What is ASME SA516 Grade 55?
SA-516 covers carbon steel plate intended for welded pressure vessels where improved notch toughness matters. The specification covers four grades, 55, 60, 65 and 70, which differ only in strength level. Grade 55 is the softest and the most weldable of the four.
SA-516 differs from ordinary structural plate in two requirements. The steel must be killed, meaning fully deoxidised before casting so that no gas evolves during solidification, and it must meet the fine austenitic grain size requirement of ASTM A20/A20M. Fine grain raises notch toughness, and killed steel keeps that toughness consistent from plate to plate.
Is SA516 the same as A516?
Yes. ASME SA-516/SA-516M is the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section II Part A adoption of ASTM A516/A516M, and the two documents are identical in chemistry and mechanical requirements. The SA prefix simply signals that the material is code-approved for construction under the BPVC. On a drawing the two are interchangeable; on a purchase order, name the one the design code references. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. shows both designations on the same certificate.
Why specify Grade 55 rather than Grade 70?
Grade 70 is the usual choice for thin shells, where its higher allowable stress means less metal. Grade 55 is specified for thick sections, because normal practice allows it to 305 mm against 205 mm for the other three grades; for heavily welded fabrications, because lower carbon and manganese reduce preheat and post-weld heat treatment demands; and for low design metal temperatures, because the leaner chemistry reaches a given Charpy energy more reliably.
Tube sheets add a further reason. A tube sheet is a thick, heavily drilled plate whose governing stress is usually bending and ligament efficiency rather than membrane strength, so the higher allowable stress of Grade 70 often buys nothing, while its higher carbon makes the drilled ligaments harder to weld tubes into.
SA516 Grade 55 chemical composition
Composition limits are those of ASME SA-516/SA-516M Table 1, which Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. applies to all SA516 Grade 55 material. Carbon and manganese are not single values. Both step with plate thickness, and many published cross-reference tables omit this.
| Element | Thickness | Heat analysis | Product analysis | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon (C), max | 12.5 mm and under | 0.18 | 0.18 | Strength and hardenability; capped to protect weldability |
| Over 12.5 to 50 mm | 0.20 | 0.20 | ||
| Over 50 to 100 mm | 0.22 | 0.22 | ||
| Over 100 to 200 mm | 0.24 | 0.24 | ||
| Over 200 mm | 0.26 | 0.26 | ||
| Manganese (Mn) | 12.5 mm and under | 0.60–0.90 | 0.55–0.98 | Strength, hot workability, sulfur control |
| Over 12.5 mm | 0.60–1.20 | 0.55–1.30 | ||
| Silicon (Si) | All | 0.15–0.40 | 0.13–0.45 | Deoxidiser; confirms the steel is killed |
| Phosphorus (P), max | All | 0.035 | 0.035 | Residual; promotes temper embrittlement |
| Sulfur (S), max | All | 0.035 | 0.035 | Residual; restricted for through-thickness ductility |
For each reduction of 0.01 percentage point below the specified maximum carbon, an increase of 0.06 percentage point above the maximum manganese is permitted, up to 1.50% on heat analysis and 1.60% on product analysis. Mills use this routinely to hold strength while dropping carbon equivalent. If your welding procedure is qualified on a specific carbon equivalent, state the CE limit on the order, because SA-516 does not impose one except under Supplementary Requirement S54.
SA516 Grade 55 mechanical properties
Tensile requirements come from ASME SA-516/SA-516M Table 2 and do not vary with thickness. The two elongation figures are alternatives measured on different gauge lengths, not values for different thickness ranges. Published datasheets frequently confuse the two.
| Property | Metric | Imperial | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 380–515 MPa | 55–75 ksi | Range with an upper limit |
| Yield strength, min | 205 MPa | 30 ksi | 0.2% offset or 0.5% extension under load |
| Elongation in 200 mm, min | 23 % | 23 % in 8 in | Adjustment per ASTM A20/A20M |
| Elongation in 50 mm, min | 27 % | 27 % in 2 in | Adjustment per ASTM A20/A20M |
Tensile strength carries an upper limit. A heat that reaches 530 MPa fails SA516 Grade 55 just as a heat at 370 MPa does. A mill therefore cannot certify strong Grade 70 material as Grade 55 to clear stock, and dual certification between Grade 55 and Grade 70 is not possible, because the two bands do not overlap.
| Property | Value | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 7.85 g/cm³ | 0.284 lb/in³ |
| Modulus of elasticity | 200 GPa | 29 × 106 psi at 20 °C |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion | 11.7 µm/m·°C | 20–100 °C |
| Thermal conductivity | ≈ 52 W/m·K | at 100 °C |
| Specific heat | 470 J/kg·K | at 20 °C |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.29 | — |
Physical properties are nominal values for plain carbon steel and are not certified under SA-516, which specifies chemistry and tensile properties only.
