What is the difference between ASTM A480 and ASTM A380?

ASTM A480 – General Requirements for Flat-Rolled Stainless Steel

Full Name: Standard Specification for General Requirements for Flat-Rolled Stainless and Heat-Resisting Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip

Purpose: Provides general requirements (dimensional tolerances, surface finishes, flatness, edge conditions, etc.) for flat-rolled stainless steel products.

Applies to:

Stainless steel plate, sheet, and strip

Products covered under other ASTM specifications (e.g., A240, A167, etc.)

Key Content:

Thickness and width tolerances

Surface finishes (e.g., No.1, 2B, BA)

Plate flatness, squareness, and edge conditions

Inspection and test procedures

In short: ASTM A480 ensures the dimensional and surface quality of flat-rolled stainless steel.

ASTM A380 – Cleaning, Descaling, and Passivation of Stainless Steel

Full Name: Standard Practice for Cleaning, Descaling, and Passivation of Stainless Steel Parts

Purpose: Describes the methods and procedures for cleaning and passivating stainless steel to:

Remove surface contaminants

Restore corrosion resistance

Prepare parts for critical service (e.g., food, pharmaceutical, semiconductor industries)

Applies to:

Stainless steel parts, assemblies, and weldments

Fabricated or machined components

Key Processes:

Degreasing, pickling, passivation

Surface inspection and testing (e.g., water break test, copper sulfate test)

In short: ASTM A380 provides cleaning and surface preparation methods for stainless steel, especially after fabrication or welding.

 

What is the difference between ASTM A480 and ASTM A380?

Feature	ASTM A480	ASTM A380
Type	Specification	Practice (procedural guide)
Applies To	Plate, sheet, and strip	Fabricated parts, welds, assemblies
Focus	Dimensions, surface finish, flatness	Cleaning, descaling, passivation
Relevant To	Material producers	Fabricators, installers, end users
Common Use Cases	Plate supply with defined tolerances	Post-welding surface treatment, corrosion prep