Designation: A556/A556M – 96 (Reapproved 2005)

Standard Specification for

Seamless Cold-Drawn Carbon Steel Feedwater Heater
Tubes1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A556/A556M; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope 3. Ordering Information

1.1 This specification2 covers minimum-wall-thickness, 3.1 Orders for material under this specification should
seamless cold-drawn carbon steel tubes including bending into include the following as required to describe the desired
the form of U-tubes, if specified, for use in tubular feedwater material adequately:
heaters. 3.1.1 Quantity (feet, metres, or number of pieces),
1.2 The tubing sizes covered shall be 5⁄8 to 11⁄4-in. [15.9 to 3.1.2 Name of material (seamless steel tubing),
31.8-mm] outside diameter, inclusive, with minimum wall 3.1.3 Dimensions (outside diameter and minimum wall
thicknesses equal to or greater than 0.045 in. [1.1 mm]. thickness),
1.3 Optional supplementary requirements are provided, and 3.1.4 Length (specific or random),
when desired, shall be stated in the order. 3.1.5 Manufacture (cold drawn),
1.4 The values stated in either inch-pound units or SI units 3.1.6 Grade (chemical composition),
are to be regarded separately as the standard. Within the text, 3.1.7 Optional requirements,
the SI units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each 3.1.8 Bending Requirements— If order specifies tubes to be
system are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system must bent, the design of the U-tubes shall accompany the order.
be used independently of the other. Combining values from the Purchaser must specify if stress-relief anneal of the U-bends is
two systems may result in nonconformance with the specifi- required,
cation. The inch-pound units shall apply unless the “M” 3.1.9 Test report required (see Certification Section of
designation of this specification is specified in the order. Specification A450/A450M),
3.1.10 Specification number, and
2. Referenced Documents 3.1.11 Special requirements and any supplementary require-
2.1 ASTM Standards:3 ments selected.
A450/A450M Specification for General Requirements for
Carbon and Low Alloy Steel Tubes 4. General Requirements
E30 Test Methods for Chemical Analysis of Steel, Cast 4.1 Material furnished to this specification shall conform to
Iron, Open-Hearth Iron, and Wrought Iron4 the applicable requirements of the current edition of the
Specification A450/A450M, unless otherwise provided herein.
5. Manufacture
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A01 on Steel,
Stainless Steel and Related Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
5.1 Manufacture—Tubes shall be made by the seamless
A01.09 on Carbon Steel Tubular Products. process and shall be cold drawn.
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2005. Published November 2005. Originally 5.2 Heat Treatment:
approved in 1965. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as A556/A556M – 96 5.2.1 Cold-drawn tubes shall be heat treated after the final
(2001). DOI: 10.1520/A0556_A0556M-96R05.
2
For ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code applications see related Specifi- cold-draw pass at a temperature of 1200°F [640°C] or higher to
cation SA-556 in Section II of that Code. ensure ductility satisfactory for rolling into tube sheets and to
3
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or meet mechanical properties as specified.
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
5.2.2 If stress-relief anneal of the U-bends is specified, the
the ASTM website. anneal shall consist of heating the bent portion within a range
4
Withdrawn. of 1100 to 1200°F [585 to 640°C].