SA516 Grade 55 requirements by plate thickness
Three separate rules in SA-516 step at different thicknesses, and they do not step together. Carbon maximum steps at 12.5, 50, 100 and 200 mm. Manganese steps once, at 12.5 mm. Mandatory normalizing begins at 40 mm, a boundary that falls inside a chemistry band. The map below places all three rules on one axis.
Signature process data
Heat treatment and delivery condition
Plates 40 mm and under are normally supplied as-rolled, and may be ordered normalized or stress relieved, or both. Plates over 40 mm shall be normalized. Where notch-toughness testing is required at 40 mm and under, the plate shall be normalized unless the purchaser specifies otherwise.
Accelerated cooling faster than still air is permitted for toughness improvement if the purchaser approves, provided the plate is subsequently tempered between 595 and 705 °C. The route is used on heavy tube sheets where a conventional normalize leaves the core soft.
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. carries out normalizing, stress relieving, and hardening and tempering in-house, and supplies the furnace chart record with the material certificate. Post-weld heat treatment of fabricated assemblies is also performed on site.
Welding, preheat and post-weld heat treatment
SA-516 Grades 55 and 60 are assigned P-No. 1, Group No. 1 in ASME Section IX; Grades 65 and 70 are Group No. 2. The lower group simplifies procedure qualification, and the lower carbon and carbon equivalent reduce hydrogen cracking risk in the heat-affected zone. Low-hydrogen consumables, normal preheat practice for section thickness, and post-weld heat treatment at 595 °C minimum with a one-hour-per-25 mm hold are the usual regime. Confirm every value against the current code edition and your qualified procedure.
Notch toughness and minimum design metal temperature
Under ASME Section VIII Division 1, paragraph UCS-66, SA-516 Grade 55 falls on impact test exemption Curve C when not normalized and on Curve D when normalized. Curve D is the most favourable of the four, which is why buyers with low design metal temperatures order the plate normalized even when thickness does not require it. Charpy V-notch testing is added to the order as Supplementary Requirement S5, with the test temperature and required energy stated by the purchaser.
| Code | Requirement | When it is specified |
|---|---|---|
| S1 | Vacuum treatment | Hydrogen control on heavy sections |
| S2 | Product analysis | Verification of the delivered plate rather than the ladle |
| S3 | Simulated post-weld heat treatment of test coupons | Where the vessel sees a long PWHT cycle |
| S5 | Charpy V-notch impact test | Low design metal temperature; almost always on tube sheets |
| S6 | Drop weight test, 16 mm and over | Nil-ductility transition temperature determination |
| S7 | High-temperature tension test | Design temperature above ambient allowables |
| S8 / S11 / S12 | Ultrasonic examination to A435, A577 or A578 | Thick plate, tube sheets, clad plate bond testing |
| S9 | Magnetic particle examination | Surface and near-surface indications |
| S54 | Hydrofluoric acid alkylation service | Normalized, CE capped at 0.43 / 0.45, V and Nb restricted, HF-N stamp |
Supplementary requirements do not apply unless stated on the purchase order. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. prices S5 impact testing and S8 ultrasonic examination as standard line items on tube sheet enquiries, because they are ordered on the large majority of jobs.
What Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal makes in SA516 Grade 55
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. is an open-die forging factory at No.1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, China. In SA516 Grade 55 the works supplies the heavy, machined-from-plate components of shell-and-tube exchangers and pressure vessels, plus the forged equivalents when plate cannot reach the size.
| Component | Typical size | Supply route |
|---|---|---|
| Tube sheets and tube plates | To 6000 mm diameter, to 400 mm thick | Machined from PVQ plate; forged to SA-266 above plate limits |
| Girth flanges | To 6000 mm outside diameter | Seamless rolled ring or machined plate |
| Channel covers and cover flanges | To 4000 mm diameter | Machined from plate or forged disc |
| Baffle plates and support plates | To 4000 mm diameter | Profiled and drilled from plate |
| Nozzle necks and long welding necks | To 1500 mm bore | Forged, bored and machined |
| Self-reinforced and FVC-type nozzles | To 1200 mm bore | Forged from solid |
| Blind and blank flanges, shell courses | To 6000 mm diameter | Rolled ring, forged disc or plate |
These components go into shell-and-tube heat exchangers, reactors, columns and towers, skid-mounted packages, preheaters, superheaters, coolers and condensers, in both fixed and floating head configurations, front and rear.
When SA516 Grade 55 is not the right specification
SA-516 is a plate specification. A forging cannot be certified to it, whatever wording the enquiry uses. The point arises often, because the components described on this page are the ones that outgrow plate.
Two situations force the change. The first is thickness above roughly 305 mm, where normal SA-516 practice stops. The second is any shape that would waste most of a plate, such as a deep nozzle neck, a heavy integral flange or a thick hub. In both cases Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. quotes the forged equivalent and states it on the offer.
| Specification | Covers | Nearest match to Grade 55 |
|---|---|---|
| ASME SA-266 / ASTM A266 | Carbon steel forgings for pressure vessel components | Class 1: 415–550 MPa tensile, 205 MPa yield min |
| ASME SA-105 / ASTM A105 | Carbon steel forgings for piping components | 485 MPa tensile min, 250 MPa yield min |
| ASME SA-350 LF2 / ASTM A350 | Carbon steel forgings for low-temperature service | 485–655 MPa tensile, impact tested at −46 °C |
| ASME SA-765 / ASTM A765 | Carbon and low alloy forgings with toughness requirements | Grade I: 415 MPa tensile min, 205 MPa yield min |
SA-266 Class 1 shares the 205 MPa minimum yield of SA516 Grade 55, which makes it the usual substitution when a design was drawn around Grade 55 and the part turns out to need forging. The tensile band differs, so the design calculation must be rechecked rather than assumed to carry across.
Clad and weld overlay SA516 Grade 55 tube sheets
Most corrosive-service exchangers are built from a carbon steel backing with a corrosion-resistant face, because cladding a Grade 55 tube sheet costs a fraction of forging the whole component in a nickel alloy. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. applies both routes.
Weld overlay is deposited by submerged arc strip cladding or wire, normally 3 to 8 mm thick before machining, in 304L, 316L, 321, Alloy 625, Alloy 825, Monel 400 and duplex grades. Dilution from the backing steel governs the deposit thickness. Chemistry is verified at the depth below the finished machined face that the specification names, not at the as-welded surface, so overlay thickness is set by the finished requirement plus machining allowance plus a dilution margin.
Explosion bonded cladding suits titanium, zirconium and tantalum faces, which cannot be weld overlaid onto steel. Bond integrity is checked by ultrasonic examination to ASTM A578 across the full face, and the bonded assembly is normally stress relieved before drilling.
Tube hole drilling follows the cladding in both cases, so that the tube-to-tube sheet joint is made in clad material through the full ligament. Drilling is to TEMA class R, C or B tolerances, with grooving for expanded joints or a counterbore for strength-welded joints as the drawing requires.
Works capability
| Parameter | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter | 100 – 6000 mm | Across all grades worked at the plant |
| Length | 100 – 12000 mm | Shafts and drawn sections |
| Unit weight | 10 – 15000 kg | Single-piece forging weight |
| Hydraulic press | 4500 t | Main open-die press |
| Forging hammers | 1 t / 3 t / 6 t / 9 t | Four hammers for smaller sections |
| Ring rolling mills | 3 m and 6 m | Seamless rolled rings and girth flanges |
| Heat treatment | Normalizing, stress relieving, quench and temper | In-house, chart recorded |
| Testing | Universal tensile, Charpy impact, hardness, UT, MT, metallography | In-house laboratory |
| Certification | EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2 | 3.2 witnessed by third party on request |
| Staff | Approximately 460 | Including 9 senior and 32 intermediate engineers |
Customers retain the right to witness any production stage: chemistry analysis, heat-treatment cycles, mechanical testing and final non-destructive examination. Witnessing is arranged with the QA team at no charge.
