Metal Specifications – AMS – ASTM – SAE – ASME – Info About Metal Specs

Full Transcript Here:

What’s up guys!? Happy New Year! It’s Michael with Michlin Metals back in 2021. 2020, thanks for nothing. Today we’re going to talk about a super important concept in metals. Specifications and their governing bodies. You know what I always say ” CHECK THE SPEC!” Now you can learn who makes those specs and their types of specs. Unless you are new to our videos about metals, you know we always remind you how important metal specifications are. hmmm, hmmmm, hmmmm. (points to check the spec) So  today we thought we should spend some time talking about the various  “organizations” behind commercial specifications for metals we see today.

Early in the development of various industries; producers, engineers, and users of metals recognized the need for establishing  some common standards for both communication and requirements. The story really begins with the “new” technologies developing in the last half of the 1800’s. Steel, steam power, railroads, petroleum, automobiles and airplanes.

With the development of steam power, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) established standards for design and construction of boilers and pressure vessels.  Early on, steam power plants and railroad steam engines had a nasty habit of exploding when flawed designs, construction, or materials were employed. Today ASME material specifications are for materials recognized for use in boilers and pressure applications including nuclear power stations.

The American Society for Testing and Materials,  ASTM  is an organization with its roots in developing standards for steel rails and rolling stock during the development years of the railroad and steel industries in the late 1800’s. True to their name, ASTM today has thousands of standards for materials and test methods in a broad range of industries.

The automobile led to the formation of the the Society of Automotive Engineers – aka “SAE”;   with its own focus on the materials in its industry.  In short order, it also included the development of aircraft in its scope and today we have both ground based SAE standards and the “AMS” Aerospace Material Specifications.

War and defense technologies are also developing.  From the first steel battleships, armor, and artillery made the government another specification agency for sophisticated steel and other metals. Military and other Federal requirements identified as “MIL”  and  “FED” and today cover a wide range of products.

Many companies also create their own material specifications and would then incorporate at least portions of these industry specifications within them.

For example the aerospace and defense companies have specifications using their own acronyms such as Boeing”s BAC, Pratt Whittney’s LCS, GE, Lockheed are others just to name a few.

These specifications add requirements or restrictions but also incorporate many provisions of the “industry ” standards.

So, that’s that about folks that make specs. Remember we have all the following types: ASME, ASTM, SAE, AMS, MIL, FED, BAC, LCS, GE and probably a couple more but for now, that’s what you get! Next up will be a series on aircraft quality alloy steels, stay tuned and if you have made it this far you probably have an affinity for steel. Click here to subscribe, If you have missed any previous videos, click here! Happy New Year and thanks for watching. This is Michael with Michlin Metals, OUT!