ASTM "A" vs ASME "SA"
ASME adopts ASTM material specifications into the Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code with an "S" prefix – ASTM A312 becomes ASME SA-312. The requirements are usually identical, sometimes with additional ASME requirements.
Specification Basics
How to Read a Specification
A material designation on a purchase order or mill certificate tells you exactly what was ordered. Here is a typical stainless pipe designation, decoded.
- 1ASME SA-312ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code (Section II) version of the specification – required for code-stamped construction.
- 2ASTM A312The ASTM product specification – here, seamless and welded austenitic stainless steel pipe.
- 3TP316LGrade within the specification – "TP" (type) 316, "L" for low carbon (≤ 0.03% C).
- 4SMLSProduct type – seamless (WLD = welded, EFW = electric-fusion welded).
- 52" SCH 40SSize and wall – nominal pipe size and schedule per ASME B36.19M.
Dual Certification
Material that meets both grades – for example 316/316L or ASTM A312/ASME SA-312 – can be certified to both on a single mill certificate, giving flexibility in design and procurement.
Product vs General Specs
A product specification (e.g. A312) refers to a general-requirements specification (e.g. A999) for common rules on tolerances, testing, marking and certification.
Editions Matter
Standards are revised periodically. Unless a specific edition is stated on the order, material is supplied to the current edition of the specification.
Specifications We Supply To
Filter by product or search by specification number, material or grade.
Pipes & Tubes 21
Seamless, welded and heavily cold-worked austenitic stainless steel pipes
TP304/304L, TP316/316L, TP310S, TP321, TP347
Seamless ferritic and austenitic alloy-steel boiler, superheater and heat-exchanger tubes
T11, T22, T91, TP304, TP316
Welded austenitic steel boiler, superheater, heat-exchanger and condenser tubes
TP304/304L, TP316/316L
Seamless and welded austenitic stainless steel tubing for general service
TP304/304L, TP316/316L
Seamless and welded austenitic and duplex stainless steel sanitary tubing
TP304, TP316L
Seamless and welded ferritic/austenitic (duplex) stainless steel pipe
S31803, S32205, S32750, S32760
Seamless and welded ferritic/austenitic (duplex) stainless steel tubing for general service
S31803, S32205, S32750
Seamless carbon steel pipe for high-temperature service
Grade A, B, C
Pipe, steel, black and hot-dipped zinc-coated, welded and seamless
Grade A, B
Seamless and welded steel pipe for low-temperature service
Grade 1, 3, 6
Seamless ferritic alloy-steel pipe for high-temperature service
P5, P9, P11, P22, P91
Nickel-copper alloy seamless pipe and tube
Monel 400 (N04400)
Nickel-chromium-iron alloy seamless pipe and tube
Inconel 600 (N06600), 601, 690
Nickel-chromium-molybdenum-columbium alloy pipe and tube
Inconel 625 (N06625)
Seamless nickel and nickel-cobalt alloy pipe and tube
Hastelloy C-276 (N10276), C-22 (N06022)
Seamless and welded titanium and titanium-alloy tubes for condensers and heat exchangers
Grade 2, Grade 5
Titanium and titanium-alloy seamless pipe
Grade 2, Grade 5
Seamless steel tubes for pressure purposes – stainless steel tubes
1.4301, 1.4404, 1.4462
Welded steel tubes for pressure purposes – stainless steel tubes
1.4301, 1.4404
Steel tubes, tubulars and other wrought steel fittings – mild steel tubes
Light, medium, heavy
Stainless steel pipes
SUS304TP, SUS316LTP
Plates & Sheets 14
Chromium and chromium-nickel stainless steel plate, sheet and strip for pressure vessels and general applications
304/304L, 316/316L, 310S, 410, 430, 2205, 2507
Carbon steel pressure-vessel plates for moderate and lower-temperature service
Grade 55, 60, 65, 70
Chromium-molybdenum alloy steel pressure-vessel plates
Grade 11, 12, 22
Carbon structural steel
Plates, bars and shapes
Nickel-copper alloy plate, sheet and strip
Monel 400 (N04400)
Nickel-chromium-iron alloy plate, sheet and strip
Inconel 600 (N06600), 601