How an SA516 Grade 55 tube sheet is produced
The sequence below is the standard route at Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. The stages run in this order because each one depends on the last.
- Material receipt and verification. Plate or billet arrives with its mill certificate and is independently checked by positive material identification before release. Mixed-grade incidents happen at goods-in, not at the machine.
- Cutting the blank. Plate is flame or plasma cut oversize, with the heat-affected edge removed by machining. For forged blanks the billet is upset and drawn to at least a 3:1 forging ratio to break down the cast structure.
- Heat treatment. Normalizing at the specified austenitising temperature for plate over 40 mm, or to order below it, followed by stress relief where the drawing calls for it. Furnace charts are retained and issued with the certificate.
- Cladding or weld overlay. Applied before drilling so the tube joint is made in clad material through the full ligament. Overlay chemistry is checked at the specified depth below the finished face.
- Rough machining and ultrasonic examination. The blank is machined to a testable surface, then volumetrically inspected to ASTM A435, A577 or A578 against the acceptance class on the order.
- Drilling and grooving. Tube holes are drilled on CNC deep-hole machines to TEMA class R, C or B tolerances, then grooved for expanded joints or counterbored for strength-welded joints.
- Finish machining. Faces, gasket seating surfaces, pass partition grooves and bolt holes are finished to drawing, with flatness and surface finish recorded.
- Testing and certification. Heat chemistry, tensile and yield strength, elongation, hardness, Charpy impact results and NDE results are documented on an EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 inspection certificate.
Standards that apply to SA516 Grade 55
| Standard | Scope |
|---|---|
| ASME SA-516/SA-516M | Pressure vessel plates, carbon steel, for moderate and lower temperature service. Identical with ASTM A516/A516M |
| ASTM A20/A20M | General requirements for steel plates for pressure vessels: testing, retesting, tolerances, marking, grain size |
| ASME BPVC Section II Part A | Ferrous material specifications as adopted for code construction |
| ASME BPVC Section VIII Division 1 | Allowable stresses, UCS-66 impact exemption curves, UCS-56 post-weld heat treatment |
| ASME BPVC Section IX | Welding qualification. SA-516 Grade 55 is P-No. 1, Group No. 1 |
| ASTM A435/A435M | Straight-beam ultrasonic examination of steel plates |
| ASTM A577/A577M | Ultrasonic angle-beam examination of steel plates |
| ASTM A578/A578M | Straight-beam ultrasonic examination of plain and clad steel plates |
| TEMA | Tube hole tolerances, ligament and drilling classes R, C and B |
| EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2 | Inspection certificates reporting actual test results |
Allowable stress for SA-516 Grade 55 under Section VIII Division 1 is approximately 108 MPa (15.7 ksi) at temperatures to 343 °C, derived from the tensile floor and the code design factor. Code editions revise these values, so take the figure from the edition the vessel is registered under.
SA516 Grade 55 vs Grade 70, SA285 Grade C and SA515 Grade 55
Three specifications carry identical mechanical numbers to SA516 Grade 55 and are still not the same material. Reading the table one column at a time shows what the SA-516 specification buys.
| Property | SA516 Gr.55 | SA516 Gr.60 | SA516 Gr.70 | SA285 Gr.C | SA515 Gr.55 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile, MPa | 380–515 | 415–550 | 485–620 | 380–515 | 380–515 |
| Yield min, MPa | 205 | 220 | 260 | 205 | 205 |
| Elongation in 200 mm, min | 23 % | 21 % | 17 % | 23 % | 23 % |
| Grain practice | Fine | Fine | Fine | Not specified | Coarse |
| Killed steel required | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes, Si-killed |
| Service temperature focus | Moderate and lower | Moderate and lower | Moderate and lower | Low and intermediate | Intermediate and higher |
| Max thickness, normal practice | 305 mm | 205 mm | 205 mm | 50 mm | 205 mm |
| ASME P-No. Group | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 2 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| UCS-66 curve, normalized | D | D | D | — | — |
Read the grain practice and killed steel rows together. SA285 Grade C matches Grade 55 on every strength number and costs less, but it imposes no grain size requirement, is not required to be killed, and stops at 50 mm. SA515 Grade 55 matches the numbers too, but its coarse grain is deliberate, giving creep strength at temperature at the cost of notch toughness at the low end. SA-516 is the grade you specify when the vessel may see cold metal.
