Designation: F 912M - 97a

METRIC

Standard Specification for

Alloy Steel Socket Set Screws [Metric)'
This sta!lClanl is issued under the fi~ed designation F 912M: the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision , the ycar of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last ...,approval. A
superscript epsilon (£) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or ",approval.

This s/(l11daro has ha .. apprt)lwJ fw IIU by ag~nci~J of lire D~parlmeltl of ~t!I'tff_

1. Scope * 3. Ordering [nformation

1.1 This specification covers the requirements fo r quenched 3. 1 Orders for material under this specification shall include
and tempered alloy steel socket set screws (SSS) M 1.6 through the fo llowing infonnation:
M24 sizes having hardnesses 45 to 53 HRC, ISO 898/5 3. 1. [ Quantity (number of screws).
property class 45H. 3. 1.2 Dimensions, including nominal thread designation,
1.2 The hazard statement pertains only to the test method thread pitch, nominal screw length (millimetres) and point
section, Section 11 of this specification. This stalldard does not configuration. A standard part number may be used for this
purport 10 address all of the S(ifety COllcems, if ally, associate(1 definition.
with its use. It is the respollsibility of the user of this Slalldanl 3.1.3 Name of the screw (5SS).
to establish appropriate safety alld health practices and 3. 1.4 Coating, if required. If a protective fini sh other than
(lelenlline tlte applicability of regulatory limitatiolls prior to black oxide is required, it must be specified on the order or
use. product standard.
NOTE I- This specification is the metrie companion of Specification
3.1.5 Lot testing, if required. See 10.3.
F912. 3.1 .6 Certificat ion, if required. See 14.1.
3. 1.7 ASTM designation and year of issue.
2, RefcnmCl.'tf Documents 3.1.8 Any special or supplemental requirements,
2.1 ASTM Standards: 3.2 Example- 50000 pieces M6x Ix8 cone point SSS-
A 751 Test Methods, Practices, and Terminology fo r certification per 14.I-ASTM F 9 12M-__ (state issue date), or
Chemical Analysis of Steel Products 2 25000 pes BI 836A 060008 K SSS--certification per 14.1-
D 3951 Practice for Commercial Packaging 3 ASTM F912M- __(state issue date).
E 3 Methods of Preparation of Metallographic 5pecimens4
4. Material and Manufacture
E 18 Test Methods for Rockwell Hardness and Rockwell
Superficial Hardness of Metallic Materials 4 4.1 The screws shall be fabricated from alloy steel made to
E 11 2 Test Methods for Delennining Average Grain Size4 a fi ne grain practice. In the event of controversy over grain
E 384 Test Method for Microhardness of Materials 4 size, referee tests on finished screws conducted in accordance
F 7881F788M Specification for Surface Discontinuities of with Test Method E 11 2 shall prevail.
Bolts, Screws, and Studs, Inch and Metric Series~ 4.2 The screw may be forged, fonned, extruded, machined,
2.2 ANSI/ASME Standard: or ground to meet the dimensional characteristics and perfor-
B 18.3.6M Hexagon Socket Set Screws Metric Series6 mance requirements.
2.3 ISO Standard: 4.3 Set screws shall be heat treated by quenching in oil from
898/5 Mechanical Properties of Fasteners-Set Screws and above the transformation temperature and then tempered by
Simi lar Threaded Fasteners Not Under Tensile Stress6 reheating to meet the hardness range specified in 6.2.

5. Chemical Composition
' This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Comminee F.16 on 5. 1 The chemical composition of the screw material shall
Fasteners and is the dirttt resJXInsibility of Subcommince F16.02 00 Steel Bolts. confoml to the heat anal ysis specified in Table I.
Nuts. Rj,·ets. and Washe rs. 5.2 One or more of the alloying elements chromium, nickel ,
CU<Tent edition approved Oct. 10, 1997. Publi shed May 1998. Originally
publ ished as F912M - 85. Last previous edition F 912M _ 97. molybdenum. or vanadium shall be present in the steel in
2 Am",ot Book of ASTM Standards. Vol 01.03. sufficient quantity to assure that speci fi c strength properties are
) AnmUl/ Book of ASTM S/andards. Vol 15.09. met after oil quenching and tempering. The stcel shall meet the
~ Am,ua/ Rook of ASTM Slandards. Vol 03.0 1.
AISI definition of alloy steel, that is, maximum and minimum
• Am,ua/ Book of ASTM Sumdards. Vol 15.08.
6 Available from American National Standards Institute. II West 42nd Street. element content requirement or minimum element limits speci-
13th ROOT, New York, NY 10036. fi ed.

