Tubes used in general machinery typically fall under ASTM 519 specifications. This standard covers hot or cold finished seamless tubes for applications in general machining requiring

  • Smooth Finishing
  • Close Tolerances

ASTM A 519: Standard Specification for Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Mechanical Tubing

This specification covers standard grades for carbon and alloy steel seamless mechanical tubing. However, the appropriate welding grades and conditions are implemented to join weldable tube grades when required. 

Two Heavy Industry Engineers Stand in Pipe Manufacturing Factory. Source: Shutterstock

Applicable Specifications in ASTM A 519 Pipe Production

  • ASTM A 370: Test Methods/Definitions for Steel Products Mechanical Testing
  • ASTM E 59: Sampling Practice for Determining Steel/Iron Chemical Composition.
  • ASTM A1040: Specifying Harmonized Standard Garde Compositions Guide- for Low Alloy and Alloy Steel, and Wrought Carbon Steel.

Characteristic Features of ASTM A 519 Pipes

  • Tubes under ASTM A 519 specification can be round, square, rectangular, or spiral, depending on the client's demands.
  • Any pipe claiming to be an ASTM A 519-grade pipe must meet the specification requirements. This entails top-notch finishing devoid of laps, cracks, seams, and other forms of a defect. 
  • This specification offers standards for hot-finished and cold-finished seamless pipes with an Outside Diameter (OD) up to 12 3/4 inches.
  • The steel used under this specification may be cast from ingots or be strand cast.
  • The permissible variation in the squareness tolerance of square/ rectangular tubing is achieved using the formula +/-b = c X 0.006.
  • Square or rectangular tubing under ASTM A 519 specs is allowed a variation of 0.060 within 3 feet of the tubing.
  • Clients can specify the tubes to be coated with rust-resisting oil before shaping. If they so wish, the product can retain this coating well till the shipping process.
  • The Wall Thickness (WT) of ASTM A 519 tubing is between 2mm to 120mm.
  • These pipes/tubes typically have a beveled or a plain end.
  • Tests like non-destructive quality tests, flaring tests, hardness tests, and tension tests are some examinations conducted to check the tube quality. Aside from these, this piping is also checked for cleanliness and hardenability.

Chemical Requirements of Low-Carbon Steels Under ASTM A 519 

 ASTM A 519 Low-Carbon Steel Grade Carbon (%) Manganese (%) Phosphorous (%) Sulfur (max)
 MT X 1020 0.15% to 0.25% 0.70% to 1.0% 0.040% (max) 0.050 % (max)
 MT 1020 0.15% to 0.25% 0.30% to 0.60% 0.040% (max) 0.050 % (max)
 MT X 1015 0.10% to 0.20% 0.60% to 0.90% 0.040% (max) 0.050 % (max)
 MT 1015 0.10% to 0.20% 0.30% to 0.60% 0.040% (max) 0.050 % (max)
 MT 1010 0.05% to 0.15% 0.30% to 0.60% 0.040% (max) 0.050 % (max)

Chemical Properties of ASTM A 519 Alloy Steel Tubes/Pipes

 Elements Grade 8115 Grade 8617 Grade8620 Grade8622 Grade 8625 Grade8627
       
 Carbon 0.13 to 0.18 0.13 to 0.18 0.18 to 0.23 0.20 to 0.25 0.23 to 0.28 0.25 to 0.30
 Manganese 0.70 to 0.90 0.70 to 0.90 0.70 to 0.90 0.70 to 0.90 0.70 to 0.90 0.70 to 0.90
 Phosphorous  0.040 (max) 0.040 (max) 0.040 (max) 0.040 (max) 0.040 (max) 0.040 (max)
 Sulfur 0.040 (max) 0.040 (max) 0.040 (max) 0.040 (max) 0.040 (max) 0.040 (max)
 Silicon  0.015 to 0.35 0.015 to 0.35 0.015 to 0.35 0.015 to 0.35 0.015 to 0.35 0.015 to 0.35
 Chromium 0.40 to 0.50 0.40 to 0.50 0.40 to 0.50 0.40 to 0.50 0.40 to 0.50 0.40 to 0.50
 Nickel 0.40 to 0.70 0.40 to 0.70 0.40 to 0.70 0.40 to 0.70 0.40 to 0.70 0.40 to 0.70
 Molybdenum  0.15 to 0.25 0.15 to 0.25 0.15 to 0.25 0.15 to 0.25 0.15 to 0.25 0.15 to 0.25

Tensile/Thermal Properties of Cold Worked and Hard Rolled Carbon and Alloy Steel Tubes/Pipes under ASTM A 519 Specification

 Grade Hot Rolled/ Cold Worked Yield Strength Tensile Strength Elongation in 2 inches Hardness(Rockwell)
 1020 Hot Rolled 221 MPa 345 MPa 25% 55
  Cold Worked 414 MPa 483 MPa 5% 75
1025 Hot Rolled 241 MPa 379 MPa 25% 60
  Cold Worked 448 MPa 517 MPa 5% 80
1035 Hot Rolled 276 MPa 448 MPa 20% 72
  Cold Worked 517 MPa 586 MPa 5% 88
1045 Hot Rolled 310 MPa 517 MPa 15% 80
  Cold Worked 552 MPa 621 MPa 5% 90
1050 Hot Rolled 345 MPa 552 MPa 10% 85 
  Cold Worked 483 MPa 565 MPa 6% 86

Specifications Required for Ordering ASTM A 519 Steel Tubes/Pipes for Application in General Machinery Requirements

  • Steel pipe/tube Quantity- weight, number of pipes, length in feet; among others.
  • Pipe Material Type, including seamless carbon or alloy steel mechanical tubes.
  • Steel Pipe Shape, including round, square, rectangular, or customized shapes.
  • Steel Tube Dimensions, including Outside Diameter, Wall Thickness, Nominal Pipe Size, Schedule, and more.
  • Pipe/Tube Length, including Customized, Single Random, and Double Random Length
  • Manufacturing Method, including hot, finished or cold, finished
  • Pipe/Tube Garde, including Low Carbon MT Grades, Higher Carbon Steels, Alloy Standard Steels, ot MT1015/MTX1o20 pipes
  • Pipe/Tube Conditioning, including thermal treatment and sizing.
  • Tube/Pipe Surface Finish, including shot blasting, pickling, or ground outside surface
  • Customized Marking 
  • Special Packing Instructions
  • Mechanical/Chemical Analysis Details
  • Special Specifications

The following are important abbreviations when specifying tube sizing method and thermal treatment.

  • HF = Hot Finished
  • CF = Cold Finished
  • RT = Rough Turned
  • G = Ground
  • A = Annealed 
  • N = Normalized
  • QT= Quenched and Tempered
  • SR= Stress Relieved or Finish Anneal