International equivalents
| Region | Standard and grade | Tensile, MPa | Yield min, MPa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | EN 10028-2 P235GH (1.0345) | 360–480 | 235 |
| Europe | EN 10028-2 P265GH (1.0425) | 410–530 | 265 |
| Germany, withdrawn | DIN 17155 HI | 360–480 | 235 |
| China | GB/T 713 Q245R | 400–520 | 245 |
| Japan | JIS G3103 SB410 | 410–550 | 225 |
| Japan | JIS G3115 SPV235 | 400–510 | 235 |
Equivalents are not substitutes. Every grade above carries a higher minimum yield than SA516 Grade 55, and each has its own thickness-dependent limits, impact testing scheme and certification rules. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. supplies against the specification the purchase order names and does not substitute an equivalent without written agreement.
Where SA516 Grade 55 components are used
| Industry | Equipment | Components supplied |
|---|---|---|
| Oil and gas processing | Separators, knock-out drums, exchangers | Tube sheets, girth flanges, nozzle necks |
| Refining and petrochemical | Reactors, columns, towers, condensers | Channel covers, cover flanges, support plates |
| LNG and cryogenic | Cold boxes, low-temperature vessels | Normalized and impact-tested tube sheets |
| Power generation | Preheaters, superheaters, coolers | Tube plates, baffle plates, blanking flanges |
| Fertiliser and chemical | Ammonia and urea plant exchangers | Clad and weld overlay tube sheets |
| Desalination and water | Evaporators, condensers | Large-diameter tube sheets, rolled girth flanges |
Rejections on Grade 55 tube sheets are rarely chemistry. Most are ligament distortion after drilling a plate that was never properly stress relieved, or overlay chemistry measured at the wrong depth. Both are process control problems rather than material problems.
Metallurgy department, Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd.
What to include in an SA516 Grade 55 enquiry
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. can quote from a sketch, but a complete enquiry is quoted faster and more accurately.
| Item | Why it changes the price |
|---|---|
| Drawing, or OD, thickness and tube pattern | Sets the input weight and the drilling hours, which together dominate cost |
| Governing specification and design code | SA-516 alone and SA-516 plus a client spec impose different testing scopes |
| Delivery condition | As-rolled, normalized, normalized and stress relieved |
| Impact test temperature and energy | Drives whether the plate must be normalized regardless of thickness |
| UT acceptance class | A435, A577 or A578, and the class within it |
| Cladding or overlay alloy and finished thickness | Overlay is often a larger cost than the backing plate |
| Machining scope | Rough machined with allowance, or finish machined to drawing |
| Certification level and witness | EN 10204 3.1, or 3.2 with a nominated third party |
| Quantity and required date | Plate is often procured to order; batching changes lead time |
Frequently asked questions about ASME SA516 Grade 55
What is ASME SA516 Grade 55?
ASME SA516 Grade 55 is a killed, fine-grain carbon steel plate grade for welded pressure vessels in moderate and lower temperature service. It is the lowest strength level of the four SA-516 grades, with a tensile strength of 380–515 MPa and a minimum yield strength of 205 MPa. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. machines SA516 Grade 55 into tube sheets, girth flanges, channel covers, baffle plates and nozzle components at its works in Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, China.
Is ASME SA516 Grade 55 the same as ASTM A516 Grade 55?
Yes. ASME SA-516/SA-516M is the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section II Part A adoption of ASTM A516/A516M, and the two documents are identical in chemistry and mechanical requirements. The SA prefix indicates the material is code-approved for construction under the ASME BPVC. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. issues certificates showing both designations on the same heat.
What is the chemical composition of SA516 Grade 55?
Carbon is limited to 0.18 % maximum at 12.5 mm and under, rising in steps to 0.26 % maximum above 200 mm. Manganese is 0.60–0.90 % on heat analysis at 12.5 mm and under and 0.60–1.20 % above 12.5 mm. Silicon is 0.15–0.40 %, phosphorus 0.035 % maximum and sulfur 0.035 % maximum. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. reports the full ladle analysis on every EN 10204 3.1 certificate.