Nickel-chromium-molybdenum-columbium alloy plate, sheet and strip
Inconel 625 (N06625)
Low-carbon nickel-molybdenum-chromium alloy plate, sheet and strip
Hastelloy C-276, C-22
Titanium and titanium-alloy strip, sheet and plate
Grade 1, 2, 5
Aluminium and aluminium-alloy sheet and plate
5083, 6061, 6082
Copper sheet, strip, plate and rolled bar
C11000 (ETP)
Flat products made of steels for pressure purposes – stainless steels
1.4301, 1.4404, 1.4462
Hot-rolled products of structural steels – non-alloy structural steels
S235, S275, S355
Hot-rolled medium and high tensile structural steel
E250, E350, E410
Bars, Rods & Wire 22
Stainless steel bars and shapes
304/304L, 316/316L, 410, 420, 431
Stainless steel bars and shapes for use in boilers and other pressure vessels
304/304L, 316/316L, 2205
Free-machining stainless steel bars
303, 416, 430F
General requirements for hot-wrought carbon and alloy steel bars
1020, 1045, 4140, 4340, 8620
Steel bars, alloy, standard grades
4140, 4340, 5140, 8620
Tool steels, alloy
D2, D3, H11, H13, O1, P20
Nickel-copper alloy rod, bar and wire
Monel 400, K-500
Nickel-chromium-iron alloy rod, bar and wire
Inconel 600 (N06600)
Nickel-chromium-molybdenum-columbium alloy rod and bar
Inconel 625 (N06625)
Low-carbon nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy rod
Hastelloy C-276, C-22
Titanium and titanium-alloy bars and billets
Grade 2, Grade 5
Free-cutting brass rod, bar and shapes for use in screw machines
C36000
Aluminium and aluminium-alloy rolled or cold-finished bar, rod and wire
6061, 2011
Aluminium and aluminium-alloy extruded bars, rods, wire, profiles and tubes
6061, 6082, 6063
Wrought steels for mechanical and allied engineering purposes (origin of "EN" designations)
EN1A, EN3B, EN8, EN16, EN19, EN24, EN31, EN36, EN353
Steels for quenching and tempering
C45, 42CrMo4, 34CrNiMo6
Case-hardening steels
16MnCr5, 20MnCr5, 20NiCrMo2-2
Nitriding steels
41CrAlMo7-10
Stainless steels – semi-finished products, bars, rods, wire, sections
1.4301, 1.4404, 1.4057
Tool steels
X153CrMoV12 (D2), X40CrMoV5-1 (H13)
Schedules for wrought steels (Indian designations)
Carbon, alloy and stainless steels
High-carbon bright steel (silver steel)
Ground and polished bar
Pipe Fittings 9
Wrought austenitic stainless steel piping fittings
WP304/304L, WP316/316L, WP321
Wrought carbon and alloy steel piping fittings for moderate and high-temperature service
WPB, WPC, WP11, WP22, WP91
Wrought carbon and alloy steel piping fittings for low-temperature service
WPL3, WPL6
Wrought ferritic, ferritic/austenitic (duplex) and martensitic stainless steel piping fittings
WPS31803, WPS32205, WPS32750
Factory-made wrought nickel and nickel-alloy fittings
Monel, Inconel, Hastelloy
Factory-made wrought buttwelding fittings – dimensions and tolerances
Elbows, tees, reducers, caps
Forged fittings, socket-welding and threaded
Class 2000, 3000, 6000, 9000
Wrought and fabricated butt-welding fittings for low-pressure, corrosion-resistant applications
Sch 5S, 10S stainless fittings
Integrally reinforced forged branch outlet fittings
Weldolet, sockolet, threadolet
Flanges & Forgings 10
Forged or rolled alloy and stainless steel pipe flanges, forged fittings, valves and parts
F5, F11, F22, F304/304L, F316/316L, F51, F53
Carbon steel forgings for piping applications
Flanges, fittings, valve parts
Carbon and low-alloy steel forgings requiring notch toughness testing for piping components
LF2, LF3
Carbon and alloy steel forgings for pipe flanges, fittings and parts for high-pressure transmission service
F52, F60, F65
Nickel-alloy forgings
Monel 400, Inconel 600/625, C-276
Titanium and titanium-alloy forgings
Grade F2, F5
Pipe flanges and flanged fittings – NPS ½ through NPS 24
Class 150 to 2500
Large-diameter steel flanges – NPS 26 through NPS 60
Series A and Series B
Line blanks
Spectacle blinds, spacers, paddle blanks
Flanges and their joints – steel flanges, PN designated
PN 6 to PN 400
Fasteners 3
Alloy and stainless steel bolting for high-temperature or high-pressure service
B7, B8, B8M, B16
