ASTM B601-18a

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Designation: B601 − 18 B601 − 18a
Standard Classification for
Temper Designations for Copper and Copper Alloys—
Wrought and Cast
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B601; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope*
1.1 This classification establishes temper designations for copper and copper alloys—wrought and cast. The temper
designations are classified by the process or processes used in manufacturing the product involved and its resulting properties. It
is not a specification of copper and copper alloys.
1.2 The property requirements for the tempers are given in the applicable product specification.
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
B846 Terminology for Copper and Copper Alloys
3. Terminology
3.1 For terminology related to copper and copper alloys, refer to Terminology B846.
4. Significance and Use
4.1 Significance—This classification establishes an alphanumeric code of the tempers of copper and copper alloy products.
4.2 Use—An alphanumeric code establishes a system by which product tempers in specifications and published data are
designated.
4.2.1 The letters in the code identify the type of process used to produce the product temper. For example, “H” indicates a
temper resulting from cold working.
NOTE 1—These letters are frequently the same as those used in temper systems of other metal products.
NOTE 2—Undefined letters, used in prior temper systems and included in this system for reference, are defined in Appendix X1.
5. Classification of Tempers
5.1 Annealed Tempers, O—Tempers produced by annealing to meet mechanical property requirements.
5.2 Annealed Tempers, with Grain Size Prescribed, OS—Tempers produced by annealing to meet standard or special grain size
requirements.
5.3 As-Manufactured Tempers, M—Tempers produced in the product by the primary manufacturing operations of casting, or
casting and hot working, and controlled by the methods employed in the operations.
5.4 Cold-Worked Tempers, H—Tempers produced by controlled amounts of cold work, by manufacturing process, or by use.
This classification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B05 on Copper and Copper Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B05.91 on Editorial
and Publications.
Current edition approved March 1, 2018Oct. 1, 2018. Published March 2018October 2018. Originally approved in 1974. Last previous edition approved in 20162018 as
B601 – 16.B601–18. DOI: 10.1520/B0601-18.10.1520/B0601–18A.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’sstandard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
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B601 − 18a
5.5 Cold-Worked (Drawn), and Stress-Relieved Tempers, HR—Tempers produced by controlled amounts of cold work followed
by stress relief.
5.5.1 Order-Strengthening Tempers, HT—Tempers produced by controlled amounts of cold work followed by a thermal
treatment to produce order strengthening.
5.5.2 End Annealed Temper, HE—Temper produced by cold work followed by anneal of the ends of the product.
5.6 Heat-Treated Tempers, T—Tempers that are based on solution heat treatments followed by rapid cooling, with or without
subsequent cold working or thermal treatments.
5.6.1 Quench-Hardened Tempers, TQ—Tempers produced by quench-hardening treatments.
5.6.2 Solution Heat-Treated Temper, TB—Tempers produced by solution heat-treating precipitation hardenable or spinodal
hardenable alloys.
5.6.3 Solution Heat-Treated and Cold-Worked Tempers, TD—Tempers produced by controlled amounts of cold work of solution
heat-treated precipitation hardenable or spinodal hardenable alloys.
5.6.4 Precipitation Heat-Treated Temper, TF—Tempers produced by Solution Heat-Treatment and precipitation heat treatment
of precipitation-hardenable alloys.
5.6.5 Spinodal Heat Treated Temper, TX—Tempers produced by Solution Heat-Treatment and spinodal heat treatment of
spinodal hardenable alloys.
5.6.6 Cold-Worked and Precipitation Heat-Treated Tempers, TH—Tempers produced in alloys that have been solution heat
treated, cold worked, and precipitation heat treated.
5.6.7 Cold-Worked and Spinodal Heat-Treated Tempers, TS—Tempers produced in alloys that have been solution heat treated,
cold worked, and spinodal heat treated.
5.6.8 Mill-Hardened Tempers, TM—Tempers of heat-treated materials as supplied by the mill resulting from combinations of
cold work and precipitation heat treatment or spinodal heat treatment.
5.6.9 Precipitation Heat-Treated or Spinodal Heat-Treated and Cold-Worked Tempers, TL—Tempers produced by cold working
the precipitation heat-treated or spinodal heat-treated alloys.
5.6.10 Precipitation Heat-Treated or Spinodal Heat-Treated, Cold-Worked, and Thermal Stress-Relieved Tempers, TR—
Tempers produced in the cold-worked precipitation heat-treated or spinodal heat-treated alloys by thermal stress relief.
