2007 SECTION II, PART A

SA-263

SPECIFICATION FOR STAINLESS CHROMIUM

STEEL-CLAD PLATE
SA-263
(Identical with ASTM Specification A 263-03.)

1.

3.

Terminology
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Specification:
3.1.1 This material is considered as single-clad or
double-clad stainless chromium-steel plate, depending on
whether one or both sides are covered.
3.1.2 base metal (backing steel) component to
which the alloy cladding is applied, usually the greater
percentage of the composite plate.
3.1.3 alloy cladding the stainless chromium steel
component of the composite plate.
3.1.4 integrally and continuously bonded a condition in which the alloy cladding and base metal are brought
together to form a metallurgical bond at essentially the
entire interface of the two metals by means other than
those processes that do not produce a homogeneous composite plate.

Scope

1.1 This specification covers plate of a carbon steel or

low-alloy steel base to which is integrally and continuously
bonded on one or both sides a layer of stainless chromium
steel. The material is generally intended for pressure vessel use.
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be
regarded as the standard.

2.

Referenced Documents

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2.1 ASTM Standards:

A 6/A 6M Specification for General Requirements for
Rolled Structural Steel Bars, Plates, Shapes, and Sheet
Piling
A 20/A 20M Specification for General Requirements for
Steel Plates for Pressure Vessels
A 240/A 240M Specification for Chromium and Chromium-Nickel Stainless Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip for
Pressure Vessels and for General Applications
A 370 Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing of Steel Products
A 480/A 480M Specification for General Requirements for
Flat-Rolled Stainless and Heat-Resisting Steel Plate,
Sheet, and Strip
A 578/A 578M Specification for Straight-Beam Ultrasonic
Examination of Plain and Clad Steel Plates for Special
Applications
A 751 Test Methods, Practices, and Terminology for
Chemical Analysis of Steel Products

4.

Ordering Information
4.1 It is the responsibility of the purchaser to specify
all requirements that are necessary for material ordered
under this specification. Such requirements may include,
but are not limited to, the following:
4.1.1 Quantity (weight or number of pieces).
4.1.2 Cladding alloy specification (UNS or ASTM
Specification A 240/A 240M) and whether cladding is for
corrosion allowance only.
4.1.3 Base metal specification.
4.1.4 Bond integrity Class (1, 3, or 5; see Section 13).
4.1.5 Dimensions including the minimum or nominal
thicknesses of the cladding alloy and the backing steel, or of
the total composite and if more or less restrictive thickness
tolerances apply.
4.1.6 Product analysis, if required (see Section 10).
Specify whether applicable to the cladding alloy, backing
steel, or both.

2.2 ASME Code:

Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section IX, Welding
Qualifications
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SA-263

2007 SECTION II, PART A

4.1.7 Mechanical properties including shear test if

required (see Sections 7, 8, and 9).

6.2 Alloy Cladding Metal The alloy-cladding metal

specified shall conform to the requirements as to chemical
composition prescribed for the respective chromium steel
in Specification A 240/A 240M.

4.1.8 Finish (see Section 12).

4.1.9 Restrictions, if required, on repair by welding
(see Section 14).

6.3 Base Metal The base metal shall be carbon steel

or low-alloy steel conforming to the ASTM specifications
for steels for pressure vessels or other as agreed by the
purchaser and the manufacturer. The base metal shall conform to the chemical requirements of the specification to
which it is ordered.

4.1.10 Additions to the specification or special

requirements.
4.2 In addition to the basic requirements of this specification and the backing steel specification, certain supplementary requirements are available when necessary to meet
end use requirements. These include:
4.2.1 Nondestructive examination,

7.

4.2.2 Impact testing, and

4.2.3 Simulated Post-Weld Heat Treatment of
Mechanical Test Coupons (SPWHT).

7.1.1 The tensile properties shall be determined by

a tension test of the composite plate for clad plates that
meet all of the following conditions.
(a) The nominal composite gage is less than or equal
to 112 in.
(b) The specified minimum tensile strength of the base
steel is less than or equal to 70 000 psi [485 MPa].
(c) The specified minimum yield strength of the base
steel is less than or equal to 40 000 psi [275 MPa].
The tensile properties thus determined shall be not less
than the minimum and not more than 5000 psi [35 MPa]
over the maximum prescribed in the specification for the
base steel used. All other tensile test requirements of the
specification for the base steel shall be met.

