Designation: A 232/A 232M – 05

Standard Specification for

Chromium-Vanadium Alloy Steel Valve Spring Quality Wire1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A 232/A 232M; 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* 2.4 Military Standard:4

1.1 This specification covers the highest quality of round MIL-STD-163 Steel Mill Products, Preparation for Ship-
chromium-vanadium alloy steel valve spring wire, uniform in ment and Storage
quality and temper, intended for the manufacture of valve 2.5 AIAG Standard:5
springs and other springs requiring high-fatigue properties AIAG B-5 02.00 Primary Metals Identification Tag Appli-
when used at moderately elevated temperatures. This wire shall cation Standard
be either in the annealed and cold-drawn or oil-tempered 3. Ordering Information
condition as specified by the purchaser.
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units 3.1 Orders for material under this specification should
are to be regarded separately as standard. Within the text, the include the following information for each ordered item:
inch-pound units are shown in brackets. The values stated in 3.1.1 Quantity (mass),
each system are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system 3.1.2 Name of material (chromium-vanadium alloy steel
must be used independent of the other. valve spring quality wire),
3.1.3 Dimensions (Table 1 and Section 8),
2. Referenced Documents 3.1.4 Condition (Section 6),
2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 3.1.5 Packaging (Section 14),
A 370 Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing 3.1.6 Heat analysis report, if requested (5.2),
of Steel Products 3.1.7 Certification or test report, or both, if specified (Sec-
A 700 Practices for Packaging, Marking, and Loading tion 13), and
Methods for Steel Products for Domestic Shipment 3.1.8 ASTM designation and year of issue.
A 751 Test Methods, Practices, and Terminology for NOTE 1—A typical ordering description is as follows: 20 000 kg
Chemical Analysis of Steel Products oil-tempered chromium-vanadium alloy steel valve spring quality wire,
E 29 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to size 6.00 mm in 150 kg coils to ASTM A 232/A 232M dated , or for
Determine Conformance with Specifications inch-pound units, 40 000 lb oil-tempered chromium-vanadium alloy steel
2.2 ANSI Standard:3 valve spring quality wire, size 0.250 in. in 350-lb coils to ASTM
A 232/A 232M dated .
B 32.4 Preferred Metric Sizes for Round, Square, Rect-
angle, and Hexagon Metal Products 4. Materials and Manufacture
2.3 Federal Standard:4 4.1 The steel may be made by any commercially accepted
Fed. Std. No. 123 Marking for Shipment (Civil Agencies)
steel making process. The steel shall be continuously cast.
4.2 The finished wire shall be free from detrimental pipe
and undue segregation.
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. Chemical Composition
A1.03 on Steel Rod and Wire.
Current edition approved March 1, 2005. Published March 2005. Originally
5.1 The steel shall conform to the requirements for chemical
approved in 1939. Last previous edition approved in 1999 as A 232/A 232M – 99. composition specified in Table 2.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or 5.2 Heat Analysis—Each heat of steel shall be analyzed by
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM the manufacturer to determine the percentage of elements
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website.
prescribed in Table 2. This analysis shall be made from a test
3
Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
4th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
4 5
Available from Standardization Documents Order Desk, DODSSP, Bldg. 4, Available from Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), 26200 Lahser Rd.,
Section D, 700 Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5098 Suite 200, Southfield, MI 48034.

