Designation: A 659/A 659M – 06

Standard Specification for

Commercial Steel (CS), Sheet and Strip, Carbon (0.16
Maximum to 0.25 Maximum Percent), Hot-Rolled1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A 659/A 659M; 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 (e) 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* J 1086 Numbering Metals and Alloys

1.1 This specification covers hot-rolled carbon steel (CS) 3. Ordering Information
sheet and strip, in coils and cut lengths, in which the maximum
of the specified carbon range is over 0.15 and not over 0.25 % 3.1 It is the purchaser’s responsibility to specify in the
and the maximum of the specified manganese range is not over purchase order all ordering information necessary to purchase
0.90 %. This material is ordered to chemical composition. the needed material. Examples of such information include but
1.2 This specification is not applicable to the steels covered are not limited to the following:
by Specification A 635/A 635M. 3.1.1 ASTM specification number and year of issue,
1.3 The values stated in either acceptable SI (metric) units 3.1.2 Name of material (hot-rolled commercial steel (CS)
or in other units shall be regarded separately as standard. The sheet, or hot-rolled commercial steel (CS) strip),
values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; 3.1.3 Grade designation or chemical composition, or both,
therefore, each system must be used independently of the other, 3.1.4 Copper-bearing steel (if required),
without combining values in any way. 3.1.5 Condition (as-rolled, pickled, or blast cleaned) (see
4.1),
2. Referenced Documents 3.1.5.1 Material to this specification is furnished in the
2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 hot-rolled condition. Pickled (or blast cleaned) must be speci-
A 568/A 568M Specification for Steel, Sheet, Carbon, fied if required,
Structural, and High-Strength, Low-Alloy, Hot-Rolled and 3.1.6 Oiling (see 7.2),
Cold-Rolled, General Requirements for 3.1.7 Edges (see 7.1),
A 635/A 635M Specification for Steel, Sheet and Strip, 3.1.8 Dimensions (thickness, width, and whether cut lengths
Heavy-Thickness Coils, Hot-Rolled, Carbon, Structural, or coils),
High-Strength Low-Alloy, and High-Strength Low-Alloy 3.1.8.1 As agreed upon between the purchaser and the
with Improved Formability, General Requirements for producer, material ordered to this specification will be supplied
A 749/A 749M Specification for Steel, Strip, Carbon and to meet the appropriate standard or restricted thickness toler-
High-Strength, Low-Alloy, Hot-Rolled, General Require- ance table shown in Specification A 568/A 568M.
ments for NOTE 1—Not all producers are capable of meeting all of the limitations
E 527 Practice for Numbering Metals and Alloys (UNS) of the thickness tolerance tables in Specification A 568/A 568M. The
2.2 Society of Automotive Engineers Standard:3 purchaser should contact the producer regarding possible limitations prior
to placing an order.

1
3.1.9 Coil size (must include inside diameter, outside diam-
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A01 on Steel,
Stainless Steel and Related Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
eter, and maximum mass),
A01.19 on Steel Sheet and Strip. 3.1.10 Quantity,
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2006. Published October 2006. Originally 3.1.11 Application (show part identification and descrip-
approved in 1972. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as A 659/A 659M – 97 tion),
(2001).
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or 3.1.12 Special requirements (if required), and
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM 3.1.13 Cast or heat analysis report (request, if required).
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. NOTE 2—A typical ordering description is as follows:
3
Available from Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), 400 Commonwealth “ASTM A659-XX [or A659M-XX], Hot-Rolled Commercial Steel (CS)
Dr., Warrendale, PA 15096-0001, http://www.sae.org. Sheet, Grade 1017, Pickled and Oiled, Cut Edge, 0.075 by 36 in. [or 1.85