4.3 The purchaser is referred to the listed supplementary requirements in this specification and to the detailed
requirements in Specification A 20/A 20M.
4.4 If the requirements of this specification are in conflict with the requirements of Specification A 20/A 20M,
the requirements of this specification shall prevail.

5.

Mechanical Properties
7.1 Tensile Requirements:

Materials and Manufacture

5.1 Process:

5.1.1 The steel shall be made by the open-hearth,

electric-furnace, or basic-oxygen processes, or by secondary processes whereby steel made from these primary processes is remelted using, but not limited to electroslag
remelting or vacuum-arc remelting processes.

7.1.2 The tensile properties shall be determined by

a tension test of the base steel only for clad plates that
meet one of the following conditions. The properties thus
determined shall meet all of the tensile test requirements
for the base steel.
(a) The composite gage is greater than 112 in.
(b) The specified minimum tensile strength of the base
steel is greater than 70 000 psi [485 MPa].
(c) The specified minimum yield strength of the base
steel is greater than 40 000 psi [275 MPa].

5.1.2 The alloy-cladding metal may be metallurgically bonded to the base metal by any method that will
produce a clad steel that will conform to the requirements
of this specification.
5.2 Heat Treatment Unless otherwise specified or
agreed upon between the purchaser and the manufacturer,
all plates shall be furnished in the normalized, tempered,
normalized and tempered, or quenched and tempered condition as permitted by the backing steel specification. Stress
relieving of the composite plate by heating subcritically is
permitted, provided the temperature is 75F [40C] or more
below the minimum tempering temperature (when tempered).

7.1.3 If the cladding is for corrosion allowance only,

the cladding need not be included in the tensile test. The
tensile properties thus determined shall meet the base steel
requirements.
7.2 Tests for strength of the bond, when required, must
be specified by the purchaser and shall consist of one of
the following.
7.2.1 Shear Strength When required by the purchaser, the minimum shear strength of the alloy cladding
and base metals shall be 20 000 psi [140 MPa]. The shear
test, when specified, shall be made in the manner indicated
in Fig. 1. The minimum cladding thickness for shear testing
shall be 0.075 in. [1.9 mm] exclusive as ordered.

6.

Chemical Composition
6.1 The composite plate shall conform to any desired
combination of alloy-cladding metal and base metal as
described in 6.2 and 6.3 and as agreed upon between the
purchaser and the manufacturer.
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2007 SECTION II, PART A

SA-263

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7.2.2 Bond Strength As an alternative to the shear

strength test provided in 7.2.1, or when agreed upon by
the purchaser and the manufacturer, or both, three bend
tests shall be made with the alloy cladding in compression
to determine the quality of the bond. These bend tests shall
be made in the manner of the tension tests indicated in
Fig. 2 and shall be bent through an angle of 180 to the bend
diameters provided for in either Specification A 6/A 6M or
Specification A 20/A 20M, Appendix X4 or equivalent, as
applicable. At least two of the three tests shall show not
more than 50% separation on both edges of the bent portion.
Greater separation shall be cause for rejection.

machined with both edges parallel. In reducing the thickness of the specimen, both the alloy cladding and the base
steel shall be machined so as to maintain the same ratio
of clad metal to base steel as is maintained in the plate,
except that the thickness of the clad metal need not be
reduced below 18 in. [3.1 mm]. The sides of the bend test
specimen used for bond strength determination may have
the corners rounded to a radius not over 116 in. [1.6 mm]
for plates, 2 in. [50 mm] and under in thickness, and not
over 18 in. [3.1 mm] for plates over 2 in. [50 mm] in
thickness.

7.3 Methods and practices relating to mechanical testing required by this specification shall be in accordance
with Test Methods and Definitions A 370.

10. Product Analysis

10.1 Product analysis may be required for the cladding
alloy on the finished product. Chemical analysis may be
accomplished by wet chemical or instrumental procedures.
If wet chemical procedures are used, millings may be taken
only when the composite plate thickness is sufficient to
permit obtaining millings without danger of contamination
from the adjacent layer. If spectrometric procedures are
used, the sample shall be exposed on the center line of
the cladding when there is sufficient cladding thickness
available so that there is no contamination from the adjacent base metal.

8.

Number of Tests and Retests

8.1 One or more tension tests, as required by the specifications for the base metal and, when specified, one shear
test or three bond bend tests shall be made representing
each plate as rolled. Each specimen shall be in the final
condition of heat treatment required for the plate, including
any SPWHT if required.
8.2 If any test specimen shows defective machining or
develops flaws, it may be discarded and another specimen
substituted.

