What Is ASTM A666?

Stainless steel is commonly used in many different industrial applications. Approximately 80 million tons of it are recycled in the U.S. every single year. There are various forms of stainless steel and different regulations on how it can be manufactured. Austenitic steel is most commonly used for numerous applications and is held to a specific standard for its use, known as ASTM A666. Here’s what you should know about austenitic steel and regulations for its use.

ASTM A666

What Is ASTM A666?
ASTM A666 is the specification standard for how austenitic stainless steel is heated and cooled for various applications. It states that this metal needs to adhere to certain requirements regarding chemical composition and should be formed into a thin steel sheet, bar, plate, or thin metal strips. This standard requires the metal to retain certain mechanical properties in regards to overall hardness, bending, elongation, tensile strength, and yield strength. The material is subjected to controlled-bend, tension, and free-bend testing.

ASTM stands for the American Society of Testing and Materials. The organization was started by Charles Dudley in 1898 along with a group of engineers and scientists. It was originally created to address the frequent rail breaks that were occurring in the railroad industry. As this organization grew, it created the official standards for all the other various metals that are used in industrial applications around the world.

What Is Austenitic Stainless Steel?
Austenitic stainless steel is an alloy that features austenite as its main crystalline structure. The austenite is stabilized with nitrogen, nickel, and manganese elements. They can’t be hardened by heat treatment and are considered non-magnetic and resistant to corrosion. They are typically cold worked to improve their overall durability.

This metal is commonly used to make cookware, automotive trim, industrial equipment, and food and beverage equipment. Certain grades of steel are used for storage vessels, tanks, and indoor architecture. The specific uses will depend on the amounts of additional combined metals that help stabilize the steel.

ASTM A666 ensures that the standard of use for austenitic stainless steel remains consistent across the board for various industrial applications around the world. This ensures the highest quality during the manufacturing process on an international basis. By meeting certain standards, customers can be assured that the products they buy are highly valuable and will last them for as long as they need.

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