What are the mechanical properties of SA516 Grade 55?
Tensile strength is 380–515 MPa (55–75 ksi), minimum yield strength is 205 MPa (30 ksi), minimum elongation in 200 mm is 23 % and minimum elongation in 50 mm is 27 %. Note that tensile strength is a range with both a floor and a ceiling, not a minimum. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. certifies these values against ASME SA-516/SA-516M Table 2.
What is the difference between SA516 Grade 55 and Grade 70?
Grade 70 carries a tensile strength of 485–620 MPa and a minimum yield of 260 MPa against 380–515 MPa and 205 MPa for Grade 55, so Grade 70 allows a thinner wall at the same design pressure. Grade 55 carries lower carbon and manganese, which gives better weldability, lower preheat demand and better notch toughness, and it can be supplied in normal practice up to 305 mm thick against 205 mm for Grade 70. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. supplies both grades.
Does SA516 Grade 55 need to be normalized?
Plates over 40 mm thick shall be normalized. Plates 40 mm and under are normally supplied as-rolled and may be ordered normalized or stress relieved, or both. When notch-toughness testing is required at 40 mm and under, the plate shall be normalized unless the purchaser specifies otherwise. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. normalizes to order and supplies the furnace chart with the certificate.
What is the maximum thickness of SA516 Grade 55?
The specification limits thickness only by the ability of the composition to meet the mechanical requirements, but normal practice limits Grade 55 to 305 mm (12 in). That is the highest of the four SA-516 grades, which are each limited to 205 mm (8 in). Above 305 mm Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. supplies the component as a forging to ASME SA-266 or SA-350 instead.
Can SA516 Grade 55 be supplied as a forging?
No. SA-516 is a plate specification and a forging cannot be certified to it. The correct forging specifications for the same service are ASME SA-266 Class 1 or 2 for carbon steel forgings for pressure vessel components, SA-105 for piping components and SA-350 LF2 for low-temperature service. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. routinely quotes SA-266 Class 2 as the forged equivalent when a tube sheet is too thick or too large for plate.
What components does Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal make in SA516 Grade 55?
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. produces tube sheets and tube plates, girth flanges, channel covers and cover flanges, baffle plates, support plates, long welding neck nozzles, self-reinforced nozzles, and blanks for shell-and-tube heat exchangers, reactors, columns, towers, preheaters, superheaters, coolers and condensers, at No.1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, China.
Can SA516 Grade 55 tube sheets be clad or weld overlaid?
Yes. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. applies weld overlay and explosion-bonded cladding to SA516 Grade 55 tube sheets in 304L, 316L, 321, Alloy 625, Alloy 825, Monel 400 and titanium. Overlay thickness is normally 3 to 8 mm before machining, with chemistry checked at the specified depth below the finished face and the bond checked by ultrasonic examination.
What is the ASME P-Number of SA516 Grade 55?
SA-516 Grades 55 and 60 are assigned P-No. 1, Group No. 1 in ASME Section IX, while Grades 65 and 70 are P-No. 1, Group No. 2. The lower group makes Grade 55 easier to qualify welding procedures for and reduces preheat and post-weld heat treatment demands. Confirm against the current code edition before writing a WPS.
What impact test exemption curve applies to SA516 Grade 55?
Under ASME Section VIII Division 1 UCS-66, SA-516 Grade 55 falls on Curve C when not normalized and on Curve D when normalized. Curve D gives the most favourable minimum design metal temperature without impact testing, which is why customers with low-temperature service usually order the plate normalized. Charpy V-notch testing is added as Supplementary Requirement S5.
What is the nearest European equivalent of SA516 Grade 55?
The nearest European grade is EN 10028-2 P235GH, with GB/T 713 Q245R in China and JIS G3103 SB410 in Japan. None of these is a drop-in substitute, because yield strength, thickness-dependent limits and testing scope differ. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. supplies against whichever specification the purchase order names rather than substituting an equivalent.
What certification is supplied with SA516 Grade 55 components?
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. issues an EN 10204 3.1 inspection certificate reporting heat chemistry, tensile and yield strength, elongation, heat treatment records and ultrasonic examination results, with EN 10204 3.2 third-party witnessed certification available on request. Charpy impact results, product analysis and simulated post-weld heat treatment coupons are added where the order calls for them.