. A S ummary of Cha nges sectio n apllta rs lit the end of this stllndard .

306
 ~~ F 912M
TABLE 1 Chemical Requirements TABLE 3 Decarburizatlon limits for Threads A
NOTE- Plus alloys per 5.2.
Thread Pitch, Basic Thread N - o/. h Root.
P. mm Height. h · min , 0.1 h.
Element COmposition , % 0,6135Pmm mm mm
Heal Analysis Product Analysis 07 0.429 0.322 0.043

"'-
Phosphorus. mu
0.30 10 0.48
0.035
0.28100.50
0.040
,
0.8 0.491
0.613
0.368
0.4<0
0.049
0.061
Sulfur, max 0.040 0.045 1.25 0.767 0.575 o,on
>.5 0.920 0.690 0.092
1.75 1.074 0.806 0.107
5.3 Alloy steel to which bismuth, selenium, tellurium, or 2 1,227 0.920 0.123
2.5 >'534 1.151 0.153
lead_has been intcntio nall y_added"Jo improve m,!cbinability >'840 >'380 0.184
'-
shall be pcnniltcd. 3.5 2.147 1.610 0.215
5.4 Material analysis may be made by the purchaser from 4 2.454 1.841 0.245
45 2.761 2.071 0.276
finished products and the chemical composition thus deter+ 5 3.068 2.301 0.307
mined shall confirm to the requirements specified for the A See Fig. 2.
product analysis in Table 1.
6. Mechanical Properties
6.1 Socket set screws when subjected 10 a torque test in 9. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance
accordance with 11.2 shall withstand application of the test 9. 1 511iface Fillish-The screws shall have a black (thermal
tightening torque specified in Table 2 without evidence of the or chemical) oxide fini sh, unless otherwise specified.
socket rcarning or the screw bursting.
9.2 5uiface DisCOlllimlities:
6.2 Socket set screws shall have a hardness of 45 to 53
HRC. The point end hardness within 0.04 mm distance from 9 .2 .1 The surface discontinuities for these products shall
the surface shall be equal to or greater than the measured core conform to Specificat ion F 788fF 788M and the additional
hardness but shall not exceed 53 HRC (560 DPH). limitations specified herein.
9.2.2 Processing defects that connect the socket to the
7. Olher Requi rements periphery of the screw are not permissible. Defects originati ng
7. 1 Decarbllrization: on the periphery and with a traverse indicating a potential to
7. 1.1 There shall be no evidence of gross decarburization of intersect are not permissible.
the surfaces of the heat-treated screws when measured in 9.2.3 Threads shall have no laps at the root or on the flanks,
accordance with 11.4.
as shown in Fig. 2(a). Laps are permitted at the crest (Fig. 2(e»)
7. 1.2 The depth of partial decarburization shall be limited to
that do not exceed 25 % of the basic thread depth and on the
the val ues in Table 3 when measured as shown in Fig. I. and
Hanks outside the pitch cylinder. Longitudinal seams rolled
in accordance with 11.4.
beneath the root of the thread and across the crests of cut
8. Dimensions threads are acceptable within the limits of 0.03 D or 0.2 mm,
8.1 Unless otherwise specified, the product shall conform to whichever is greater.
the req uirements of ANS UASME BI 8.3.6M . 9.2.4 Quench cracks of any depth, any length, or in any
location are not pernliucd.
TABLE 2 Torsional Strength Requirements
10. Number of Tests
Nominal Shortesl Nominal Screw TeSl
Screw Lengths Subiecl to Torque Torque 10.1 The requirements of this specification shall be met in
Sile Testing for N·m.
min continuous mass production for stock, and the manufacturer
Cup and Cone and H,' shall make sample inspections to ensure that the product
cm,
""
Points Points
Dog
Points conforms to the specified requirements. Additional tests of
>.6 3 3 3 0.' indi vidual shipments of material are not ord inari ly contem-
2 4 4 4 0.2 plated. A record of indi vidual heats of steel in each test lot shall
2.5 4 4 4 0.6
be maintai ned. The container shall be coded to permit identi-
3 4 5 5 >.0 fication of the lot.
4 5 6 6 2.'
5 5 8 8 4.7
10.2 When specified in the order, the manufacturer shall
furnish a test report certified to be the last complete set of
6 6 8 8 7.7 mechanical tests for each stock size in each shipment.
8 8 10 10 17.8
10 10 12 12 35 10.3 When additional tests are specified on the purchase
order, a lot, for purposes of selecting test samples, shall consist
12 12 t6 t6 57
of all screws offered for inspection at one time of one diameter
"
20
24
"
25
25
20
25
30
20
25
30
126
252
420
and length. From each 101, the number of samples for each
requirement shall be as follows:
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 ~t F 912M
DECARBURIZATION