10.2 If product analysis is specified by the purchaser

for the cladding alloy, it shall be made from drillings or
millings taken from the final piece or a broken test specimen. For wet chemical analysis, in order to avoid contamination by the base plate metal, millings of cladding samples
shall be taken from the test coupon by removal and discard
of all the base metal plate material, plus 40% of the cladding
thickness from the bonded side, not to exceed 116 in. [1.6
mm]. The material shall be chemically cleaned and sufficient millings shall be taken to represent the full crosssection of the remainder. If there is insufficient cladding
thickness available to spectrographically expose on the
center line of the cladding without contamination, 50% of
the cladding shall be removed and the sample exposed on
this surface.

9.

Test Specimens
9.1 The tension test specimens from plate shall conform
to the requirements prescribed in the specifications for the
base metal.
9.2 Bend test specimens for the alternative bond
strength test shall be taken at right angles to longitudinal
axis of the plate.
9.3 When required by the purchaser, the shear test
specimen should be taken near a corner of the plate, parallel
to its longitudinal axis, or other location that is representative of the final product.

10.3 Methods and practices relating to chemical analysis required by this specification shall be in accordance
with Test Methods, Practices, and Terminology A 751.

9.4 For plates 112 in. [38 mm] and under in thickness
tension test specimens shall be full thickness of the material
except as specified in 7.1.1 and 7.1.2.

10.4 Results of the product analysis shall conform to the

requirements of Section 7 of Specification A 480 /A 480M.

9.5 For plates over 112 in. [38 mm] in thickness, tension
tests shall be of the form shown in Fig. 3 and shall be
of all base steel conforming to the requirements of the
specification for the base steel.

10.5 Results of the product analysis for the backing

steel when required shall conform to the requirements of
Section 7 of Specification A 20/A 20M.

9.6 The bend test specimen used for bond strength

determination shall be 112 in. wide [38 mm] by not more
than 34 in. [19 mm] in thickness and shall be machined to
the form and dimensions shown in Fig. 2, or may be

11. Permissible Variations

11.1 Permissible variations except for thickness shall
be in accordance with Specification A 20/A 20M.
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SA-263

2007 SECTION II, PART A

11.2 Minimum thickness of the alloy cladding metal

and of the backing steel, or of the total composite plate
shall be as required by purchase order documents when
ordered to minimum thicknesses.

to provide the quality level required by the purchaser.

Plates may be ordered with 100% coverage (S1).
13.3 Quality Levels
13.3.1 Class 1 No single unbonded area exceeding
1 in. [25 mm] in its longest dimension with total unbonded
area not to exceed 1% of the total cladded surface area.
13.3.2 Class 3 No single unbonded area exceeding
3 in. [75 mm] in its longest dimension with total unbonded
area not to exceed 3% of the total cladded surface area.
13.3.3 Class 5 No single unbonded area exceeding
9 in.2 [58 cm2] with total unbonded area not to exceed 5%
of the total cladded surface area.
13.3.4 The Class to be supplied should be listed on
the purchase order. When none has been specified, plates
shall be furnished as Class 5 at the option of the manufacturer.

11.3 Permissible variation in thickness when ordered

to nominal thicknesses shall be 0.01 in. [0.3 mm] under
each for backing steel or total composite, and 0.03 in. [0.8
mm] under for the alloy cladding.

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11.4 Permissible variations for excess thickness of the

total composite shall be the greater of 0.125 in. [3 mm]
or 10% of the total composite thickness ordered and may
occur in either backing steel, cladding, or both, provided
the minimum for each is met.
11.5 More restrictive or less restrictive permissible
variations may be agreed upon by the purchaser and the
manufacturer.

14. Repair of Cladding by Welding

14.1 The material manufacturer may repair defects in
cladding by welding provided the following requirements
are met:
14.1.1 When specified in the purchase order, prior
approval shall be obtained from the purchaser.
14.1.2 The welding procedure and the welders or
welding operators shall be qualified in accordance with
Section IX of the ASME Code.
14.1.3 The defective area shall be removed and the
area prepared for repair shall be examined by a magnetic
particle method or a liquid penetrant method to ensure
all defective area has been removed. Method of test and
acceptance standard shall be as agreed upon between the
purchaser and the manufacturer.
14.1.4 The repair weld shall be deposited in accordance with a welding procedure and welding materials
suitable for the cladding material. The surface condition
of the repaired area shall be restored to a condition similar
to the rest of the cladding.
14.1.5 The repaired area shall be examined by a
liquid penetrant method.
14.1.6 The location and extent of the weld repairs
together with the repair procedure and examination results
shall be transmitted as a part of the certification.

12. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance

12.1 The material shall be free of injurious defects,
shall have a workmanlike appearance, and shall conform
to the designated finish.
12.2 Plate alloy surfaces shall be blasted (descaled
by means such as sand or stainless grit, shot or wire, or
equivalent), pickled, blast-cleaned and pickled, or 100%
conditioned.
13. Bond Quality
13.1 The cladding metal shall be integrally and continuously bonded to the base metal.
13.2 Inspection
13.2.1 Clad plates less than 38 in. [10 mm] total
minimum composite thickness shall be visually inspected
for bond integrity prior to shipment.
13.2.2 Clad plates 38 in. [10 mm] and thicker total
minimum composite thickness shall be ultrasonically
inspected for bond integrity prior to shipment in accordance
with the procedures and methods of Specification
A 578/A 578M.
13.2.3 Areas of non-bond detected visually shall be
explored ultrasonically to determine the extent of the condition per 13.2.2. For purposes of defining non-bond, the
cladding shall be interpreted to be unbonded when there
is complete loss of back reflection accompanied by an echo
indication from the plane of the interface of the clad and
backing steel. Areas within 1 in. [25 mm] of a cut edge
on the plate that contain indications exceeding 50% of the
back reflection at the bond interface shall be considered
to be unbonded.
13.2.4 Extent of ultrasonic examination shall be at
the discretion of the manufacturer and sufficient enough

14.2 All repairs in alloy Type 410 and any repairs to

Type 410S penetrating into the backing steel shall be stress
relieved to eliminate residual stresses unless otherwise
agreed upon.
15. General Requirements for Delivery
15.1 Material furnished under this specification shall
conform to the applicable requirements of the current edition of Specification A 20/A 20M.
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2007 SECTION II, PART A

16.

SA-263

17. Product Marking

17.1 Except as specified in 17.2, plates shall be marked
in accordance with the requirements of Specification
A 20/A 20M for the backing steel and the type number of
the alloy cladding metal and this specification number.

Certification

16.1 The chemical analysis of the base metal and the

alloy cladding shall be certified to the purchaser by the
clad plate manufacturer.

17.2 For double-clad material or for material under

in. [6.35 mm] in thickness, the marking shall be legibly
stenciled instead of stamped.

16.2 The results of the tests in Section 7 and any other

tests required by the purchase order shall be reported to
the purchaser.

1
4

16.3 Compliance with the clad quality level of 13.3

shall be certified. Reports shall include the results of ultrasonic inspection when Supplementary Requirement S12 is
specified.

18. Keywords
18.1 alloy cladding; backing steel; bond strength; carbon steel; clad steel plate; low-alloy steel; pressure vessel;
shear strength; stainless chromium steel

FIG. 1 TEST SPECIMEN AND METHOD OF MAKING

SHEAR TEST OF CLAD PLATE

FIG. 2 STANDARD RECTANGULAR TENSION TEST

SPECIMEN WITH 8 IN. GAGE LENGTH

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SA-263

2007 SECTION II, PART A

FIG. 3 STANDARD ROUND TENSION TEST SPECIMEN WITH 2 IN. GAGE LENGTH

414
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2007 SECTION II, PART A

SA-263

SUPPLEMENTARY REQUIREMENTS
Supplementary requirements shall not apply unless specified on the order. A list of standardized supplementary requirements for use at the option of the purchaser are included in
Specification A 20/A 20M. Several of those considered suitable for use with this specification are listed below by title. Other tests may be performed by agreement between the
supplier and the purchaser.

S2.

Product Analysis

S5.

S3.

Simulated Post-Weld Heat Treatment of

Mechanical Test Coupons

S12.

Charpy V-Notch Impact Test

Ultrasonic Examination in Accordance With
Specification A 578/A 578M

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SA-263

2007 SECTION II, PART A

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

The Committee has identified the location of selected

changes to this specification since the last issue, which
may impact the use of this specification.
(1) A general revision was made, including revisions
to the title and scope.
(2) References and tolerances pertaining to sheet and

strip clad products have been deleted as not appropriate to

be included with plate products. An improved method of
describing quality levels for bond integrity are introduced.
More descriptive treatment of permitted variations in clad
and backing thickness as well as a general rewording of
the specification throughout.

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