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

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 A556/A556M – 96 (2005)
6. Chemical Composition TABLE 2 Tensile Requirements
Grade A2 Grade B2 Grade C2
6.1 The steel shall conform to one of the requirements as to
chemical composition as prescribed in Table 1. Tensile strength, min, ksi [MPa] 47 [320] 60 [410] 70 [480]
Yield strength, min, ksi [MPa] 26 [180] 37 [260] 40 [280]
6.2 When a grade is ordered under this specification, sup- Elongation in 2 in. or 50 mm, 35 30 30
plying an alloy grade that specifically requires the addition of min, % (longitudinal)
any element other than those listed for the ordered grade in
Table 1 is not permitted.
TABLE 3 Hardness Requirements
7. Product Analysis Grade A2 HR B 72
Grade B2 HR B 79
7.1 When requested in the purchase order, a product analy- Grade C2 HR B 89
sis shall be made by the manufacturer or supplier from one tube
or billet per heat.
7.2 If the original test for product analysis fails, retests of
two additional tubes or billets shall be made. Both retests for 9.2 Permissible variations from the specified minimum wall
the elements in question shall meet the requirements of this thickness shall not exceed +20 % or −0. The wall thickness of
specification; otherwise, all remaining material in the heat or the tube in U-bent section shall be not less than value
lot (Note 1) shall be rejected or, at the option of the producer, determined by:
each tube may be individually tested for acceptance. Tubes that tf 5 T ~2R! / ~2R1D! (1)
do not meet the requirements of this specification shall be
rejected. where:
tf = wall thickness after bending, in. [mm],
NOTE 1—For tension and hardness test requirements, the term lot T = specified minimum tube wall thickness, in. [mm],
applies to all tubes prior to cutting, of the same nominal diameter and wall R = centerline bend radius, in. [mm], and
thickness which are produced from the same heat of steel. When final heat
D = nominal outside tube diameter, in. [mm].
treatment is in a batch-type furnace, a lot shall include only those tubes of
the same size and the same heat which are heat treated in the same furnace 9.3 In the case of U-tubes, the length of the tube legs as
charge. When the final heat treatment is in a continuous furnace, a lot shall measured from the point of tangency of the bend and the tube
include all tubes of the same size and heat, heat treated in the same furnace leg to the end of the tube leg shall not be less than specified, but
at the same temperature, time at heat and furnace speed. may exceed the specified values by the amount given in Table
7.3 For referee purposes, Test Methods E30 shall be used. 4. The difference in lengths of the tube legs shall not be greater
than 1⁄8 in. [3 mm] unless otherwise specified.
8. Mechanical Properties 9.4 The end of any tube may depart from square by not
more than the amount given in Table 5.
8.1 Tensile Properties—The material shall conform to the
requirements as to tensile properties prescribed in Table 2, 9.5 The leg spacing measured between the points of tan-
when pulled in full section. gency of the bend to the legs shall not vary from the value (2R
8.2 Hardness Requirements—The tubes shall not exceed the − specified tube OD) by more than 1⁄16 in. [1.5 mm] where R is
Rockwell Hardness shown in Table 3. the centerline bend radius.
9.6 The bent portion of the U-tube shall be substantially
9. Permissible Variations in Dimensions (Fig. 1) uniform in curvature and not exceed 61⁄16 in. [61.5 mm] of the
normal centerline radius.
9.1 Permissible variations from the specified outside diam-
eter shall not exceed 60.004 in. [0.10 mm] for tubing under
10. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance
1.0-in. [25.4-mm] outside diameter nor 60.006 in. [0.15 mm]
for tubing 1.0 in. [25.4 mm] to 1.25 in. [31.7 mm] inclusive. 10.1 Finished tubes shall be free from scale but may have a
These tolerances do not apply to the bent portion of the superficial oxide film on the surfaces. A light oxide scale on the
U-tubes. At the bent portion of a U-tube for R = 2 3 D or outside and inside surfaces of U-bend shall be allowed for
greater neither the major nor minor diameter of tube shall tubes which have been heat treated.
deviate from nominal by more than 10 %. If 11⁄2 D is specified, 10.2 Finished tubes shall be reasonably straight and have
tolerances could be greater. smooth ends free from burrs. Tubes shall have a workmanlike
finish and shall be free of surface imperfections that cannot be
removed within the allowable wall tolerances. Removal of
TABLE 1 Chemical Requirements surface imperfections such as handling marks, straightening
Element Composition, % marks, light mandrel and die marks, shallow pits, and scale
Grade A2 Grade B2 Grade C2 pattern will not be required provided they are within the
Carbon, max 0.18 0.27 0.30
allowable wall tolerances.
Manganese 0.27–0.63 0.29–0.93 0.29–1.06 10.3 Finished tubes shall be coated both on the outside and
Phosphorus, max 0.035 0.035 0.035 the inside diameter to prevent corrosion in transit. The type of
Sulfur, max 0.035 0.035 0.035
Silicon, min ... 0.10 0.10 coating applied should be mutually agreed upon and specified
in the order.

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 A556/A556M – 96 (2005)

FIG. 1 Bent Portion of U-Tube

TABLE 4 Tube Leg Length Tolerance 11.5 Hydrostatic Test—Each U-tube shall be subjected to a
Leg Length, ft [m] Plus Tolerance in. [mm] hydrostatic test, using a noncorrosive fluid, or when agreed
Up to 20 [6], incl 18⁄ [3.2] upon between the purchaser and manufacturer, they may be
Over 20 to 30 [6 to 9], incl ⁄ [4.0]
5 32
tested at 11⁄2 times the specified design working pressure.
Over 30 to 40 [9 to 12.2], incl 3⁄16 [4.8]

