Lesson Plan for Lecture RS-03

Title: Metal Numbering Systems

Prepared by Rick Shuster

In previous lectures we have discussed the properties of metals, composition and characteristics of metal. In this paper we will discuss the identification of metals through various numbering systems.

Types of numbering systems are:

AISI- AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL INSTITUTE

SAE- SOCIETY OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS

ASTM- AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING MATERIALS

ANSI- AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE

AA- ALUMINUM ASSOCIATION

CDA- COPPER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

MIL-SPECS- MILITARY SPECIFICATIONS {DOD}

FED-SPECS- FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS {GAO}

ISO- INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ORGANIZATION

UNS- UNIFIED NUMBERING SYSTEM

AMS- AEROSPACE MATERIAL SPECIFICATION

AWS- AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY

TRADE NAMES- i.e. MONEL, MUNTZ METAL, GUN METAL

COMPANY NUMBERING SYSTEMS- i.e. G.E., NASA

Several different numbering systems have been developed for metals and alloys by various trade associations, professional engineering societies, standards organizations, and by private industries for their own use. {i.e. G.E., NASA}

The numerical code used to identify the metal or alloy may or may not be related to a specification, which is a statement of the technical and commercial requirements that the product must meet.

As a Machinist you should have knowledge about the numbering systems in order to find the proper metal, or make an intelligent substitution. Be careful when making substitutions by chemical comparisons alone because, depending on the process used during manufacture, metals with the same chemical compositions can have quite different strength and mechanical properties. When a job of critical nature is involved the correct material with the correct specification should be employed.

UNIFIED NUMBERING SYSTEM.

A. Was developed through joint effort of the ASTM and SAE to provide a means of correlating the different numbering systems for metals and alloys that have a commercial standing.

B. Is not a specification.

C. It is an identification number for metals and alloys where specifications are provided elsewhere.

D. Has letter prefix followed by five digits. letter can be suggestive of family of metals,such as A-aluminum or C-copper.

UNS SERIES METAL

NON FERROUS METALS + ALLOYS

A00001 to A99999 ALUMINUM AND ALUMINUM ALLOYS

C00001 to C99999 COPPER AND COPPER ALLOYS

E00001 to E99999 RARE EARTH+R.E. LIKE METALS L00001 to L99999 LOW MELTING METALS + ALLOYS

M00001 to M99999 MISC.NON FER. METALS + ALLOYS

N00001 to N99999 NICKEL AND NICKEL ALLOYS

P00001 to P99999 PRECIOUS METALS AND ALLOYS

R00001 to R99999 REACTIVE,REFRACTORY METALS

Z00001 to Z99999 ZINC AND ZINC ALLOYS

FERROUS METALS AND ALLOYS

D00001 to D99999 SPECIFIED MECH PROPERTY STEELS F00001 to F99999 CAST IRONS

G00001 to G99999 AISI + SAE CARBON ALLOY STEELS H00001 to H99999 AISI H STEELS

J00001 to J99999 CAST STEELS {EXCEPT TOOL STL}

K00001 to K99999 MISC. STEELS + FERROUS ALLOYS

S00001 to S99999 HEAT + CORROSION RESIST. STEEL T00001 to T99999 TOOL STEELS

Examples of Unified Numbering System

Next we will cover the AISI-SAE NUMBERING SYSTEM.

A. Are the primary systems for identifying steels.

B. Although they are entirely separate systems, they are closely coordinated and nearly identical.

C. Steels are identified by four numbers, except certain chromium steels which have five numbers.

D. The first two numbers identify type of steel, the last two numbers indicates the approximate amount of carbon in hundredths of a percent.

E. Placed between the first and second set of numbers, the letter L indicates the steel contains lead to improve machinability, B indicates boron steel.

