Designation: A809 − 08 (Reapproved 2013)

Standard Specification for

Aluminum-Coated (Aluminized) Carbon Steel Wire1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A809; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope nickel, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, or zirconium or any other

1.1 This specification covers soft, medium, and hard temper element is added to obtain a desired alloying effect; (2) when
carbon steel wire coated with aluminum by a hot-dip process, the specified minimum copper content does not exceed 0.40 %;
supplied in coils for general use. or ( 3) when the maximum specified content for any of the
following elements does not exceed these percentages: man-
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded ganese 1.65, silicon 0.60, or copper 0.60.
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
3.1.2 aluminum-coated (aluminized) wire—aluminum-
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
coated (aluminized) wire is produced by passing individual
and are not considered standard.
wires through a bath of molten aluminum, after first being
2. Referenced Documents properly preheated, cleaned, and pickled.
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 3.1.3 temper—as applied to aluminum-coated (aluminized)
A370 Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing wire, pertains to stiffness or resistance to bending. It has
of Steel Products customarily been expressed by tensile strength as shown in the
A428/A428M Test Method for Weight [Mass] of Coating on three ranges given in Table 1. The temper of a given chemical
Aluminum-Coated Iron or Steel Articles composition can be controlled by the use of a different thermal
A700 Practices for Packaging, Marking, and Loading Meth- treatment for each temper. Different properties can also be
ods for Steel Products for Shipment obtained by varying the chemical composition for a given
E29 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to thermal treatment. A thorough understanding of the end use of
Determine Conformance with Specifications the wire, which involves both tensile strength and ductility,
2.2 U.S. Military Standards:3 should be reached between the user and the manufacturer of the
MIL-STD-129 Marking for Shipment and Storage aluminum-coated (aluminized) wire. Requirements for both
MIL-STD-1188 Commercial Packaging of Supplies and chemical composition and mechanical properties may be
Equipment technologically impracticable.
2.3 U.S. Federal Standard: 4. Ordering Information
Fed. Std. No. 123 Marking for Shipment (Civil Agencies)3
4.1 Orders for material under this specification should
3. Terminology include the following information:
4.1.1 Quantity (weight in pounds (kilograms)),
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard: 4.1.2 Coated wire diameter, expressed to 0.001 in. (0.025
3.1.1 carbon steel—steel is considered to be carbon steel (1) mm),
when no minimum content is specified or required for 4.1.3 Name of material (aluminum-coated carbon steel
aluminum, chromium, cobalt, columbium, molybdenum, wire),
4.1.4 Temper (soft, medium, or hard) (Table 1),
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A05 on 4.1.5 Packaging requirements, and
Metallic-Coated Iron and Steel Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcom- 4.1.6 ASTM designation and year of issue.
mittee A05.12 on Wire Specifications.
Current edition approved April 1, 2013. Published April 2013. Originally NOTE 1—A typical ordering description is as follows: 40 000 lb,
approved in 1983. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as A809 – 08. DOI: 0.148-in. aluminum-coated carbon steel wire, medium temper, in 500- to
10.1520/A0809-08R13. 600-lb catch-weight coils on tubular carriers to ASTM A809–88.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM 5. Materials and Manufacture
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website.
5.1 The steel rod from which the wire is produced shall be
3
Available from Standardization Documents Order Desk, Bldg. 4, Section D, manufactured by any commercially accepted steel making
700 Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Attn: NPODS. practice.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

