BRITISH STANDARD BS 6323-4:

1982
Reprinted,
incorporating
CONFIRMED
Amendments No. 1
JULY 1990 and No. 2

Specification for

Seamless and welded

steel tubes for
automobile, mechanical
and general
engineering
purposes —
Part 4: Specific requirements for cold
finished seamless steel tubes

UDC 669.14–462.3:621.774.3
BS 6323-4:1982

Cooperating organizations

The Iron and Steel Standards Committee, under whose direction this
British Standard was prepared, consists of representatives from the following:

British Constructional Steelwork Association

British Internal Combustion Engine Manufacturers’ Association
British Ironfounders’ Association
British Railways Board
British Steel Industry*
British Steel Industry — Wire Section
Concrete Society Ltd
Council of Ironfoundry Associations
Department of Industry (National Physical Laboratory)
Electricity Supply Industry in England and Wales
Engineering Equipment Users’ Association
Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors
Institute of Quality Assurance
Institution of Production Engineers
Institution of Structural Engineers
International Tin Research Institute
Lloyd’s Register of Shipping
National Association of Drop Forgers and Stampers
Oil Companies’ Materials Association
Process Plant Association
Royal Institute of British Architects
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd*
Steel Casting Research and Trade Association
Water-tube Boilermakers’ Association

The organizations marked with an asterisk in the above list, together with the
following, were directly represented on the Technical Committee entrusted
with the preparation of this British Standard:

Association of Hydraulic Equipment Manufacturers

British Steel Corporation
British Welded Steel Tube Manufacturers’ Association
Chartered Institution of Building Services
Confederation of British Industry
Mechanical Handling Engineers’ Association
Ministry of Defence
Motor Cycle Association of Great Britain
Coopted members

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the
direction of the Iron and Steel
Standards Committee, was
published under the authority
of the Board of BSI and comes
into effect on
31 December 1982 Amendments issued since publication

© BSI 12-1998 Amd. No. Date of issue Comments

5140 June 1986

The following BSI references
relate to the work on this
standard: 6023 June 1989 Indicated by a sideline in the margin
Committee reference PSE/8
(formerly ISE/50)
Draft for comment 78/74961 DC

ISBN 0 580 12972 1

 BS 6323-4:1982 CFS

Contents

Page
Cooperating organizations Inside front cover
Foreword ii
1 Scope 1
2 General 1
3 Method of manufacture 1
4 Delivery condition 1
5 Chemical composition 1
6 Mechanical properties 1
7 Dimensions 1
8 Tolerances 1
9 Tests 3
Table 1 — Chemical composition and mechanical properties 2
Table 2 — Tolerance on diameter 3
Table 3 — Tolerance on specified cut length 3
Table 4 — Values for deformation factor C 3
Table 5 — Dimensions in common usage for cold finished
seamless tubes 4
Publications referred to Inside back cover

© BSI 12-1998 i
BS 6323-4:1982 CFS

Foreword

This British Standard has been prepared under the direction of the Iron and Steel
Standards Committee. It is a combined standard superseding BS 980:1950,
BS 1775:1964 and BS 3014:1958 which are withdrawn.
In BS 6323 manufacturing processes have been aligned with current procedures,
and processes no longer used, i.e. oxy-acetylene welding and hydraulic lap
welding, have been deleted. Terminology relating to the designation of certain
manufacturing processes has been updated, i.e. SAW replaces EFW, and CFS
replaces CDS.
Additionally, in combining the standards, steel grades have been rationalized and
aligned, with delivery conditions now being clearly designated by letter codes.
This standard is published in eight separate Parts as follows:
— Part 1: General requirements;
— Part 2: Specific requirements for hot finished welded steel tubes;
— Part 3: Specific requirements for hot finished seamless steel tubes;
— Part 4: Specific requirements for cold finished seamless steel tubes;
— Part 5: Specific requirements for electric resistance welded
(including induction welded) steel tubes;
— Part 6: Specific requirements for cold finished electric resistance welded
(including induction welded) steel tubes;
— Part 7: Specific requirements for submerged arc welded steel tubes;
— Part 8: Specific requirements for longitudinally welded stainless steel tubes.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 to 4, an inside back cover and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on
the inside front cover.

ii © BSI 12-1998
 BS 6323-4:1982 CFS

1 Scope 4.2 It is permissible for tubes supplied in the GBK

and NBK condition to be discoloured, but they shall
This Part of BS 6323, which is used in conjunction
be free from loose scale.
with Part 1 of the same standard, covers the specific
requirements for cold finished seamless steel tubes Where tubes in the GBK condition are required
for use in the automobile, mechanical and general bright annealed, this shall be the subject of an
engineering industries. It specifies the chemical agreement between the purchaser and the
composition, mechanical properties, dimensions, manufacturer.
dimensional tolerances and technical delivery NOTE Tubes in the BKW condition may be tempered at the
condition of the tubes. option of the manufacturer.