12. Nondestructive Test (Electric Test)

12.1 Each tube shall be tested after the finish heat treatment
TABLE 5 Squareness of Ends Tolerance following the final cold-drawn pass by passing through a
Tube OD, in. [mm] Tolerance, nondestructive tester capable of detecting defects on the entire
in. [mm]
cross section of the tube, in accordance with Specification
5⁄8 [15.9] 0.010 [0.25]
Over 5⁄8 to 11⁄4 [15.9 to 31.7], incl 0.016 [0.4]
A450/A450M.
13. Packaging and Package Marking
13.1 The tubing shall be packaged or bundled in such a
11. Mechanical Tests Required
manner as to prevent damage in ordinary handling and trans-
11.1 Tension Test—One tension test shall be made on a portation and identified by a tag with the name of the
specimen for lots of not more than 50 tubes. Tension tests shall manufacturer, purchase order number, specification number
be made on specimens from two tubes for lots of more than 50 and grade, and size.
tubes (Note 1). 13.2 In the case of U-tubes, each box shall be palletized and
11.2 Flattening Test—One flattening test shall be made on legibly marked showing the manufacturer’s name, purchase
specimens taken from each end of one finished tube, not the order number, specification number and grade, size, and
one used for the flaring test, from each lot of not more than 125 identification of items contained.
tubes or fraction thereof. 13.3 Bar Coding—In addition to the requirements in 13.1
11.3 Flaring Test—One flaring test shall be made on speci- and 13.2, bar coding is acceptable as a supplemental identifi-
mens taken from each end of one finished tube, not the one cation method. The purchaser may specify in the order a
used for flattening test, from each lot of not more than 125 specific bar coding system to be used.
tubes or fraction thereof.
11.4 Hardness Test—Brinell or Rockwell hardness tests 14. Keywords
shall be made on specimens from two tubes from each lot 14.1 carbon; feedwater heater tubes; seamless steel tube;
(Note 1). steel tube

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 A556/A556M – 96 (2005)
SUPPLEMENTARY REQUIREMENTS

The following supplementary requirement or requirements may become a part of the specification
when specified in the inquiry or invitation to bid, and purchase order or contract. These requirements
shall not be considered, unless specified in the order, in which even the necessary tests shall be made
by the manufacturer prior to the bending or shipment of the tubing.

S1. Nondestructive Ultrasonic Test—Round Tubing S1.1.7 A reference standard of an appropriate length (suffi-
(Commercial Grade) cient to allow in-line feeding) shall be prepared from a
S1.1 The manufactuer shall test the tubing by an ultrasonic randomly selected tube of the same size, grade, and physical
nondestructive test for detection of harmful faults and sound- condition as the material to be tested.
ness. S1.1.8 The reference standard shall contain machined
S1.1.1 Ultrasonic testing shall be performed using pulse- notches as follows: Notch to be 10 % of wall thickness in depth
echo shear wave techniques to locate longitudinal or circum- but not less than 0.004 in. [0.10 mm]. Tolerance on depth
ferential defects, or both. +0.0000 in. or −0.001 in. [0.03 mm].
S1.1.2 Tubes being tested shall be reasonably straight for S1.1.8.1 Notch Locations and Orientation—Notches shall
proper rotation. The outside and inside diameter surfaces of the be located on outside or inside diameter, or both, and shall be
tubes shall be free of dirt, grit, grease, oil, loose scale, or other oriented to lie in a longitudinal direction for radial inspection
materials which tend to attenuate, scatter, or reflect ultrasonic or circumferentially, or both, for transverse inspection. The
signals. notch or notches shall be located in the reference tube in such
S1.1.3 Tubing shall be inspected by feeding spirally past a a manner that no physical or acoustical interference exists
suitable transducer with rotation of material to be toward the between notches or end of reference tube. These various
transducer. locations and orientations will be classified as follows:
S1.1.4 Suitable ultrasonic instrumentation shall be used to Type A—Longitudinal outside diameter for radial inspection,
clearly distinguish the artificial defects (hereafter called refer- Type B—Longitudinal inside diameter for radial inspection,
ence notches) described later. Automatic electronic monitoring Type C—Circumferential outside diameter for transverse
of the reflected ultrasonic signals shall be provided in such inspection, and
manner that any naturally occurring defects which present an
Type D—Circumferential inside diameter for transverse in-
ultrasonic reflection equal to or greater than the reference
spection.
standard(s) shall trigger audible and visible alarms.
S1.1.8.2 Standard Nomenclature—The size, location, and
S1.1.5 Instrument calibration as described herein shall be
orientation of the reference notches, which become a part of a
accomplished with the reference standard being rotated and fed
particular order covered under this specification, shall be
past the transducer at the same approximate rate at which the
specified.
tubing under test will be tested.
S1.1.6 The following factors will be adjusted so as to S1.1.9 The basic procedure will be to rotary feed all the
achieve optimum instrument distinction between the reference tubes in the order past the search unit (transducer) with the feed
notch(es) and plain portion of tubing when calibrating equip- helix less than the scanning width of the search unit. As the
ment to the reference standard: tubes are fed past the transducer, the alarm system shall be
S1.1.6.1 Search unit position shall be such that shear waves observed for indications of defects equal to or greater than the
are propagated within the tube being tested. If both outside and reference standard. Tubes which show such indications shall be
inside diameter reference notches are used, the optimum angle rejected.
shall be used which will indicate both notches as close to equal S1.1.10 Standard procedure will be to test the material in
size as possible. one direction of helical feed only. Testing in both directions
S1.1.6.2 The test frequency to be used shall be chosen to may be done if so specified by customer.
yield the best distinction between reference notches and plain S1.1.11 Any tubes that do not show indications above the
areas of tubing. In general, 2.25 or 5.0 MHz will be used. level determined by the reference standard shall be held in a lot
S1.1.6.3 Instrument sensitivity shall be adjusted to allow until the reference standard is run and instrument calibration is
reference notch or notches to present a pip or pips on the scope proved by triggering alarm system on the reference notch or
screen at 50 % to 70 % of instrument saturation level. The notches. After calibration is proved to have been correct, this
Automatic Defect Monitoring System shall be adjusted to lot of tubes shall be considered tested and accepted as to
monitor by means of electronic gates, the portion of the screen maximum defect size corresponding to the reference standard
where the reference notch is presented. The sensitivity of the used.
alarm system shall be adjusted to indicate audibly and visibly S1.1.12 Rejected tubing may be salvaged by polishing or
when the reference notch is fed past the search unit. other suitable means when practical and retested after the
S1.1.6.4 The recording equipment, if agreed upon, shall be elimination of the cause of rejection. Such material that meets
adjusted to clearly indicate the reference notch or notches and the dimensional requirements and does not cause triggering of
also whether or not any reflected signals actuate the alarm ultrasonic alarm system upon retesting shall be considered as
system. having met the requirements of this supplement.