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 A809 − 08 (2013)
TABLE 1 Tensile Strength for Temper Designation A428M, shall have a minimum weight of aluminum coating in
Tensile Strength, ksi (MPa)A accordance with Table 2.
Wire Diameter, in.
(mm) Hard Temper
Soft Temper Medium Temper
9. Adherence of Coating
0.080 to under 0.106 75 max 70 to 95 85 to 115 9.1 The aluminum-coated wire as represented by the test
(2.03 to 2.69) (515 max) (485 to 655) (585 to 795) specimens shall be capable of being wrapped in a close helix at
0.106 to 0.176, incl 70 max 65 to 90 80 to 110 a rate not exceeding 15 turns/min around a cylindrical steel
(2.69 to 4.47) (485 max) (450 to 620) (550 to 760)
Over 0.176 70 max 60 to 85 75 to 105 mandrel having a diameter equal to three times the nominal
(over 4.47) (485 max) (415 to 585) (515 to 725) diameter of the coated wire under test, without cracking or
A
For the purpose of determining conformance with this specification, an observed flaking the aluminum coating to such an extent that any
value shall be rounded to the nearest 1 ksi in accordance with the rounding method aluminum can be removed by rubbing with the bare fingers.
of Practice E29.
9.2 Loosening or detachment during the adhesion test of
superficial, small particles of aluminum formed by mechanical
polishing of the surface of the aluminum-coated wire shall not
5.2 The ingot or pig aluminum used for coating shall be considered cause for rejection.
conform to the following impurity limits:
max, % 10. Workmanship
Copper 0.10
Iron 0.50 10.1 The aluminum-coated wire shall be free of slivers,
scale, and other imperfections not consistent with good com-
6. Mechanical Properties mercial practice. The coating shall be continuous and reason-
6.1 The aluminum-coated wire shall meet the tensile ably uniform. To ensure large continuous length coils, welds
strength in accordance with Table 1 when tested in accordance may be present in the finished wire.
with Test Methods and Definitions A370.
11. Number of Tests and Retests
6.2 Test specimens containing a weld or an obvious defect
shall be discarded and another test specimen obtained to verify 11.1 A lot shall consist of all of the coils of wire of the same
conformance to the tensile strength requirements. size, type and class, and shall be offered for inspection at one
time. A wire sample of sufficient length, approximately 4 ft.
7. Dimensions and Tolerances (1.2 m), shall be cut from either end of each coil selected for
tests described in Sections 6, 8, and 9.
7.1 The permissible variation in diameter of the aluminum-
coated wire as represented by the test specimens shall be in 11.2 The number of test specimens taken from the ends of
accordance with Table 2. coils during production to assure compliance with Sections 6
and 7 varies with the quality control procedures and the
8. Weight of Coating manufacturing facilities of each manufacturer, but is generally
8.1 The aluminum-coated wire as represented by the test not less than 10 % of the coils produced. For the purpose of
specimens tested in accordance with Test Method A428/ final product testing, one specimen from every ten coils or
fraction thereof in a lot shall be selected at random, or a total
of seven specimens, whichever is less.
TABLE 2 Dimensions, Tolerances, and Minimum Weight of
Aluminum Coating per Unit Area of Uncoated Wire Surface
11.3 Should one or more of the wire specimens fail any
requirement, the lot shall be subjected to retest. For retest
Minimum
Specified Wire Diameter, in.
Tolerance, ±in. (mm)B Weight of Aluminum purposes the original lot shall be regrouped into 50 coil lots or
(mm)A
Coating, oz/ft2 (g/m2) fractions thereof. Each lot shall be tested for the property in
which the original sample failed to comply at a frequency of
0.080 to under 0.092 10 % or more so that the total number of tests is at least double
(2.03 to under 2.34) 0.004 (0.10) 0.30 (92)
0.092 to under 0.106 the original. Any lot that exhibits a failure shall be rejected. If
(2.34 to under 2.69) 0.004 (0.10) 0.32 (98) during retesting an additional quality parameter is observed to
0.106 to under 0.148 be defective, the lot of 50 is subject to rejection for that cause.
(2.69 to under 3.76) 0.004 (0.10) 0.35 (107)
0.148 to under 0.244 The manufacturer may test each coil in the failed lot for the
(3.76 to under 6.20) 0.004 (0.10) 0.40 (122) property in which failure occurred and reject only the noncon-
0.244 forming coils.
(6.20) 0.005 (0.13) 0.40 (122)
A
For the purpose of determining conformance with this specification, an observed 12. Inspection
value shall be rounded to the nearest 0.001 in., in accordance with the rounding
method of Practice E29.
B
12.1 Unless otherwise specified in the contract or purchase
It is recognized that the surfaces of heavy aluminum coatings, particularly those
produced by the hot dip process, are not perfectly smooth. If the tolerances shown
order, the manufacturer is responsible for the performance of
in this table are rigidly applied to such irregularities that are inherent to the product, all inspection and test requirements specified in this specifica-
unjustified rejections of wire that would actually be satisfactory for use could occur. tion. Except as otherwise specified in the contract or purchase
Therefore, it is intended that these tolerances be used in gaging the uniform areas
of the aluminized wire. order, the manufacturer may use his own or any other suitable
facilities for the performance of the inspection and test

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 A809 − 08 (2013)
requirements, unless disapproved by the purchaser at the time 14.2 Packaging of the coils of wire shall be by agreement
the order is placed. The purchaser shall have the right to between the producer and the purchaser. This agreement shall
perform any of the inspections and tests set forth in this include coil dimensions and mass.
specification when such inspections and tests are deemed
necessary to assure that the material conforms to prescribed 14.3 Unless otherwise specified, the packaging, marking,
requirements. and loading shall be in accordance with Practices A700.
14.4 For procurement by or direct shipment to the U.S.
13. Rejection and Rehearing
Government, marking for shipment, in addition to the require-
13.1 Material that fails to conform to the requirements of ments specified in the contract or order, shall be in accordance
this specification may be rejected. Rejections should be re- with MIL-STD-129 for military agencies and with Fed. Std.
ported to the producer or supplier promptly and in writing. In No. 123 for civil agencies.
case of dissatisfaction with the results of the test, the producer
or supplier may make claim for a rehearing. 14.5 When specified in the contract or order, and for direct
13.2 The material must be adequately protected and cor- procurement by or direct shipment to the U.S. Government,
rectly identified in order that the producer or supplier may commercial packaging shall be in accordance with MIL-STD-
make a proper investigation. 1188.

14. Packaging, Marking, and Loading 15. Keywords

14.1 Marking shall be by a tag securely attached to each coil 15.1 aluminized wire; aluminum-coated carbon steel wire;
of wire and shall show the identity of the producer, name of steel wire; wire
product, temper, and ASTM designation.

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