NOTE 1 For tubes for pressure purposes, attention is drawn to

BS 3601 to BS 3605 and for hollow sections for structural 5 Chemical composition
purposes to BS 4360 and BS 4848-2. The steel shall show on ladle analysis the
NOTE 2 The titles of the publications referred to in this Part of composition given in Table 1 appropriate to the steel
this standard are listed on the inside back cover.
grade specified.
2 General
6 Mechanical properties
The tubes shall comply with the general
requirements of BS 6323-1 and the specific The tensile properties of the tubes, appropriate to
requirements of this Part of the same standard, their steel grade and delivery condition, determined
which covers tubes up to and including 230 mm in accordance with 15.2 of BS 6323-1:1982 shall be
outside diameter. as given in Table 1.
The tubes shall be of steel For other mechanical properties, see clause 9.
grades 3, 3A, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. The grade
required shall be specified in the enquiry and order, 7 Dimensions
together with other details as specified in clause 5 of The dimensions of tubes shall be designated by the
BS 6323-1:1982, as appropriate. outside diameter and thickness, by inside diameter
If specified in the enquiry and order, tubes having and thickness or by the outside and inside diameter.
an outside diameter up to and including 50 mm and A list of the sizes most commonly used is given in
in the annealed or normalized condition shall be Table 5.
subject to a leak tightness test (see 9.3).
8 Tolerances
3 Method of manufacture 8.1 Diameter. The tolerance on the diameter,
The tubes shall be manufactured by a seamless including ovality, as designated in clause 7 for tubes
process and shall be cold finished. having a diameter to thickness ratio not
exceeding 33 : 1 shall be as given in Table 2.
It is permissible for cold finished tubes to have on
internal or external surfaces an adherent layer of
residual lubricant originating from the drawing
process. If phosphate or other residues are
detrimental to subsequent processing, then their
removal shall be the subject of an agreement
between the manufacturer and the purchaser.

4 Delivery condition
4.1 The tubes shall be supplied in one of the
following delivery conditions (see Table 3 in
BS 6323-1:1982).
a) Cold finished/hard (cold finished as
drawn): BK;
b) Cold finished/soft (lightly cold worked): BKW
(see note to 4.2);
c) Annealed: GBK (see 4.2);
d) Annealed (including de-scaling): GZF;
e) Normalized: NBK (see 4.2);
f) Normalized (including de-scaling): NZF.

© BSI 12-1998 1
 Table 1 — Chemical composition and mechanical properties (see note)
2

BS 6323-4:1982 CFS
Designation Chemical composition (ladle analysis) Mechanical properties and delivery condition
C Si Mn P S Cr Mo c c GBK and GZF NBK and NZF
BK BKW
max. max. (annealed) (normalized)
(cold finished/hard) (cold finished/soft)
Re Rm A Re Rm A Re Rm A Re Rm A
min. min. min. min. min. min. min. min. min. min. min. min.
% % % % % % % N/mm2 N/mm2 % N/mm2 N/mm2 % N/mm2 N/mm2 % N/mm2 N/mm2 %

CFS 3 0.20 0.35 0.90 0.050 0.050 — — 360 450 6 280 400 9 170 340 26 215 360 24
max. max. max.
a 0.20 0.10 to 0.60 to 0.050 0.050 — — 360 450 6 280 400 9 170 340 26 215 360 24
CFS 3A
max. 0.35 1.00
CFS 4 0.25 0.35 1.20 0.050 0.050 — — 415 520 5 315 450 8 200 400 24 235 410 22
max. max. max.

CFS 5b 0.23 0.50 1.50 0.050 0.050 — — 480 600 4 385 550 6 — — — 340 490 20
max. max. max.
CFS 6 0.30 to 0.35 0.50 to 0.050 0.050 — — 470 590 5 350 540 7 300 440 22 280 460 21
0.40 max. 0.90
CFS 7 0.20 to 0.35 1.20 to 0.050 0.050 — — 560 700 4 460 650 7 — — — — — —
0.30 max. 1.50