AISI / SAE NUMBERING SYSTEM

SAE 1020 10 20

1st digit designator

AISI C1020 C 10 20

furnace 2nd digit designator 3rd & 4th digit carbon content in 10ths of a percent (.20%)

B= Acid Bessemer

C= Basic Open Hearth

E= Electric furnace alloy steel

1. The first digit indicates the type of Steel

1= CARBON STEEL 4= MOLYBDENUM STEEL

2= NICKEL STEEL 5= CHROMIUM STEEL

3= NICKEL CHROMIUM STEEL 6= CHROMIUM VANADIUM STEEL

7= NATIONAL EMERGENCY STEEL

2. The second digit indicates the series within the group indicated by the first digit, or the percentage of the chief alloying element. SEE CHART

ELEMENT ABBREVIATIONS FROM PERIODIC TABLE

C = CARBON Cr= CHROMIUM Mn= MANGANESE Mo=MOLYBDENUM

Ni= NICKEL Si= SILICON V = VANADIUM Al= ALUMINUM

Co= COBALT Cu= COPPER Fe= IRON Pb= LEAD

P= PHOSPHOR S = SULPHUR Sn= TIN Ti= TITANIUM

W= TUNGSTEN Zn= ZINC

3. The third and fourth digits incicate the approximate middle of the Carbon range. The carbon is indicated in points 1 point Carbon = .01%

45 pt carbon = .45% 100 pt carbon = 1.0%

1000-1025= Low Carbon Steel 1025-1060 = Medium Carbon Steel 1060 & up = High Carbon Steel

Next we will cover the AISI - SAE Numbering system for Corrosion Resisting Steels.

A. SAE uses five digits AISI uses three, the last three digits of each correspond.

B. Is not a specification.

C. Listing shown is for wrought metal products, numbers also exist for castings. (32510, 35018, 43XXX, 60XXX, 70XXX)

Cr-Ni Austenitic steel (not hardenable by heat treatment)

Chromium Martensitic steel (hardenable)

Chromium Ferritic steel (not hardenable by heat treatment)

F = Free machining

A, B, C Denotes 3 types of steel differing only in Carbon content.

Se = Selenium

AISI Tool Steel designation system

A. Tool steels are either carbon or alloy steels, capable of being hardened and tempered, and are primarily used in the tool and die industry.

B. Are very expensive, normally manufactured in vacuum electric furnaces and are carefully controlled throughout the manufacturing process.

C. Initially developed to satisfy specific tool applications, and are still sold principally under manufactures’ TRADE NAMES.

D. Several attempts have been made to classify the more common analyses, the most recent and generally excepted classification is that adopted by AISI and SAE.

E. Steels of the same type manufactured by various producers may differ in mean values from the listed analysis and may contain elements not listed in the type identification.

AISI Tool Steel Designation system

Group Symbol Type

Water hardening W W-1,W-2,W-5

Shock resisting S S-1,S-2,S-5,S-6,S-7

Cold Work

Oil hardening O O-1,O-2,O-6,O-7

Medium Alloy A A-2,A-3,A-4,A-6,A-7,A-8,A-9,A-10

High C, High Cr D D-2,D-3,D-4,D-5,D-7

Hot Work H H1 to H19 Cr base/H20 to H39 W

base/H40 to H59 Mo base

High Speed Steel

Tungsten base T T-1,T-2,T-4,T-5,T-6,T-8,T-15

Molybdenum base M M-1, M-2,M-3cl 1, M-3cl 2, M-4,M-6

M-7,M-10,M-30,M-33,M-34,M-36,M-41

M-42,M-43,M-44,M-46,M-47

Special purpose

Low Alloy L L-2,L-6,L-7

Carbon-Tungsten F F-1,F-2

Mold Steels P P-2,P-4,P-5,P-6,P-20,P-21

The COPPER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION {CDA} numbering system

A. Covers both cast and wrought copper and copper alloys.

B. Consists of three digits, 100-799 designates wrought metals and 800-899 designates cast metals.

Wrought Alloys

Cast Alloys

ALUMINUM ASSOCIATION numbering system for wrought and cast metals

A. Utilizes four numbers for Wrought and three numbers a decimal point and another number for Cast.

B. Utilizes a suffix to indicate temper and process condition of the metal.

C. The first digit indicates the alloy group, 2nd digit indicates alloy modification, 3rd and 4th indicate different alloys in the group.

