ASTM A555/A555M-97 - 10.3.1997
 
1. Scope

1.1 This specification covers general requirements that shall apply to stainless wire and wire rods. Wire rods are a semifinished product intended primarily for the manufacture of wire. Wire is intended primarily for cold forming, including coiling, stranding, weaving, heading and machining as covered under the latest revision of each of the following ASTM specifications: A313/A313M, A368, A478, A492, A493, A580/A580M and A581/A581M.

1.2 In case of conflicting requirements, the individual material specification and this general requirement specification shall prevail in the order named.

1.3 General requirements for flat products other than wire are covered in Specification A480/A480M.

1.4 General requirements for bar and billet products are covered in Specification A484/A484M.

1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units or SI (metric) units are to be regarded separately as standard; within the text and tables, the SI units are shown in brackets ([]). The values stated in each system are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system must be used independent of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the specification.

1.6 Unless the order specifies the applicable metric specification designation, the material shall be furnished in the inch-pound units.

 
2. Referenced Documents

A580/A580M-23

Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Wire

A313/A313M-18(2025)

Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Spring Wire

A700-14(2019)

Standard Guide for Packaging, Marking, and Loading Methods for Steel Products for Shipment

A751-25

Standard Test Methods and Practices for Chemical Analysis of Steel Products

E112-25

Standard Test Methods for Determining Average Grain Size

Fed. Std. No. 123

Marking for Shipment (Civil Agencies)

A581/A581M-22a

Standard Specification for Free-Machining Stainless Steel Wire and Wire Rods (Includes all amendments and changes 11/7/2022).

A370-26

Standard Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing of Steel Products

A262-15(2021)

Standard Practices for Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular Attack in Austenitic Stainless Steels

A368-95a(2019)

Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Wire Strand (Includes all amendments and changes 3/12/2019).

MIL-STD-129

Marking for Shipment and Storage

MIL-STD-163

Preservation of Steel Products for Domestic Shipment

A493-25

Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Wire and Wire Rods for Cold Heading and Cold Forging

A492-95(2019)

Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Rope Wire

A484/A484M-24b

Standard Specification for General Requirements for Stainless Steel Bars, Billets, Shapes, and Forgings (Includes all amendments and changes 9/5/2024).

A480/A480M-25b

Standard Specification for General Requirements for Flat-Rolled Stainless and Heat-Resisting Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip (Includes all amendments and changes 9/10/2025).

A478-97(2019)

Standard Specification for Chromium-Nickel Stainless Steel Weaving and Knitting Wire