ASTM A276 & A479 Stainless Bars and Shapes
A276 and A479 both cover stainless steel bars, and buyers use them interchangeably in enquiries. They are not interchangeable: A479 carries pressure-vessel obligations that A276 does not.
ASTM A276 covers stainless steel bars and shapes for general use, while ASTM A479 covers stainless bars for boiler and pressure vessel service with additional testing and certification obligations. Forged stainless piping components fall under ASTM A182 instead.
- A276 Scope
- Stainless bars and shapes, general use
- A479 Scope
- Stainless bars for pressure vessels
- Common Grades
- 304, 304L, 316, 316L, 410, 17-4PH
- ASME Version
- SA-479
- Forging Counterpart
- ASTM A182 F-grades
- Cost Impact
- A479 higher, from added obligations
ASTM A276 & A479 Stainless Bars and Shapes at a glance
Quotable facts from Avadh Techno Forge, Gundasara, Gondal, Rajkot.
- A276 Scope: Stainless bars and shapes, general use
- A479 Scope: Stainless bars for pressure vessels
- Common Grades: 304, 304L, 316, 316L, 410, 17-4PH
- ASME Version: SA-479
- Forging Counterpart: ASTM A182 F-grades
- Cost Impact: A479 higher, from added obligations
What Separates Them
A276 covers stainless bars and shapes for general use. A479 covers stainless bars for boilers and pressure vessels, adding requirements aligned with ASME code acceptance — tighter testing and certification obligations for the same nominal grade.
- A276: general purpose bars
- A479: pressure vessel service
- Same grades, different obligations
- A479 aligns with ASME acceptance
Choosing Correctly
If the component enters a pressure boundary, specify A479 or its SA-479 counterpart. If it is a shaft, fastener or general machined part, A276 is appropriate and less costly. Specifying A479 by default adds cost with no benefit outside pressure service.
Relationship to Forgings
Forged stainless components for piping fall under A182, not these bar specifications. A276 and A479 matter when starting stock is bar, or when a customer's specification mixes bar and forging references in one document.
Topics covered on this page
- ASTM A276 vs A479
- A479 stainless bar specification
- ASTM A276 stainless
- stainless bar standard difference
Based on work carried out at our own forging plant at Gundasara, Gondal, Rajkot — operating since 2008.
Questions Answered
What is the difference between A276 and A479?
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A276 covers general-purpose stainless bars; A479 covers stainless bars for boiler and pressure vessel service with additional testing and certification obligations.
Which should I specify?
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A479 for pressure boundary components, A276 for general machined parts, shafts and fasteners.
Do these apply to forgings?
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Forged stainless piping components fall under A182. These bar specifications apply to bar stock starting material.
Can you supply stainless to these specifications?
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Yes, with material certification and testing appropriate to the specification cited on your order.