., h
•
FIG. 1 Decarburlzatlon Limits

l..,_O
SE_NOT
'[RMISS.aLE MAJOR OIAMETER

PITCH DIAMETER

MINOR DIAMETER

_1\ :RD:~::::R
'[AMIss/llf: - - - - - - , , - - - - - - - . - - - - - -

-~J\
SUAFACE
IRREGULARITIES

+--~:1"\.T-~ MlNORo.AMETER

PERMISSl8LE
LAI'S AND SEAMS
~ ~'D".""
_ _ _ _ - PITCH DIAMETER

(C) MINOROIAMETEA

FIG. 2 Thread Olscontlnultles

Number 01 Pieces 111 Lot Numsr or Samples inserted to the full depth of the set screw socket and the test
torque listed in Table 2 applied by means of a torque wrench.
800 and less
Over 800 10 8000, incl , The screw shall be disassembled from the block and examined
Over 8000 to 22 000, incl 3 for compliance to the requirements of 6. 1.
Over 22000 5 11.3 Hardness shall be detennined in accordance with Test
10.4 Should any sample fail to meet the requirements of a Methods E 18.
specified test. double the number of samples from the same lot 11.4 Decarburizatioll Tests Shall be Conducted as Follows:
shall be retesled for lhe requirement(s) in which it failed . All of 11.4.1 Section the thread area of the screw longitudinally
the additional samples shall conform to the specification or the through the axis, mount, and polish il in accordance with
lot shall be rejected. Methods E 3. Take measurements (1) at the minor diameter in
the center of Ihe thread ridge, (2) 0.75 h toward the thread crest
11. Test Methods on the perpendicular bisector of the thread ridge, (3) on the
11.1 Chemical analysis shall be conducted in accordance thread flank approximately at the pitch line at a depth of 0.08
with Test Methods A 75 1. mm, and (4) in the thread root at a depth of 0.1 h. Use one of
11.2 For socket strength torque test, the test screw shall be the two methods for decarburization evaluation, either optical
assembled into a tapped hole of 5H tolerance class in a steel or microhardness measurements. The microhardness measure-
block (see Fig. 3) until the face of the screw is flu sh with the ment shall consti tute a referee method in case of dispute.
top surface of the test block and the set screw bears against a 11.4.2 For optical measurement, etch the section in 2 - 4 %
finn base, such as a hardened screw installed from the opposite ni tal. Examine the surface of the etched samples under a
side of the block. The applicable hexagon key bit shall be microscope at iOOx using a measuring eyepiece graduated in
308
 ~II!? F 912M
Torque Wrench
Reading No. 1 to Reading No. 3 shall be regarded as
carburization and indicates that the screw does not conform to
specification requirements.
12. Inspeclion
installed flush with
lOp 01 I&st block 12.1 The inspector representing the purchaser, upon reason-
tes t block thread s able notice, shall have free entry to all parts of the manufac·
turer's works that concern the manufacture of the material
'" ordered. The manufacturer shall afford the inspector all rea-
sonable facilities to satisfy him that the material is being
furn ished in accordance with this specification. All tests and
inspections required by the specification that are requested by
the purchaser's representative shall be made before shipment,
and shall be so conducted as not to interfere unnecessarily with
the operation of the works.
13. Rej ection and Rehearing
13. 1 Material that fails to confonn to the requirements of
this specification may be rejected. Rejection should be reported
10 the producer or supplier promptly and in writing. Ln case of
dissatisfaction with the results of the tesl, the producer or
FIG. 3 Typical Torque Test Fixture
supplier may make claim for a rehearing.
O.03-mm increments. The width of any light etching band 14. Certification
nonnally defines the decarburization depth. A dark etching 14.1 Upon request for the purchaser in the contract or order,
band indicates the possibility of carburization. a manufacturer's certification that the material was manufac-