*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 232/A 232M – 05
TABLE 1 Tensile RequirementsA TABLE 2 Chemical Requirements
SI Units Product
Analysis, % Analysis
Reduction
Tolerance, %
Diameter,B mm MPa, min MPa, max of Area,
min, % Carbon 0.48–0.53 60.02
C Manganese 0.70–0.90 60.03
0.50 2060 2260
C Phosphorus 0.020 max +0.005
0.55 2050 2240
C Sulfur 0.035 max +0.005
0.60 2030 2220
C Silicon 0.15–0.35 60.02
0.65 2010 2200
C Chromium 0.80–1.10 60.05
0.70 2000 2160
C Vanadium 0.15 min −0.01
0.80 1980 2140
C
0.90 1960 2120
C
1.00 1940 2100
C
1.10 1920 2080
C
1.20 1900 2060
C
tions of a single element in any one heat shall not vary both
1.40 1860 2020
1.60 1820 1980 C above and below the specified range.
1.80 1800 1960 C 5.4 For referee purposes, Test Methods, Practices, and
C
2.00 1780 1930
C
Terminology A 751 shall be used.
2.20 1750 1900
2.50 1720 1860 45
2.80 1680 1830 45 6. Mechanical Properties
3.00 1660 1800 45
3.50 1620 1760 45
6.1 Annealed and Cold-Drawn—When purchased in the
4.00 1580 1720 40 annealed and cold-drawn condition, the wire shall have been
4.50 1560 1680 40 given a sufficient amount of cold working to meet the purchas-
5.00 1520 1640 40
5.50 1480 1620 40
er’s coiling requirements and shall be in a suitable condition to
6.00 1460 1600 40 respond properly to heat treatment. In special cases the
6.50 1440 1580 40 hardness, if desired, shall be stated in the purchase order.
7.00 1420 1560 40
8.00 1400 1540 40
6.2 Oil Tempered—When purchased in the oil-tempered
9.00 1380 1520 40 condition, the tensile strength and minimum percent reduction
10.00 1360 1500 40 of area, sizes 2.50 mm [0.105 in.] and coarser, of the wire shall
11.00 1340 1480 40
12.00 1320 1460 40
conform to the requirements prescribed in Table 1.
6.2.1 Number of Tests—One test specimen shall be taken for
Inch-Pound Units
each five coils, or fraction thereof, in a lot. Each heat in a given
Reduction
Diameter, in. ksi, min ksi, max of Area, lot shall be tested.
min, % 6.2.2 Location of Tests—Test specimens shall be taken from
0.020 300 325 C either end of the coil.
C
0.032 290 315
C
6.2.3 Test Method—The tension test shall be made in
0.041 280 305
0.054 270 295 C accordance with Test Methods and Definitions A 370.
0.062 265 290 C 6.3 Wrap Test:
C
0.080 255 275 6.3.1 Oil-tempered or cold-drawn wire 4.00 mm [0.162 in.]
0.105 245 265 45
0.135 235 255 45
and smaller in diameter shall wind on itself as an arbor without
0.162 225 245 40 breakage. Larger diameter wire up to and including 8.00 mm
0.192 220 240 40 [0.312 in.] in diameter shall wrap without breakage on a
0.244 210 230 40
0.283 205 225 40
mandrel twice the wire diameter. The wrap test is not appli-
0.312 203 223 40 cable to wire over 8.00 mm in diameter.
0.375 200 220 40 6.3.2 Number of Tests—One test specimen shall be taken for
0.438 195 215 40
0.500 190 210 40 each five coils, or fraction thereof, in a lot. Each heat in a given
A
Tensile strength values for intermediate diameters may be interpolated.
lot shall be tested.
B
Preferred sizes. For a complete list, refer to ANSI B32.4. 6.3.3 Location of Test—Test specimens shall be taken from
C
The reduction of area test is not applicable to wire diameters under 0.092 in. either end of the coil.
[2.34 mm].
6.3.4 Test Method—The wrap test shall be made in accor-
dance with Test Methods and Definitions A 370.
6.4 Special Surface Inspection—When specified, the entire
specimen preferably taken during the pouring of the heat. length of every coil shall be inspected for surface imperfections
When requested, this shall be reported to the purchaser and with a magnetic or eddy current defect analyzer, or both, or
shall conform to the requirements of Table 2. equivalent. The defect depth of this surface inspection shall be
5.3 Product Analysis—An analysis may be made by the agreed upon between the manufacturer and the purchaser. All
purchaser from finished wire representing each heat of steel. detected defects shall be properly marked so the purchaser has
The average of all the separate determinations made shall be the ability to identify and discard that length of wire.
within the limits specified in the analysis column. Individual
determinations may vary to the extent shown in the product 7. Metallurgical Requirements
analysis tolerance column, except that the several determina- 7.1 Surface Condition:

2
 A 232/A 232M – 05
7.1.1 The surface of the wire as received shall be free of TABLE 3 Permissible Variations in Wire DiameterA
imperfections such as pits, die marks, scratches, seams, and SI Units
other defects tending to impair the fatigue value of the springs. Permissible
Permissible
7.1.2 Number of Tests—One test specimen shall be taken Variations,
Diameter, mm Out-of-Round,
plus and
from each end of every coil. minus, mm
mm
7.1.3 Test Method—The surface shall be examined after to 2.0, incl 0.02 0.02
etching in a solution of equal parts of hydrochloric acid and Over 2.0 to 4.00, incl 0.03 0.03
water that has been heated to approximately 80°C for up to 2 Over 4.00 to 9.00, incl 0.04 0.04
Over 9.00 0.05 0.05
min in order to remove the oxide scale layer from the wire
Inch-Pound Units
surface. Test ends shall be examined using 103 magnification.
Permissible Permissible
7.2 Decarburization: Diameter, in. Variations, Out-of-Round,
7.2.1 Transverse sections of the wire properly mounted, plus and in.
polished, and etched shall show no completely decarburized minus, in.

