1.1 This specification covers alloy and stainless steel bolting material for pressure vessels, valves, flanges, and fittings for high temperature or high pressure service, or other special purpose applications. The term bolting material as used in this specification covers bars, bolts, screws, studs, stud bolts, and wire. Bars and wire shall be hot-wrought. The material may be further processed by centerless grinding or by cold drawing. Austenitic stainless steel may be carbide solution treated or carbide solution treated and strain-hardened. When strain hardened austenitic steel is ordered, the purchaser should take special care to ensure that Appendix X1 is thoroughly understood.

1.2 Several grades are covered, including ferritic steels and austenitic stainless steels designated B5, B8, and so forth. Selection will depend upon design, service conditions, mechanical properties, and high temperature characteristics.

Note 1—The committee formulating this specification has included fifteen steel types that have been rather extensively used for the present purpose. Other compositions will be considered for inclusion by the committee from time to time as the need becomes apparent.

Note 2—For grades of alloy-steel bolting material suitable for use at the lower range of high temperature applications, reference should be made to Specification A 354.

Note 3—For grades of alloy-steel bolting material suitable for use in low temperature applications, reference should be made to Specification A 320/A 320M.

1.3 Nuts for use with this bolting material are covered in Section 14.

1.4 Supplementary Requirements S1 through S14 are provided for use when additional tests or inspection are desired. These shall apply only when specified in the purchase order.

1.5 This specification is expressed in both inch-pound units and in SI units. However, unless the order specifies the applicable M specification designation (SI units), the material shall be furnished to inch-pound units.

1.6 The values stated in either inch-pound units or SI units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system must be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the specification. Within the text, the SI units are shown in brackets.