11.4.3 Measure microhardness in accordance with Test tured and tested in accordance with this specification, together
Me thod E 384 on unetched specimens using a DPH 1360 with a report of the latest mechanical tests of each stock size in
indenter or a Knoop indenler using the foll owing load appli- each shipment, shall be furnished at the time of shipment.
cation:
Thread Pitch. P. min. 15. Responsibility
15. 1 The party responsible for the fastener shall be the
Over 0.6 500 gf organization that supplies the fastener to the purchaser and
06 200 gf
certifies that the fastener was manufactured, sampled, tested
Less than 0.6 Use optical evaluation in 11.4.2
and inspected in accordance with this specification and meets
11.4.3.1 Screw threads greater than 48 threads per inch, all of its requirements.
optical evaluation as described in paragraph 11.4.2 shall
determine confonnance to specification requirements. Take 16. Packaging and Package Marking
measurements at minor diameter (Reading No. I) on the thread 16.1 Packaging:
crest bisector to detennine base material hardness. Take 16.1.1 Unless otherwise specified, packaging shall be in
measurements (Reading No. 2) on the bisector 0.75 h, from the accordance with Practice D 3951.
minor measurement toward the thread crest Also take mea- 16. 1.2 When special packaging requirements are required,
surements (Reading No. 3) on the thread flank at the pitch line they shall be defined at the time of the inquiry and order.
at a depth within 0.08 mm from the surface. Reading No. 3 16.2 Package Markillg:
may be taken on the same or an adjacent thread. 16.2.1 Each shipping unit shall include or be plainly marked
1[.4.4 Imel pret Microhardlless Readillgs as Follows: wilh the following information:
11.4.4.1 A decrease of more than 30 hardness points from 16.2.1.1 ASTM designation,
Reading No. 1 to Reading No. 2 shall be regarded as 16.2.1.2 Name and brand or trademark of the manufacturer,
decarburization and indicates the screw does not confonn to 16.2.1.3 Number of pieces,
specification requirements. 16.2.1.4 Purchase order number, and
11.4.4.2 An increase of more than 30 hardness poi nts fTom 16.2. 1.5 Country of origin.

309
 ~ffi\1 F 912M
SUMMA RY OF CHANGES

This section identifies the location of selected changes to this standard that have been incorporated since the
-97 issue. For Ihe convenience of the user, Committee F- 16 has highlighted those changes that impact the use
of this standard. This section may also include descriptions of the changes or reasons for the changes, or both.

( I) Deleted 3.3, Government Provisioning. (4) In 11.5.2. changed the nital etchant concentration from 4 10
(2) In 4. 1. referenced Test Methods E 11 2 as the referee 2 - 4%. At the end of 11.5.2. added a new sentence, the same
method for evaluating grain size. as appears in Specification E 912, defin ing decarburization
(3) Deleted 7.2, Grain Size. depth and indications of possibility o f carburization.

The American Society for Testing and Materials takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights assetted in connection
with any item mentioned in this standard. Users of th,·s standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such
patent rights. and the risk of infringemenr of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.

This standard is subject to revision at any lime by the responsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years and
if IlOt revised. either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards
and should be addressed to ASTM Headquatters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of the responsible
technical committee. which you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you should make your
views known 10 the ASTM Committee on Standards, 100 Barr HartJor Drive, Wesl Conshohocken. PA ,g428.

310