The ASTM standard specifies the specific manufacturing process and precise chemical composition requirements for steel tubes, fittings, and flanges, including the percentage of carbon, manganese, nickel, and other chemical elements. Each material is distinguished by steel Grade.

What is ASTM Steel Grade?

ASTM standards specify specific manufacturing processes and precise chemical composition requirements for steel tubes, fittings and flanges, including percentages of chemical elements such as carbon, manganese and nickel. Materials are distinguished by steel Grade.

For example: carbon steel pipe material with A, B to distinguish, stainless steel pipe material with TP304 or TP321 to represent, carbon steel pipe with steel WPB, and so on.

Here are three examples, with different chemical requirements:

1. Flanges, ASTM A182 Grade F304, F304L, F316L

2. Steel pipe, ASTM A312 Grade TP304, TP304L, TP316L

3. Pipe fitting, ASTM A403 Grade WP304, WP304L, WP316L

In an engineering project bill of Materials, ASTM grades frequently appear in the description of steel tubes, fittings, flanges, valves, bolts, and studs as a system.

As you know, ASTM A105 does not distinguish between steel grades, and the ASTM A105N description is sometimes used. N does not mean a steel class, but means normalizing. Normalizing is a type of heat treatment used only for ferritic materials. The main purpose of normalizing is to eliminate internal stresses that form during forging, casting, or forming.

ASTM Pipe accessories for common steel materials

ASTM Steel pipe

A106 - Provides for seamless carbon steel tubes for high temperature use

A335 - Provides for ferritic seamless alloy steel tubes for high temperature use

A333 - Provides for seamless and welded carbon steel and alloy steel pipes for use at low temperatures

ASTM Pipe fittings

A234 - Provides for rolling carbon and alloy steel seamless and welded pipe fitting materials

A420 - Provides for rolling carbon steel and alloy steel pipe fitting materials for low temperature use

A403 - Provides for rolled austenitic stainless steel pipe fitting materials

ASTM flange

A105 - Specifies forged carbon steel pipe element materials

A182 - Specifies wrought alloy steel and stainless steel pipe element materials

A350 - Specifies carbon steel and low alloy steel pipe element materials for forging at low temperature

ASTM valve

A216 - Specifies carbon steel castings suitable for fusion welding for use at high temperatures

A217 - Specifies martensitic stainless steel and alloy steel castings for use at high temperatures and under pressure

A352 - Provides for ferritic and martensitic stainless steel castings for low temperature bearing

ASTM Bolts and nuts

A193 - Provides for stainless steel and alloy steel bolt materials for high temperature pressure equipment

A194 - Provides for carbon and alloy steel nut materials for high temperature and high pressure equipment

A320 - Specifies alloy steel and stainless steel bolt materials for low temperature use