ASTM A353 & ASME SA353 For Pressure Vessel Plates

What’s the difference between ASTM A353 and ASME SA353 ?

In fact, the mechanical and chemical properties of the steels are identical and it is the producer of the standard that is the key difference. ASTM, the American Society for Testing and Materials, produces standards that define limits and parameters on a product’s properties and the methods of testing those properties. ASME, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, specifies materials to be used in the manufacture and construction of particular items. The relevance of this to pressure vessels is that ASME publishes design codes and standards for the manufacture of vessels and within these a particular material standard will be endorsed. ASME “acquires” ASTM specifications in this way and its pressure vessel code committee assigns an “S” to the relevant ASTM standard. So A353 becomes SA353 when ASME acquires it.

9% nickel steel plates

ASTM A353 specification covers 9% nickel steel plates that are double-normalized and tempered, and this steel is used for cryogenic welded pressure vessels. These steel plates are usually limited to a thickness of 50 mm.

ASTM A353 9% nickel is can operate at temperatures lower than -196oC, which is needed for the containment and transportation of cryogenic gases such as argon, nitrogen, and oxygen.

This steel plate has a tensile strength of 690-825 MPa and yield strength 515 MPa. These properties make ASTM A353 9% nickel a fantastic choice for cryogenic pressure vessel steel production.