1530 mm | VDA239-100:2016 |
| Docol 1700M | UC | T: 1.0–2.1 | VDA 239:100:2016 |
Forming Docol martensitic steel
- Excellent cold formability for bending, roll-forming, and stamping at room temperatures.
- Quite good drawability and good edge-stretching and hole-expansion properties.
- Good weldability, including resistance spot welding and laser welding.
- Docol® martensitic steel grades are highly consistent — both dimensionally and in their mechanical properties — avoiding stresses that can lead to flatness issues or unwanted or unexpected springback.
Are you looking for OEM specific grades?
Docol® steel grades can be supplied according to OEM or VDA standards. And, in close cooperation with automotive OEMs, we often develop innovative AHSS steels that are customized for a specific car application. If we don’t list a specific grade that you need, contact our technical support for more information.
Additional benefits from Docol martensitic steel
- Superior fatigue properties for all vehicles: BEV, ICE or hybrid.
- Seven high-strength grades: 900MPa, 1100MPa, 1200MPa, 1300MPa, 1400MPa, 1500MPa and 1700MPa.
- Grades are available to meet OEM-specific standards and certifications.
- Electrogalvanized (EG) corrosion resistance available on most grades.
- Global availability and support. All grades listed are now commercially available.
The benefits of Docol® martensitic steel for each team member
Safety engineers: Create new anti-intrusion zones (e.g., for BEV battery packs) and optimize the space utilization of existing zones (e.g., passenger compartments).
Lightweighting engineers: Leverage the extreme steel strength and aluminum-like weight of martensitic steel.
Production engineers: Use familiar cold forming operations (bending, stamping, roll-forming) and exciting new operations, like 3D roll-forming, on a UHSS steel.
Procurement officers: Realize major cost reductions — with no performance penalty — by replacing aluminum with Docol martensitic steel. (And reduce your carbon footprint at the same time.)
Sustainability officers: Lower the embedded CO2 in your materials and improve your life cycle assessment with our “future-proofed” Docol martensitic steels.
Lower your embedded CO2
Docol martensitic steel is "future-proofed".
TRIAL MATERIAL STOCK
Try it for yourself
Our Trial Material Stock Center is a unique service to the automotive industry. We ship coils, sheets, and custom lengths of any size to anywhere in the world. In 1-2 weeks the material is ready for dispatch.
Martensitic stainless steel and Docol® steel offering
Martensitic stainless steels are alloyed with 12–16 % chromium and 0,1–1,2 % carbon. Martensitic stainless steel properties include moderate corrosion resistance and high hardness and are used, for example, in applications like knives and scissors.
Docol® martensitic steel grades produced by SSAB are “carbon steel” martensitic grades with only 2–3 % alloying elements and are therefore not stainless. SSAB's goals for its automotive Docol® martensitic steels include high tensile strengths in combination with good drawability, good edge stretching properties and good weldability.
Docol® martensitic steel grades produced by SSAB are “carbon steel” martensitic grades with only 2–3 % alloying elements and are therefore not stainless. SSAB's goals for its automotive Docol® martensitic steels include high tensile strengths in combination with good drawability, good edge stretching properties and good weldability.