ASME SB and SA Specifications

Why ASME Adopts ASTM Specifications

Boilers, pressure vessels and much process piping are designed to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. The code can only use material bought to specifications it recognises. Rather than write its own, ASME adopts ASTM documents into Section II, gives them an S prefix and adds requirements where it needs them. The details are noted on the cover sheet of each ASME specification.

• Section II Part A: ferrous material specifications (SA-240, SA-182, SA-790 and so on).
• Section II Part B: nonferrous material specifications (SB-443, SB-575, SB-265 and so on).
• Parts C and D: welding consumables and material properties, not product specifications.

The same system covers copper alloys. Seamless 90/10 and 70/30 copper-nickel condenser and seawater tube, for example, is bought to ASME SB-466, the ASME edition of ASTM B466.

What Dual Marking Means for Scrap

Material from pressure equipment such as exchanger tube bundles, vessel shells, heads and process piping usually carries dual ASTM/ASME marking and dual-certified mill certificates. For a scrap buyer it means two things. The material came from code-grade supply, which usually means good traceability. And the ASME number points to the same alloy as the ASTM number, so SB-622 and B622 read the same way.

ASTM to ASME Equivalents for Grades We Trade

Where ASME Is Not Used

Aerospace alloys such as 718 forgings, Waspaloy-type discs and cast superalloys are bought to AMS or engine-maker specifications, not to ASME. See AMS specifications. Oilfield material often adds API requirements on top of ASTM. See NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156.

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