(carbon-free) areas when examined at 1003 magnification. 0.020 to 0.075, incl 0.0008 0.0008
Over 0.075 to 0.148, incl 0.001 0.001
Partial decarburization shall not exceed a depth of 0.025 mm Over 0.148 to 0.375, incl 0.0015 0.0015
[0.001 in.] on wire 5.00 mm [0.192 in.] and smaller or 0.038 Over 0.375 to 0.500, incl 0.002 0.002
mm [0.0015 in.] on larger than 5.00 mm [0.192 in.]. Measure A
For purposes of determining conformance with this specification, all specified
the worst area present excluding decarburization associated limits are absolute as defined in Practice E 29.
with seams or other surface imperfections. Complete decarbur-
ization exists when only free ferrite is present. Partial decar-
burization exists when ferrite is found mixed with pearlite or 10. Retests
tempered martensite. Structures of 100 % tempered martensite 10.1 If any test specimen exhibits obvious defects it may be
shall be defined as not decarburized. discarded and another specimen substituted.
7.2.2 To reveal the decarburization more accurately in the
untempered wire, the specimen shall be hardened and tempered 11. Inspection
before microscopical examination. Prior to hardening, the
specimen shall be filed flat on one side enough to reduce the 11.1 Unless otherwise specified in the contract or purchase
diameter at least 20 %. The subsequent mounted specimen order, the manufacturer is responsible for the performance of
shall show the flattened section, as well as the original wire all inspection and test requirements specified in this specifica-
edge. Any decarburization on this flattened section shall tion. Except as otherwise specified in the contract or purchase
necessitate a new specimen for examination. order, the manufacturer may use his own or any other suitable
facilities for the performance of the inspection and test
7.2.3 Number of Tests—One test specimen shall be taken for
requirements unless disapproved by the purchaser at the time
each five coils, or fraction thereof, in a lot. Each in a given lot
the order is placed. The purchaser shall have the right to
shall be tested.
perform any of the inspections and tests set forth in this
7.2.4 Location of Tests—Test specimens may be taken from
specification when such inspections and tests are deemed
either end of the coil.
necessary to assure that the material conforms to prescribed
7.3 Microstructure—A longitudinal section shall show a requirements.
fine homogeneous tempered martensitic structure.
12. Rejection and Rehearing
8. Dimensions and Permissible Variations
12.1 Unless otherwise specified, any rejection based on tests
8.1 The permissible variations in the diameter of the wire made in accordance with these specifications shall be reported
shall be as specified in Table 3. to the manufacturer as soon as possible so that an investigation
8.2 Number of Tests—One test specimen shall be taken from may be initiated.
each end of every coil. 12.2 The material must be adequately protected and cor-
rectly identified in order that the manufacturer may make a
9. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance proper investigation.
9.1 Annealed and Cold Drawn—The wire shall not be
kinked or improperly cast. To test for cast, a few convolutions 13. Certification
of wire shall be cut loose from the coil and placed on a flat 13.1 When specified in the purchase order or contract, a
surface. The wire shall lie substantially flat on itself and not manufacturer’s or supplier’s certification shall be furnished to
spring up nor show a wavy condition. the purchaser that the material was manufactured, sampled,
9.2 Oil Tempered—The wire shall be uniform in quality and tested, and inspected in accordance with this specification and
temper and shall not be wavy or crooked. has been found to meet the requirements. When specified in the
9.3 Each coil shall be one continuous length of wire purchase order or contract, a report of the test results shall be
properly coiled and firmly tied. furnished.
9.4 No welds are permitted in the finished product and any 13.2 The certification shall include the specification num-
welds made during processing must be removed. ber, year date of issue, and revision letter, if any.

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 A 232/A 232M – 05
14. Packaging, Marking, and Loading for Shipment accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-163, Level A,
14.1 The coil mass, dimensions, and the method of packag- Level C, or commercial as specified in the contract or purchase
ing shall be agreed upon between the manufacturer and order. Marking for shipment of material for civil agencies shall
purchaser. be in accordance with Fed. Std. No. 123.
14.2 The size of the wire, purchaser’s order number, ASTM 14.5 Bar Coding—In addition to the previously-stated iden-
specification number, heat number, and name or mark of the tification requirements, bar coding is acceptable as a supple-
manufacturer shall be marked on a tag securely attached to mentary identification method. Bar coding should be consistent
each coil of wire. with AIAG B-5 02.00, Primary Metals Identification Tag
14.3 Unless otherwise specified in the purchaser’s order, Application. The bar code may be applied to a substantially
packaging, marking, and loading for shipments shall be in affixed tag.
accordance with those procedures recommended by Practices
A 700. 15. Keywords
14.4 For Government Procurement—Packaging, packing,
and marking of material for military procurement shall be in 15.1 alloy; chromium-vanadium; valve spring; wire

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee A01 has identified the location of selected changes made to this standard since the last issue,
A 232 A 232M – 99, that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved March 1, 2005.)

(1) Removed the ingot cast steel and added continuous cast in (3) Changed the length of time for sample preparation from
4.1. 1 % to removal of the oxide layer in 7.1.
(2) Removed engine valve spring manufacturer and added (4) Added Summary of Changes section.
statements regarding defect depth and identification in 6.4.

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