Designation: A493 – 09

Standard Specification for

Stainless Steel Wire and Wire Rods for Cold Heading and
Cold Forging1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A493; 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* 3.1.5 ASTM designation and issue date,

1.1 This specification covers cold-finished and hot-finished 3.1.6 Condition (see 5.2),
stainless steel wire and wire rods for cold heading or cold 3.1.7 Coating (see 5.3),
forging for applications, such as fasteners, where corrosion 3.1.8 Coil size (inside and outside diameter),
resistance is a factor. 3.1.9 Special requirements, and
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded 3.1.10 Supplementary requirements.
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical 4. General Requirements for Delivery
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
and are not considered standard. 4.1 In addition to the requirements of this specification, all
requirements of the current editions of Specification A555/
2. Referenced Documents A555M shall apply. Failure to comply with the general
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 requirements of Specification A555/A555M constitutes non-
A262 Practices for Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular conformance with this specification.
Attack in Austenitic Stainless Steels NOTE 1—A typical ordering description is as follows: 5000 lb (2268 kg)
A555/A555M Specification for General Requirements for 0.225 in. (5.72 mm) round Type 305 cold heading wire, lightly drafted,
Stainless Steel Wire and Wire Rods copper coated, 32 in. (813 mm) max OD—22 in. (559 mm) min ID, coils,
A751 Test Methods, Practices, and Terminology for Chemi- ASTM Specification A493 – XX. End use: hex head machine bolts.
cal Analysis of Steel Products 5. Manufacture
3. Ordering Information 5.1 Heat Treatment:
3.1 It is the responsibility of the purchaser to specify all 5.1.1 Austenitic grades shall be annealed at 1800°F (980°C)
requirements that are necessary for material ordered under this minimum, so that grain boundary carbides enter into solution,
specification. Such requirements may include, but are not and rapidly quenched to prevent grain boundary precipitation
limited to the following: of carbides that would cause susceptibility to intergranular
3.1.1 Quantity (weight), corrosion. See Supplementary Requirements.
3.1.2 Size (diameter), 5.1.2 Ferritic and martensitic grades shall be annealed to
3.1.3 Type or UNS number (see Table 1), meet the requirements for mechanical properties.
3.1.4 Name (wire or wire rods), 5.2 Condition:
5.2.1 Wire shall be furnished in one of the following
conditions:
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A01 on Steel, 5.2.1.1 Lightly drafted (normal condition and need not be
Stainless Steel and Related Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
A01.17 on Flat-Rolled and Wrought Stainless Steel.
specified if this is condition desired),
Current edition approved April 1, 2009. Published June 2009. Originally 5.2.1.2 Annealed, or
approved in 1963. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as A493 – 95 (2004). 5.2.1.3 Drafted to a specified tensile strength range (as
DOI: 10.1520/A0493-09. agreed upon between purchaser and producer).
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 5.2.2 Rods shall be furnished in the annealed condition,
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on scale removed.
the ASTM website.

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

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 A493 – 09
TABLE 1 Chemical Requirements

Grade Composition, %
UNS AISI Carbon, Manga- Phos- Sulfur, Silicon, Chromium Nickel Copper Molyb- Nitrogen, Other
Designation Type maxA nese, phorus, max max denum maxA Elements
max max
Austenitic Grades
S 30200 302 0.15 2.00 0.045 0.030 1.00 17.0–19.0 8.0–10.0 1.00 max 0.10
S 30400 304 0.08 2.00 0.045 0.030 1.00 18.0–20.0 8.0–10.5 1.00 max 0.10
S 30403 304L 0.030 2.00 0.045 0.030 1.00 18.0–20.0 8.0–12.0 1.00 max 0.10
S 30430 0.03 2.00 0.045 0.030 1.00 17.0–19.0 8.0–10.0 3.0–4.0
S 30500 305 0.04 2.00 0.045 0.030 1.00 17.0–19.0 10.5–13.0 1.00 max
S 31600 316 0.08 2.00 0.045 0.030 1.00 16.0–18.0 10.0–14.0 2.00–3.00 0.10
S 31603 316L 0.030 2.00 0.045 0.030 1.00 16.0–18.0 10.0–14.0 2.00–3.00 0.10
S 38400 384 0.04 2.00 0.045 0.030 1.00 15.0–17.0 17.0–19.0
Ferritic Grades
S 40940 0.06 1.00 0.045 0.040 1.00 10.5–11.7 0.50 max Cb
10XC–0.75
S 42900 429 0.12 1.00 0.040 0.030 1.00 14.0–16.0
S 43000 430 0.04 1.00 0.040 0.030 1.00 16.0–18.0
S 44401 ... 0.025 1.00 0.040 0.030 ... 17.5–19.5 1.00 max 1.75–2.50 0.035 Ti+Cb
0.20+43
(C+N)−0.80
S 44625B ... 0.010B 0.40 0.020 0.020 0.40 25.0–27.5 0.50 max 0.2 max 0.75–1.50 0.015B Ni+Cu 0.5
max
S 44700B ... 0.010B 0.30 0.025 0.020 0.20 28.0–30.0 0.15 max 0.15 max 3.5–4.2 0.020B C+N
0.025 max
S 44800B ... 0.010B 0.30 0.025 0.020 0.20 28.0–30.0 2.00–2.50 0.15 max 3.5–4.2 0.020B C+N
0.025 max
Martensitic Grades
S 41000 410 0.15 1.00 0.040 0.030 1.00 11.5–13.5
S 42010 ... 0.15–0.30 1.00 0.040 0.030 1.00 13.5–15.0 0.35–0.85 0.40–0.85
S 42030 ... 0.30 1.00 0.040 0.030 1.00 12.0–14.0 2.00–3.00 1.00–3.00
S 43100 431 0.20 1.00 0.040 0.030 1.00 15.0–17.0 1.25–2.50
S 44004 440C 0.95–1.20 1.00 0.040 0.030 1.00 16.0–18.0 0.75 max
A
Maximum, unless otherwise indicated.
B
Product analysis tolerance over the maximum limit for carbon and nitrogen to be 0.002 %.

