Short answer
IPE, HEA, HEB and HEM are European parallel-flange I and H sections defined in EN 10365. IPE is a lighter beam series, and HEA, HEB and HEM are progressively heavier wide-flange series used as beams and columns. The number after the letters is the nominal height in millimetres, so IPE 300 and HEB 300 are both about 300 mm tall.
The series at a glance
| Section | Mass | Depth | Flange width |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPE 200 | 22.4 kg/m | 200 mm | 100 mm |
| IPE 300 | 42.2 kg/m | 300 mm | 150 mm |
| HEA 200 | 42.3 kg/m | 190 mm | 200 mm |
| HEB 200 | 61.3 kg/m | 200 mm | 200 mm |
| HEB 300 | 117 kg/m | 300 mm | 300 mm |
IPE sections are narrow-flanged and efficient as beams. HE sections have wide flanges that are as wide as they are deep (at least in the larger sizes), so they work as columns. For a given nominal height, HEA is the lightest of the three H series, HEB is heavier, and HEM is heaviest.
Why the number is not always the real depth
The number is a nominal height. A HEA 200 is actually 190 mm deep, while a HEB 200 is 200 mm. Never read the depth off the designation when it matters. The table gives the actual dimension, and every size is in the shape database.
Lightweight variants (HEAA) and other series exist as well. The EN section family also includes IPN (tapered-flange I beams) and UPN and UPE channels, which you will meet on older drawings.
Where to expect them
IPE and HE sections show up on drawings from continental Europe and in jobs that follow Eurocode, including many industrial and export projects. Steel grades come from EN 10025, with S235, S275 and S355 the common ones. Weights are in kg/m and the designation does not contain the weight, so you must look it up. Multiply by 0.67197 to compare with lb/ft: an IPE 300 at 42.2 kg/m is 28.36 lb/ft.
Callouts are written in many ways: IPE300, IPE 300, HEA200, HE200A. A takeoff tool that only recognizes one spelling will miss the others. SteelFlo recognizes European sections in their drafted forms and keeps them as European sections.
How do they compare with W shapes?
They do the same job but they are different sections. An IPE 300 (42.2 kg/m) is about 9 percent heavier than a W310x38.7, the metric name for a W12x26. Treat equivalents as substitutions that need an engineer's approval. See HEA vs HEB vs HEM, the IPE weight chart and European steel sections guide.
More sizes, in both units
| Section | kg/m | lb/ft | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPE 80 | 6.0 | 4.03 | 80 mm |
| IPE 160 | 15.8 | 10.62 | 160 mm |
| IPE 240 | 30.7 | 20.63 | 240 mm |
| IPE 400 | 66.3 | 44.55 | 400 mm |
| HEA 100 | 16.7 | 11.22 | 96 mm |
| HEA 300 | 88.3 | 59.33 | 290 mm |
| HEB 100 | 20.4 | 13.71 | 100 mm |
| HEB 400 | 155 | 104.16 | 400 mm |
Compare HEA 300 (88.3 kg/m) with HEB 300 (117 kg/m) from the first table: same nominal height, noticeably different weight. That is why the letter matters when you price by weight.
What other European sections show up?
- IPN: I beams with tapered flanges, the older European equivalent of an American S shape.
- UPN and UPE: channels, with UPN tapered and UPE parallel flange.
- HEAA and HEM: lighter and heavier variants of the HE series.
- SHS, RHS and CHS: hollow sections to EN 10210 (hot-finished) and EN 10219 (cold-formed).
- L: angles to EN 10056-1, written leg x leg x thickness, like L 90x90x10 at 13.4 kg/m.
- T: tees cut from I sections.
SteelFlo has the European families in its database and handles the common drafting variants of the names. See UPN and UPE channel sizes.
Takeoff tips for European drawings
Check the language and the sheet convention: a German, French or Spanish set may use local abbreviations alongside the EN names. Quantities may appear in parts lists next to the drawing, and the lists can be cross-checked against your count. Steel grade (S235, S275, S355) is in the notes. Lengths are in mm, and weights in kg. A complete takeoff reports mass in tonnes, so keep everything metric until the very end.
If a drawing includes a parts list, use it as a check, not a replacement for counting. Parts lists can omit items and may not reflect the latest revision.
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