5.7 Tempers of Welded Tubes, W—(Welded tubes are produced from strip of various tempers and essentially have the temper
of the strip except in the heat-affected zone.)
5.7.1 Tube, As-Welded Tempers, WM—Tempers that result from forming and welding when producing tube.
5.7.2 Tube, Welded and Annealed Temper, WO—Temper that results from forming, welding, and annealing when producing
tube.
5.7.3 Tube, Welded and Cold-Worked Tempers, WH—Tempers that result from forming, welding, and cold working when
producing tube.
5.7.4 Tube, Welded, Cold-Worked and Stress-Relieved Tempers, WR—Tempers that result from forming, welding, cold working,
and stress relieving when producing tube.
5.7.5 Tube, Welded, and Fully Finished Tempers, O, OS, H—Tempers that result from both annealing a welded and cold-worked
tube, or cold working, a welded cold-worked and annealed tube. With these treatments, the weld area has been transformed into
a wrought structure, and the usual temper designations apply.
6. Temper Designation Codes and Names
6.1 Annealed Tempers, O:
6.1.1 Annealed to Meet Mechanical Properties, O:
Temper Codes Temper Names
O10 Cast and Annealed (Homogenized)
O11 As Cast and Precipitation Heat Treated
O20 Hot Forged and Annealed
O25 Hot Rolled and Annealed
O26 Hot Rolled and Temper Annealed
O30 Hot Extruded and Annealed
O31 Hot Extruded and Precipitation Heat Treated
O32 Hot Extruded and Temper Annealed
O40 Hot Pierced and Annealed
O50 Light Anneal
O60 Soft Anneal
O61 Annealed
O62 Heavy Anneal
O65 Drawing Anneal
O68 Deep Drawing Anneal
O70 Dead Soft Anneal
O80 Annealed to Temper— ⁄8 Hard
O81 Annealed to Temper— ⁄4 Hard
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O82 Annealed to Temper— ⁄2 Hard
6.1.2 Annealed Tempers, with Grain Size Prescribed—OS:
Temper Designations Nominal
Temper Codes
Avg Grain Size, mm
OS005 0.005
OS010 0.010
OS015 0.015
OS025 0.025
OS035 0.035
OS045 0.045
OS050 0.050
OS060 0.060
OS065 0.065
OS070 0.070
OS100 0.100
OS120 0.120
OS150 0.150
OS200 0.200
6.2 Cold-Worked Tempers, H:
6.2.1 Cold-Worked Tempers to Meet Standard Requirements Based on Cold Rolling or Cold Drawing, H:
Temper Codes Temper Names
H00 ⁄8 Hard
H01 ⁄4 Hard
H02 ⁄2 Hard
H03 ⁄4 Hard
H04 Hard
H06 Extra Hard
H08 Spring
H10 Extra Spring
H12 Special Spring
H13 Ultra Spring
H14 Super Spring
6.2.2 Cold-Worked Tempers to Meet Standard Requirements Based on Temper Names Applicable to Particular Products, H:
Temper Codes Temper Names
H50 Hot Extruded and Drawn
H52 Hot Pierced and Drawn
H55 Light Drawn, Light Cold-Worked
H58 Drawn General Purpose
H60 Cold Heading, Forming
H63 Rivet
H64 Screw
H66 Bolt
H70 Bending
H80 Hard Drawn
H85 Medium Hard-Drawn Electrical Wire
H86 Hard-Drawn Electrical Wire
H90 As-finned
B601 − 18a
6.3 Cold-Worked Tempers with Added Treatments:
6.3.1 Cold Worked and Stress Relieved, HR:
Temper Codes Temper Names
HR01 ⁄4 Hard and Stress Relieved
HR02 ⁄2 Hard and Stress Relieved
HR04 Hard and Stress Relieved
HR06 Extra Hard and Stress Relieved
HR08 Spring and Stress Relieved
HR10 Extra Spring and Stress Relieved
HR12 Special Spring and Stress Relieved
HR20 As-finned and Stress Relieved
HR50 Drawn and Stress Relieved
6.3.2 Cold Rolled and Order Strengthened, HT:
Temper Codes Temper Names
HT04 Hard Temper and Treated
HT08 Spring Temper and Treated
6.3.3 Hard Drawn End Annealed, HE:
Temper Code Temper Name
HE80 Hard Drawn and End Annealed
6.4 As-Manufactured Tempers, M:
Temper Codes Temper Names
M01 As Sand Cast
M02 As Centrifugal Cast
M03 As Plaster Cast
M04 As Pressure
...