5.3 Coatings and Lubricants: in Table 2. The producer should be consulted when material is
5.3.1 Coatings are necessary for most cold-heading or required to tensile strength ranges other than those specified.
forming operations. An electroplated copper coating is often
8. Resistance to Intergranular Corrosion
used. The following coatings may be specified: copper, lime, or
special (as agreed upon between purchaser and producer). 8.1 All austenitic grades in the annealed condition or
5.3.2 Lubricants are applied over the coating during the annealed and lightly drafted condition shall be capable of
final drafting operation performed by the producer. Soap is passing Practice E of Practices A262. When Supplementary
generally used. The following lubricants may be specified: Requirement S1 is invoked, all austenitic grades shall be tested
soap, grease, or special (as agreed upon between purchaser and and pass Practice E of Practices A262.
producer). 9. Packaging and Package Marking
6. Chemical Requirements 9.1 Packaging—Coils shall be bundled or boxed in such a
manner as to assure safe delivery to their destination when
6.1 The steel shall conform to the requirements for chemical properly transported by any common carrier.
composition specified in Table 1. 9.2 Markings—Each lift, bundle, or box shall be properly
6.2 Methods and practices relating to chemical analysis tagged with durable tags (metal, plastic, or equivalent), show-
required by this specification shall be in accordance with Test ing size, grade, cold-heading wire, condition coating, heat
Methods, Practices, and Terminology A751. number, and ASTM A493.
7. Mechanical Requirements 10. Keywords
7.1 The material shall conform to the requirements as to 10.1 austenitic stainless steel; ferritic stainless steel; mar-
mechanical properties specified in Table 2. Material can be tensitic stainless steel; stainless steel cold forging wire; stain-
manufactured to tensile strength ranges other than those shown less steel cold heading wire

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 A493 – 09
TABLE 2 Mechanical Property Requirements for Lightly Drafted and Annealed Wire
NOTE 1— This table applies to sizes 0.100 in. (2.5 mm) and larger. For smaller sizes, similar mechanical properties apply to ferritic and martensitic
grades; however the producer should be consulted regarding somewhat higher tensile properties applicable to austenitic grades.

Grade As-Annealed Lightly Drafted

UNS No. Type No. ksi max. MPa max. ksi max. MPa max.
Austenitic Grades
S 30200 302 95 655 105 725
S 30400 304 90 620 105 725
S 30403 304L 90 620 102 705
S 30430 ... 88 605 96 660
S 30500 305 85 585 95 655
S 31600 316 90 620 95 655
S 31603 316L 85 585 93 640
S 38400 384 80 550 85 585
Ferritic Grades
S 40940 409Cb 70 485 80 550
S 42900 429 85 485 90 620
S 43000 430 75 520 86 595
S 44401 ... 80 550 90 620
S 44625 ... 100 690 105 725
S 44700 ... 100 690 105 725
S 44800 ... 100 690 105 725
Martensitic Grades
S 41000 410 82 565 85 585
S 42010 ... 100 690 105 725
S 42030 ... 110 760 115 795
S 43100 431 110 760 115 795
S 44004 440C 110 760 120 830

SUPPLEMENTARY REQUIREMENTS

The following may be required when the purchase order so specifies:

S1. Austenitic Grades

S1.1 Austenitic grades shall be tested and pass the test for
intergranular susceptibility in accordance with Practice E of
Practices A262.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee A01 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue (A493 – 95
(2004)) that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved April 1, 2009.)

(1) UNS S442030 added to Table 1 and Table 2.

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