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

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 A 659/A 659M – 06
by 900 mm], by coil, ID 24 in., OD 48 in., max weight 11 250 lb max [or appendix and is discussed in more detail in Specifications
ID 600 mm, OD 1200 mm, max, weight 7500 kg, max], 100 000 lb [or 45 A 568/A 568M, and A 749/A 749M. When tighter bend radii
000 kg] for Part No. 6509, Shelf Leg, Cast or heat analysis report are required, or curved or offset bends are involved, or when
required.”
stretching or drawing are also a consideration, the producers
4. Materials and Manufacture shall be consulted.
4.1 Condition—Unless otherwise specified, the material is 7. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance
furnished in the as-rolled condition (not annealed or pickled). 7.1 Edge:
5. Chemical Composition 7.1.1 Sheet can be supplied with mill edge or cut edge.
7.1.2 Strip can be supplied with mill edge or slit (cut) edge.
5.1 The Cast or Heat Analysis of the steel shall conform to
7.2 Oiling—Hot-rolled, non-pickled material is commonly
the chemical requirements shown in Table 1, or chemical
furnished not oiled, while hot-rolled pickled (or blast cleaned)
compositions can be specified from carbon 0.16 maximum to
material is commonly furnished oiled. When required, pickled
0.25 % maximum, inclusive, and manganese 0.90 % maxi-
(or blast cleaned) material may be specified to be furnished not
mum, inclusive, which conform to the standard chemical
oiled, and non-pickled material may be specified to be fur-
ranges and limits tables in the Appendixes of Specifications
nished oiled.
A 568/A 568M and A 749/A 749M.
5.1.1 Unspecified elements may be present. Limits on ele- 8. General Requirements for Delivery
ments shall be as stated in Table 2. 8.1 Material furnished under this specification shall con-
5.1.1.1 Each of the elements listed in Table 2 shall be form to the applicable requirements of the current edition of
included in the report of the heat analysis. When the amount of Specification A 568/A 568M for sheet, and Specification
copper, nickel, chromium, or molybdenum is less than 0.02 %, A 749/A 749M for strip, unless otherwise provided herein.
the analysis may be reported as “<0.02 %.” When the amount
of vanadium or columbium is less than 0.008 %, the analysis 9. Certification and Reports
may be reported as “<0.008 %.” 9.1 When requested, the producer shall furnish copies of a
5.2 Where material is used for fabrication by welding, care report showing test results of the cast or heat analysis. The
must be exercised in selection of the chemical composition to report shall include the purchase order number, the ASTM
assure compatibility with the welding process and its effect on designation number, and the cast or heat number representing
altering the properties of the steel. the material.
6. Bending Properties 10. Keywords
6.1 The minimum forming radius (radii) that steel covered 10.1 carbon steel sheet; carbon steel strip; hot rolled steel
by this specification can be expected to sustain is listed in the sheet; hot rolled steel strip; steel sheet; steel strip

TABLE 1 Typical Grade Designations and Chemical CompositionsA

UNS DesignationB Grade Designation Carbon, % Manganese, % Phosphorus, max, % Sulfur, max, %
G10150 1015 0.13–0.18 0.30–0.60 0.030 0.035
G10160 1016 0.13–0.18 0.60–0.90 0.030 0.035
G10170 1017 0.15–0.20 0.30–0.60 0.030 0.035
G10180 1018 0.15–0.20 0.60–0.90 0.030 0.035
G10200 1020 0.18–0.23 0.30–0.60 0.030 0.035
G10210 1021 0.18–0.23 0.60–0.90 0.030 0.035
G10230 1023 0.20–0.25 0.30–0.60 0.030 0.035
A
Copper, when specified, shall have a minimum content of 0.20 % by cast or heat analysis.
B
Designation established in accordance with Practice E 527 and SAE J 1086.

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 A 659/A 659M – 06
TABLE 2 Limits on Unspecified Elements (see 5.1.1)
Copper, max %A Heat analysis 0.20
Product analysis 0.23
A
Nickel, max % Heat analysis 0.20
Product analysis 0.23
Chromium, max %A Heat analysis 0.15
Product analysis 0.19
Molybdenum, max %A Heat analysis 0.06
Product analysis 0.07
Vanadium, max % Heat analysis 0.008
Product analysis 0.018
Columbium, max % Heat analysis 0.008
Product analysis 0.018
A
The sum of copper, nickel, chromium, and molybdenum shall not exceed
0.50 % on heat analysis. When one or more of these elements are specified, the
sum does not apply; in which case, only the individual limits on the remaining
unspecified elements will apply.

APPENDIX

(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. BENDING PROPERTIES

X1.1 Table X1.1 shows suggested minimum inside radii for

cold bending.

TABLE X1.1 Suggested Minimum Inside Radii for Cold BendingA

NOTE 1—(t) equals a radius equivalent to the steel thickness.
NOTE 2—The suggested radii should be used as minimums for 90°
bends in actual shop practice.
Maximum of Specified Minimum Inside Radius for Cold
Manganese Range, % Bending
To 0.60 incl. 2t
Over 0.60 to 0.90 incl. 21⁄2 t
A
Material that does not perform satisfactorily, when fabricated in accordance
with the above requirements, may be subject to rejection pending negotiation with
the steel supplier.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee A01 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue
(A 659/A 659M – 97 (2001)) that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved Oct. 1, 2006.)

(1) Revised 5.1. (2) Revised Table 1.

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