Heat Treatment Requirement for ASTM Steel

According to ASTM A 6/A 6M 04a (Latest revision is 16) section 6 (to indicate sec. no. of latest
revision), the followings conditions are needed to be considered for heat treatment.

Where the heat treatment is to be performed by other than the manufacturer, the structural
products shall be accepted on the basis of tests made on test specimens taken from full
thickness test coupons heat treated in accordance with the requirements specified in the
applicable product specification or in the purchase order. If the heat-treatment temperatures are
not specified, the manufacturer or processor shall heat treat the test coupons under conditions
he considers appropriate, provided that the purchaser is informed of the procedure followed in

heat treating the test coupons. (to indicate sec. no. of latest revision)
Where the heat treatment is to be performed by the manufacturer or the processor, the structural
product shall be heat treated as specified in the applicable product specification, or as specified
in the purchase order, provided that the heat treatment specified by the purchaser is not in
conflict with the requirements of the applicable product specification. (to indicate sec. no. of latest
revision)

Therefore, the following ASTM product specifications are used to specify the heat treatment
requirement for materials used in design.

ASTM A36/A 36M (Latest revision) Standard Specification for Carbon Structural Steel
ASTM A131/A131M (Latest revision) Structural Steel for Ships

ASTM A36 Steel

ASTM A36 Steel is referenced by ASTM A36/A 36M (Latest revision) Standard Specification for
Carbon Structural Steel.
In ASTM A36/A 36M (Latest revision), no heat treatment requirement is specified. So manufacture and
or processor shall heat treat under conditions he consider appropriate. The manufacture or processor
shall produce the procedure he followed. The structural products shall be accepted on the basis of
tests made on test specimens (mill test certificate).
GOMs recommended procedure of ASTM A36 Steel is referenced to that of AISI 1018 is described in
heat treaters guide companion which is produced by Heat Treating Society, ASM International. (Heat
Treat App Version 3.0.7).
Forging

Heat to 1275 C (2325 F). Do not forge below 910 C (1670 F).

Normalizing

Heat to 925 C (1695 F). Cool in air.

Annealing

Heat to 885 C (1625 F). Cool slowly, preferably in a cooler or by furnace cooling.

Hardening

May be case hardened by liquid or gas carburizing, or by flame hardening.

The above procedure is reference only and the manufacture can have variation according to his
procedure (as described in ASTM A 6/A 6M (Latest revision). GOM shall accept as long as
procedure and mill certificate is provided by approved suppliers and meet the design requirements

ASTM EH 36 Steel
ASTM EH 36 Steel is referenced by ASTM A131/A131M (Latest revision) Structural Steel for Ships.
Heat treatment for ASTM A36 Steel is performed in ASTM A36/A 36M (Latest revision) section 5 (to
indicate sec. no. of latest revision) and Table 1 (to indicate sec. no. of latest revision).
GOMs recommended procedure of ASTM EH36 Steel is referenced to that of AISI 1018 is described
in heat treaters guide companion which is produced by Heat Treating Society, ASM International.
(Heat Treat App Version 3.0.7).

Heat Treatment Requirement for AISI Steel

AISI 4140
GOMs recommended procedure of AISI 4140 Steel is referenced to the procedure described in heat
treaters guide companion which is produced by Heat Treating Society, ASM International. (Heat Treat
App Version 3.0.7).
Forging

Heat to 1230 C (2250 F). Do not forge after temperature of forging stock drops
below approximately 870 C (1600 F).

Normalizing

Heat to 870 C (1600 F). Cool in air.

Annealing

For a predominately pearlite structure, heat to 845 C (1555 F), cool fairly rapidly
to 755 C (1390 F), cool fairly rapidly to 755 C (1390 F), then cool form 755 C
(1390 F), at a rate of not exceeding 14 C (25 F) per hour; or heat to 845 C (1555
F), cool rapidly to 675 C (1245 F), and hold for 5h.
For a predominately spheroid zed structure, heat to 750 C (1380 F), cool to 665
C (1230 F) at a rate not exceeding 6 C (10 F) per hour; or heat to 750 C (1380
F), cool fairly rapidly to 675 C (1245 F) and hold for 9h.

Hardening

Austenite at 855 C (1570 F), and quench in oil.

Tempering

Reheat after quenching to obtain required hardness.

The above procedure is reference only and the manufacture can have variation. GOM shall accept as
long as procedure and mill certificate is provided by approved suppliers and meet design
requirements
For PSL 2, all heat treatment operations shall be performed utilizing equipment qualified in
accordance with the requirements specified by the wrought material manufacturer. The loading of the
material within heat treatment furnaces shall be such that