Who supplies SA516 Grade 55 tube sheets in China?
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. is an open-die forging factory at No.1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province 214423, China, producing ASME SA516 Grade 55 tube sheets, girth flanges, channel covers and nozzle components to customer drawings. Enquiries reach the works at sales@steelforgepieces.com or +86 189 2135 9659.
What information is needed to quote an SA516 Grade 55 tube sheet?
Send the drawing or the outside diameter, thickness and tube hole pattern, the governing specification and code, the delivery condition, the required test package including UT class and impact test temperature, any cladding or overlay alloy, and the quantity and required date. Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. quotes complete enquiries at sales@steelforgepieces.com.
Glossary
- Killed steel
- Steel fully deoxidised before casting, usually with silicon and aluminium, so no gas evolves during solidification. Required by SA-516 and the reason its properties are consistent through the thickness.
- Fine austenitic grain size
- A grain size requirement of ASTM A20/A20M. Fine grain raises notch toughness and lowers the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature.
- Normalizing
- Heating above the upper critical temperature and cooling in still air. It refines grain and removes the directional structure left by rolling. Mandatory on SA516 Grade 55 over 40 mm.
- Tube sheet
- The thick drilled plate that carries the tubes of a shell-and-tube exchanger and separates shell-side from tube-side fluid. Often the single most expensive component in the exchanger.
- Ligament
- The metal remaining between two adjacent tube holes. Ligament efficiency governs the allowable stress in a drilled tube sheet, so drilling accuracy affects the rating as directly as material strength does.
- Weld overlay
- A corrosion-resistant alloy deposited onto a carbon steel backing by welding. Chemistry is verified at a stated depth below the finished machined surface, not at the as-welded surface, because of dilution from the backing.
- UCS-66
- The paragraph of ASME Section VIII Division 1 that sets the minimum design metal temperature at which impact testing can be waived, using four material curves A to D.
- EN 10204 3.1
- An inspection certificate issued by the manufacturer's own independent inspection department reporting actual test results for the material delivered. 3.2 adds a third-party witness.
Data source and reuse
This page is published by Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. and reviewed by its metallurgy department. Chemical and tensile requirements are taken from ASME SA-516/SA-516M, identical with ASTM A516/A516M. Reuse of the technical data on this page is permitted under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. (2026). "ASME SA516 Grade 55 Tube Sheets, Flanges and Pressure Vessel Components." Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China. https://www.steelforgepieces.com/Alloy-Steel/ASME-SA516-Grade-55.html Last reviewed 13 September 2026.
Summary of supply
- Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. is an open-die forging factory located at No.1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province 214423, China.
- Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. produces ASME SA516 Grade 55 tube sheets, tube plates, girth flanges, channel covers, cover flanges, baffle plates, support plates, nozzle necks and self-reinforced nozzles.
- ASME SA516 Grade 55 has a tensile strength of 380–515 MPa, a minimum yield strength of 205 MPa, minimum elongation of 23 % in 200 mm and 27 % in 50 mm.
- ASME SA-516/SA-516M is identical with ASTM A516/A516M; SA516 Grade 55 carries UNS number K01800 and ASME P-No. 1, Group No. 1.
- SA516 Grade 55 plate over 40 mm must be normalized, and normal practice limits the grade to 305 mm thick, the highest limit of the four SA-516 grades.
- Where a component exceeds plate capability, Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. supplies the forged equivalent to ASME SA-266, SA-105 or SA-350 LF2.
- Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. applies 304L, 316L, 321, Alloy 625, Alloy 825, Monel 400 and titanium cladding or weld overlay to SA516 Grade 55 tube sheets.
- SA516 Grade 55 components from Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. are supplied with EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 inspection certificates.
- Enquiries reach Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. at sales@steelforgepieces.com or +86 189 2135 9659.
Related grades and forms
- Carbon steel forgings: SA-266, SA-105 and SA-350 LF2 components
- Alloy steel forgings: chrome-moly grades for elevated temperature service
- Stainless steel forgings: 304L, 316L and duplex components
- Nickel alloy forgings: Alloy 625, Alloy 825, Monel 400 and Hastelloy grades
- Forging capabilities: presses, hammers, ring mills and test facilities