General Description
SA612 / SA612M is a killed carbon–manganese–silicon (C–Mn–Si) steel plate designed for welded pressure vessels operating at moderate and lower temperatures.
It is widely used for spherical tanks, storage tanks, and pressure-retaining equipment in industries such as petroleum, chemical processing, power generation, boilers, metallurgy, and city gas systems.
Designation Explanation
The designation SA612 / SA612M has the following meaning:
"SA": ASME pressure vessel steel plate
"612": Indicates the strength level specified in the standard
"M": Metric version of the pressure vessel plate specification
Applicable Standards and Quality Requirements
1 Standards
SA612 / SA612M steel plates are produced in accordance with:
ASME SA612 / SA612M
ASTM A612 / A612M
2 Dimensions, Shape, and Tolerances
Plate dimensions, shape, appearance, and permissible tolerances comply with SA-20M
Thickness tolerance: 0 / +1.10 mm
3 Surface Quality
Surface quality shall meet the requirements of SA20 / SA20M
Weld repair on the plate surface is not permitted
Ultrasonic Testing (UT)
Ultrasonic inspection may be performed according to:
ASTM A578 Level A
ASTM A578 Level B
ASTM A578 Level C
The applicable UT standard and acceptance level shall be clearly specified in the purchase contract.
Delivery Condition
According to user requirements, SA612 / SA612M steel plates may be supplied in the following conditions:
Hot rolled
Normalized
Tempered
Normalized + tempered
1 Controlled Rolling
Controlled rolling is achieved by optimizing:
Chemical composition
Heating temperature
Rolling temperature
Deformation schedule
This process refines the austenite grain structure and improves strength and toughness.
2 Normalizing
Steel plates are heated above the transformation temperature and then cooled in air to:
Refine grain structure
Improve toughness
Enhance mechanical property uniformity
3 Tempering
After quenching, the steel is reheated below the quenching temperature and cooled to:
Reduce hardness slightly
Significantly improve toughness
Stabilize microstructure
Size Range
Thickness: 8 – 220 mm
Width: 1,000 – 3,500 mm
Length: 4,000 – 17,000 mm
Chemical Composition (wt.%)
| Element | Content |
|---|---|
| C | ≤ 0.25 |
| Mn | 1.00 – 1.50 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 |
| S | ≤ 0.02 |
| Si | 0.15 – 0.50 |
| Cu | ≤ 0.35 |
| Ni | ≤ 0.25 |
| Cr | ≤ 0.25 |
| Mo | ≤ 0.08 |
| V | ≤ 0.08 |
| Nb | ≤ 0.02* |
| Ti | ≤ 0.03 |
| Al | ≥ 0.020 |
* Nb content may be increased to ≤ 0.05% (heat analysis) and ≤ 0.06% (product analysis).
Mechanical Properties
| Property | ≤ 12.5 mm | 12.5 – 25 mm |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile Strength (MPa) | 570 – 725 | 560 – 695 |
| Yield Strength (MPa) | ≥ 345 | ≥ 345 |
| Elongation (200 mm), % | ≥ 16 | ≥ 16 |
| Elongation (50 mm), % | ≥ 22 | ≥ 22 |
| Charpy V-notch Impact (–40°C, Transverse) | Avg ≥ 27 J | Avg ≥ 27 J |
Note: Elongation values depend on the selected gauge length; once one gauge length is chosen, the other does not apply.
Production and Cutting Process
1 Manufacturing Process
Primary steelmaking → LF refining → VD vacuum degassing → Continuous casting (or ingot casting) → Surface cleaning → Heating and rolling → Surface inspection → Batch ultrasonic testing → Heat treatment → Cutting and sampling → Mechanical testing → Warehousing
2 Cutting Methods
SA612 / SA612M steel plates can be processed using:
Flame cutting
Plasma cutting
Laser cutting
Shearing
Wire cutting
Ultra-high-pressure water jet cutting
Flame cutting is the most economical and effective method for thick plates, while plasma or laser cutting is preferred for thinner plates.
3 Cutting Process Selection
Plate thickness ≤ 20 mm: CNC plasma or CNC laser cutting preferred
Plate thickness ≥ 30 mm: CNC flame cutting recommended for better efficiency and cost control
1. What is SA612 steel plate?
SA612 steel plate is a killed carbon–manganese–silicon (C–Mn–Si) pressure vessel steel produced in accordance with ASME SA612/SA612M and ASTM A612/A612M standards.
It is designed for welded pressure vessels operating at moderate and lower temperatures, requiring high strength and reliable toughness.
2. What is the typical application temperature range of SA612?
SA612 steel plate is suitable for moderate and low-temperature service, and impact testing is commonly performed at –40°C.
This makes SA612 appropriate for pressure vessels exposed to:
Seasonal low temperatures
Start-up and shutdown thermal cycling
Medium-pressure, non-cryogenic environments
3. What is the thickness range of SA612 steel plate?
According to ASTM A612/A612M and ASME SA612/SA612M:
Standard maximum thickness: ≤ 25 mm (1 inch)
In industrial production, SA612 plates may be supplied in:
Thickness range: 8 – 120 mm (subject to technical agreement)
| Other steel plate by GNEE | ||||
| Name | Material | Specification (mm) | Tons | Remark |
| Clad steel plate | P265GH+410,S355JR+410,A516Gr70+316, A537CL1+304L,Q235B+304L,Q345B+304, A516Gr70(NACE)+410,A537CL1+904L, A537CL1+316L,A516Gr70+304L,A537CL1+304 ,A516Gr70+410,A516Gr70+904L |
2-300mm(Based plate),1-50mm(Composited plate) | / | UT, AR, TMCP.Normalized, Quenched and Tempered,Z Direction Test, Charpy V-Notch impact TestThe Third Party Test , Coated or Shot Blasting and Painting. |
| Low Alloy | Q345A, Q345B, Q345C, Q345D, Q345E, Q390, Q420, Q460C, ST52-3, S355J2+N, SS400, SA302GrC, S275NL, 35CrMo | 6 - 350 | 5788.56 | Normalizing, tempered ,controlled rolling, hot rolling , Hot rolling,1st inspection, 2nd inspection, 3rd inspection |
| Pressure Vessel Plate | Q245R, Q345R, Q370R, 16MnDR, 09MnNiDR, 15CrMoR, 14Cr1MoR, 12Cr2Mo1R, SA516Gr60, SA516Gr70, SA516Gr485, SA285, SA387Gr11, SA387Gr12, SA387Gr22, P265,P295,P355GH,Q245R(R-HIC),Q345R(R-HIC) | 3 - 300 | 8650 | Normalizing, tempered ,controlled rolling, hot rolling , Hot rolling,1st inspection, 2nd inspection, 3rd inspection |
| High-Strength Plate | WH785D/E,Q960D/E, Q890D/E,WH60D/E,WH70B,Q550D,Q590D,Q690D/E | 8 - 120 | 3086.352 | Quenched and tempered |
| Wear-Resistant Plate | NM360, NM400, NM450, NM500 | 6 - 150 | 3866.297 | Quenched and tempered |
| Bridge Plate | Q235qC, Q345qC, Q370qC, Q420qC, Q345qDNH, Q370qDNH, A709 - 50F - 2, A709 - 50T - 2 | 8 - 200 | ||
