Steel section equivalents: ISMB, IPE and W-shapes
Projects that mix Indian, European and American drawings, or import steel from another market, often need the nearest section in another standard. The tables below match each Indian section to the closest European and American section by depth and weight per metre.
An equivalent by depth and weight is a starting point, not a substitute. Flange width, thickness, moment of inertia and section modulus differ, so check bending, buckling, deflection and connections before replacing one section with another.
ISMB beams vs IPE and W-shapes
| ISMB | kg/m | Closest IPE / HE | kg/m | Closest W-shape | kg/m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISMB 100 | 9.0 | IPE 100 | 8.1 | M4x6 | 8.9 |
| ISMB 125 | 13.4 | IPE 140 | 12.9 | S5x10 | 15.0 |
| ISMB 150 | 15.0 | IPE 160 | 15.8 | W6x9 | 13.5 |
| ISMB 175 | 19.5 | IPE 180 | 18.8 | S6x12.5 | 18.6 |
| ISMB 200 | 24.2 | IPE 200 | 22.4 | W8x15 | 22.5 |
| ISMB 225 | 31.2 | IPE 240 | 30.7 | W8x21 | 31.3 |
| ISMB 250 | 37.3 | IPE 270 | 36.1 | S10x25.4 | 37.8 |
| ISMB 300 | 46.0 | IPE 300 | 42.2 | S12x31.8 | 47.3 |
| ISMB 350 | 52.3 | IPE 360 | 57.1 | W14x34 | 51.0 |
| ISMB 400 | 61.6 | IPE 400 | 66.3 | W16x40 | 60.0 |
| ISMB 450 | 72.4 | IPE 450 | 77.6 | W18x50 | 74.0 |
| ISMB 500 | 86.9 | IPE 500 | 90.7 | S20x66 | 98.2 |
| ISMB 550 | 103.6 | IPE 550 | 105.5 | W21x68 | 101.0 |
| ISMB 600 | 121.0 | IPE 600 | 122.5 | S24x80 | 119.0 |
ISMC channels vs UPN and C channels
| ISMC | kg/m | Closest UPN | kg/m | Closest C / MC | kg/m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISMC 75 | 7.1 | UPN 65 | 7.1 | C3x5 | 7.4 |
| ISMC 100 | 9.6 | UPN 100 | 10.6 | C4x6.25 | 9.3 |
| ISMC 125 | 13.1 | UPN 120 | 13.3 | C5x9 | 13.0 |
| ISMC 150 | 16.8 | UPN 140 | 16.0 | MC6x12 | 17.9 |
| ISMC 175 | 19.6 | UPN 180 | 21.9 | C7x12.25 | 18.2 |
| ISMC 200 | 22.3 | UPN 200 | 25.3 | C8x13.75 | 20.5 |
| ISMC 225 | 26.1 | UPN 220 | 29.4 | C9x20 | 30.0 |
| ISMC 250 | 30.6 | UPN 240 | 33.2 | C10x20 | 30.0 |
| ISMC 300 | 36.3 | UPN 300 | 46.1 | C12x25 | 37.0 |
| ISMC 350 | 42.7 | UPN 300 | 46.1 | MC13x31.8 | 47.3 |
| ISMC 400 | 50.1 | UPN 380 | 63.1 | C15x33.9 | 50.4 |
How the matches are chosen
For each section, the candidate sections of the same type in the other standard are ranked by the difference in depth (weighted twice) plus the difference in weight per metre. Candidates more than 15 % deeper or shallower, or more than 35 % heavier or lighter, are not shown. A dash means no section in that standard is close enough.
Why the shapes differ
- ISMB sections have sloping inner flange faces (98° flange angle) and relatively narrow flanges.
- IPE sections have parallel flanges and are slightly lighter for the same depth.
- W-shapes are designated by nominal depth in inches and weight in lb/ft, and each depth comes in many weights, so a W-shape match often has a wider flange.
Each section page shows its equivalents drawn over each other at the same scale, e.g. ISMB 200.