Carbon, alloy and stainless steel nuts for high-pressure or high-temperature service
2H, 4, 7, 8, 8M
Alloy and stainless steel bolting for low-temperature service
L7, L7M, B8, B8M
Dimensions & General Requirements 7
Welded and seamless wrought steel pipe – dimensions and schedules
NPS ⅛ to 80
Stainless steel pipe – dimensions and schedules
Sch 5S, 10S, 40S, 80S
General requirements for alloy and stainless steel pipe
Tolerances, testing, marking
General requirements for specialized carbon and alloy steel pipe
Tolerances, testing, marking
General requirements for ferritic alloy, austenitic alloy and stainless steel tubes
Tolerances, testing, marking
General requirements for flat-rolled stainless and heat-resisting steel plate, sheet and strip
Thickness, flatness, finish
General requirements for stainless steel bars, billets and forgings
Size tolerances, finish
Testing & Certification 7
Metallic products – types of inspection documents
Type 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2
Test methods and definitions for mechanical testing of steel products
Tensile, hardness, impact
Test methods for tension testing of metallic materials
Tensile, yield, elongation
Practices for detecting susceptibility to intergranular attack in austenitic stainless steels
Practice A, B, C, E
Test methods for detecting detrimental intermetallic phase in duplex stainless steels
Method A, B, C
Test methods for pitting and crevice corrosion resistance by ferric chloride
Method A, C
Materials for use in H₂S-containing environments in oil and gas production (sour service)
Compliance on request
– not listed, but we can supply to it
This directory lists the specifications we are most often asked for. Material can be supplied to other national, international or customer specifications – send us the standard, grade and size.
Standard titles are paraphrased for reference. Material is supplied to the specification, grade, edition and supplementary requirements stated on the purchase order, with mill test certificates as per EN 10204. For grade details see Material Grades; for cross-references see Equivalent Grades.
Standards Organisations
ASTM International
Material specifications for steel and alloys – chemistry, mechanical properties, heat treatment and testing (A-series ferrous, B-series non-ferrous, E & G test methods).
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Dimensional standards for pipe, flanges and fittings (B36, B16) and the Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, which adopts ASTM materials as "SA" / "SB" specifications.
European Standards (CEN)
Harmonised European standards such as EN 10088 (stainless steels), EN 10216 (seamless pressure tubes), EN 1092-1 (flanges) and EN 10204 (inspection documents).
DIN – German Institute
German national standards. Many have been superseded by EN standards, but DIN designations and material numbers (W.Nr. 1.4301, 1.2379) remain widely used.
British Standards Institution
BS 970 introduced the "EN" series of engineering steels (EN8, EN19, EN24, EN31) still used for ordering in India and the UK.
Bureau of Indian Standards
Indian national standards such as IS 2062 (structural steel), IS 1239 (steel tubes) and IS 1570 (wrought steel designations).
Japanese Industrial Standards
Japanese designations such as SUS 304 and SUS 316, and product standards like JIS G4303 (stainless bars) and G3459 (stainless pipe).
Manufacturers Standardization Society
Standard practices for valves, fittings and flanges – e.g. MSS SP-43 (light-wall stainless fittings) and SP-97 (branch outlet fittings).
AFNOR – French Standards
French designations still found on European drawings – Z2CND17-12 (316L), 42CD4 (42CrMo4), 35NCD6 (EN24), 100C6 (EN31). See our Equivalent Grades chart for the AFNOR column.
Specification Enquiry
Need Material to a Specific Standard?
Tell us the specification, grade, size, quantity and any supplementary requirements (NACE, impact testing, IGC, third-party inspection) – we'll confirm compliance and documentation before you order.