Wrought Aluminum

Number desig. Major Alloy

Cast Aluminum

Number desig. Major Alloy

example B8XX.X

B- Letter indicates alloy modification

8- Indicates major alloy element of Tin

XX- Serves only to indicate alloys in the group

.X- Indicates product form .0 indicates castings

.1 or .2 indicates ingots

TEMPER DESIGNATION FOR ALUMINUM ALLOYS

i.e. 2024-T6

(Aluminum-Copper alloy/solution heat treated and artificially aged)

5456-H32

(Aluminum-Manganese alloy/strain hardened and stabilized, 1/4 Hard)

F- Fabricated

O- Annealed recrystallized (wrought only)

H- Strain hardened (wrought only)

H1- Strain hardened only

H2- Strain hardened and partially annealed

H3- Strain hardened and stabilized

W- Solution heat treated-unstable temper

T- Treated to produce stable tempers other than F O or H

T2- Annealed (cast only)

T3- Solution heat treated then cold worked

T4- Solution heat treated and naturally aged

T5- Artificially aged only

T6- Solution heat treated and artificially aged

T7- Solution heat treated and stabilized

T8- Solution heat treated, cold worked and artificially aged

T9- Solution heat treated, artificially aged and cold worked

T10- Artificially aged and cold worked

2= 1/4 Hard

4= 1/2 Hard

6= 3/4 Hard

8= Full Hard

Federal Specifications (GAO)Government Accounting Office

QQ - N - 281 cl. A form 1 HF

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. - Indicates group of material

QQ = metals

WW = Pipe, Pipe fittings, Tube and Tubing(metallic)

2. - The first letter of the title of the material or specification.

(1. Reader is cautioned that the below letter designations are for illustration only and that they are not all inclusive. 2. Actual current Fed Specs should be drawn from a Tech Library, The sponsoring agency or a company like Information Handling Services any time a specific material is required for a job.)

3. - Serial number that identifies the specification and is not related to other numbering systems.

4. - Class, Condition, Form, Alloy number, Composition, Type or Grade.

Some examples follow

Military Specifications (DOD)Department of Defense

Mil - S - 862 cl. 304

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. - Indicates a Military Specification

2. - Appears to be like Fed Specs.

E - Electrode Welding

B - Bolt, Brass, Bronze

S - Steel, Strainer

C - Copper-Nickel

V - Valve

N - Nickel, Nickel Copper, Inconel

(1. Reader is cautioned that the letter designations are for illustration only and that they are not all inclusive. 2. Actual current Fed Specs should be drawn from a Tech Library, The sponsoring agency or a company like Information Handling Services any time a specific material is required for a job.)

3. - Serial number that identifies the specification

4. - Class, Condition, Form, Alloy number, Composition, Type or Grade.

Some examples follow

ASTM - American Society for Testing Materials (specifications)

A108-61T Gr. 1030 B235-61 Alloy 6061

1 2 3 T 4 1 2 3 4

1st letter indicates general classification.

A - Ferrous B - Non-Ferrous

2nd number is serial number of specification.(108 or 235 in this case)

3rd number is year of adoption or last revision. (1961 in both cases)

If a “T” is behind date it represents a tentative specification.

4Th number is a Grade, Alloy or Class

The ASTM Specifications are complete procurement specifications, and have detail requirements in addition to the chemical compositions.

Individual copies can be obtained for a nominal fee from the Society at Philadelphia 2, Pennsylvania. Or through Global Engineering Documents 1-800-854-7179.

AMS - Aerospace Material Specifications

A. Are prepared by the Aerospace Materials Division of the Aerospace council. They may be obtained at a nominal cost from the Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., 485 Lexington Avenue, New York 17 N.Y.. Or through Global Engineering Documents 1-800-854-7179.

B. Are complete procurement specifications. They include requirements regarding form, quality, test reports, etc., and are the basis for acceptance or rejection of such purchased materials and/or parts.

C. The chemical and physical composition of the materials covered by the AMS are coordinated so far as possible with SAE general standard for similar materials, but where necessary the limits of acceptable composition may be more restrictive.

D. The Aerospace material specifications have many detail requirements in addition to the chemical analysis of the material. The fact that they are cross-referenced does not mean that such specifications are parallel or interchangeable.

AMS 6280D Gr. 8630 AMS 5712

1 2 3 4 (8630 steel) 1 2 (Rene 41 Alloy Bar or Forging)

1. AMS indicates this to be an Aerospace material specification.

2. 4Digit number is serial number of specification.

3. The revision. (D is 4th revision)

4. The 4 is a Grade, Alloy or Class number if part of spec.