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 A556/A556M – 96 (2005)
S2. Nondestructive Ultrasonic Test—Round Tubing S3.1.1 Test frequency,
(Select Commercial Grade) S3.1.2 Direct-current saturation level,
S2.1 The manufacturer shall test the tubing using the S3.1.3 Filter networks,
procedure outlined in Supplementary Requirement S1, except S3.1.4 Phase analysis circuits,
for the notch depth, which shall be 5 % of wall thickness in S3.1.5 Coil diameter, and
depth but not less than 0.004 in. [0.10 mm]. Tolerance on depth
shall be +0.000 in. or −0.0005 in. [0.01 mm]. S3.1.6 Instrument gain.
S3.2 The reference standard shall contain longitudinal and
S3. Nondestructive Eddy-Current Test circumferential notches in the outside diameter and shall be
S3.1 Each tube shall be tested after the finish heat treatment used to establish the rejection level for the tubing to be tested.
following the final cold-draw pass by passing through an Inside diameter notches, both longitudinal and circumferential,
electric nondestructive tester capable of detecting defects on shall also be a part of the reference standard. These notches
the entire cross section of the tube. Suitable instrumentation may be larger than outside diameter notches and are intended
shall be used to clearly distinguish artificial defects or refer- for use only to assure instrument phase settings capable of
ence notches. Tubes to be tested shall be reasonably straight yielding optimum inside diameter surface sensitivity. The
and the outside and inside diameter surfaces shall be free of outside diameter reference notches shall have a depth equal to
loose scale, metallic particles, or other material which would 10 % of the wall thickness. The tolerance of the notch shall be
tend to restrict signals or create electrical noise. The tubing 68 % or 0.0005 in. [0.01 mm], whichever is greater. Width of
shall be inspected by feeding longitudinally through an inspec- notch shall not exceed twice the depth. The length of the
tion coil or coils of a diameter suitable for the diameter of reference notches shall not exceed 0.375 in. [9.5 mm]. All
tubing to be inspected. The instrument calibration shall be tubing including that which may be reconditioned, provided
accomplished with a reference standard prepared from an the dimensional or other properties of the tubing are not
appropriate length of selected tubing of the same size, grade, adversely affected and provided the tubing does not show
and physical condition as the material to be inspected. The indications above the level determined by the outside diameter
standard shall be fed through the coil at the same speed at references, shall meet this specification provided the instru-
which the inspection of the tubing is performed. The following ment calibration is verified by indicating the standard outside
factors shall be selected or adjusted, or both, in accordance diameter reference notches of a given lot. Tubes generating a
with the instrument manufacturer’s instructions for the particu- signal above the calibration standard sensitivity level shall be
lar instrument involved as required to achieve optimum instru- rejected. Tubes may be reconditioned if not adversely affecting
ment distinction between the reference defects and plain the dimensional or other properties of the tube and so tested as
portion of the tube. These as well as other factors involved to assure a satisfactory tube within the limits of this specifica-
shall not be used in such a manner that they detract from the tion. All tubing shall be demagnetized after inspection has been
instrument’s overall ability to detect injurious defects: completed.

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