CFS 8d 0.40 to 0.35 0.50 to 0.050 0.050 — — 575 720 4 470 670 6 300 510 20 340 540 18
0.55 max. 0.90
CFS 9 0.29 0.35 1.50 0.050 0.050 — 0.15 to 0.25 575 720 4 470 670 6 — — — — — —
max. max. max.
CFS 10 0.26 0.35 0.80 0.050 0.050 0.80 to 1.20 0.15 to 0.30 575 720 4 470 670 6 — — — — — —
max. max. max.
CFS 11 0.45 0.35 1.00 0.050 0.050 0.80 to 1.20 0.15 to 0.30 575 720 4 — 670 6 — — — — — —
max. max. max.
NOTE Welding of tubes of grades 3, 3A, 4 and 5 does not require special techniques but care should be taken and welding carried out in accordance with the guidance given in the
appropriate British Standard for welding, e.g. BS 5135. The welding of other grades shown may require special techniques.
a Grade 3A shall be suitable for case hardening purposes.
b
Grain refining elements may be added at the option of the manufacturer.
c If tubes in the BK and GKW condition are subsequently welded, brazed or heated the mechanical properties in the heat affected zone may be reduced to those given for the
delivery condition GBK or NBK.
d
Steels within the limits shown, but in accordance with the chemical composition of BS 970-1, may be supplied if agreed at the time of order or enquiry.
© BSI 12-1998
 BS 6323-4:1982 CFS

Table 2 — Tolerance on diameter 9 Tests

Diameter Tolerance 9.1 General. In addition to the tensile test specified
Over Up to and in clause 6, annealed or normalized tubes shall be
including subjected to a flattening test as given in 9.2. This
mm mm mm test shall be carried out in accordance with 15.3 of
30 ± 0.10 BS 6323-1:1982.
30 50 ± 0.15 9.2 Flattening test. The distance between the
platens or in the case of flattening by hammer blows
50 70 ± 0.20 the distance between the outside surfaces, shall be
70 90 ± 0.25 no greater than the value calculated from the
formula:
90 110 ± 0.30
( 1 + C )a
110 130 ± 0.35 H = ----------------------
C + a/D
130 160 ± 0.45
where the symbols are as defined in clause 3 of
160 190 ± 0.55 BS 6323-1:1982. Values of C are given in Table 4.
190 220 ± 0.65 Table 4 — Values for deformation factor C
220 250 ± 0.75 Designation C
CFS 3, 3A 0.09
Where the ratio of diameter to thickness is greater CFS 4, 6 0.07
than 33 : 1, the tolerance shall be agreed between
the purchaser and the manufacturer. CFS 5, 8 0.06
8.2 Thickness. The tolerance on thickness,
including eccentricity, shall be ± 10 % with a 9.3 Leak tightness test. When a leak tightness
minimum of ± 0.1 mm. If the outside diameter and test is required by the purchaser and specified in his
inside diameter are specified, the eccentricity shall enquiry and order, each tube shall be tested by one
be restricted so that the thickness does not deviate of the following methods:
by more than ± 10 % of the actual measured mean a) hydraulic leak tightness test (see 15.7 of
thickness. BS 6323-1:1982).
8.3 Length. Tubes shall be supplied in either: b) eddy current test (see 15.8 of BS 6323-1:1982).
a) random lengths of 4 m to 7 m; or c) any other method giving an equivalent
assurance of leak tightness as agreed between
b) specified cut lengths to the tolerances given in
the manufacturer and the purchaser.
Table 3.
Selection of the test method shall be at the option of
Table 3 — Tolerance on specified cut length
the manufacturer, unless a specific test is required
Specified cut length Tolerance by the purchaser and specified on his enquiry and
Over Up to and order.
including
mm mm mm

500 +2
–0

500 2 000 +3
–0

2 000 5 000 +5
–0

5 000 7 000 + 10
– 0
7 000 — by agreement
NOTE Closer tolerances may be obtained by agreement
between the purchaser and the manufacturer.

© BSI 12-1998 3
 Table 5 — Dimensions in common usage for cold finished seamless tubes
4

BS 6323-4:1982 CFS
Outside Mass per unit length (in kg/m)
diameter
Thicknessb (in mm)
(in mm)
seriesa
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 12.5 16 20 25
2 3 0.8 1.2 1.8 2.2 2.8 3.5 4.5 5.5 7.0 11.0 14 18 22

5 0.056
6 0.068 0.103 0.123 0.142
8 0.092 0.142 0.173 0.201
10 0.117 0.182 0.222 0.260 0.314
12 0.142 0.221 0.271 0.320 0.388 0.453 0.493
14 0.166 0.260 0.321 0.379 0.462 0.542 0.592 0.640
16 0.191 0.300 0.370 0.438 0.536 0.630 0.691 0.749 0.832
18 0.339 0.419 0.497 0.610 0.719 0.789 0.857 0.956
20 0.379 0.469 0.556 0.684 0.808 0.888 0.966 1.08 1.19 1.26
22 0.418 0.518 0.616 0.758 0.897 0.986 1.07 1.20 1.33 1.41 1.60
25 0.477 0.592 0.704 0.869 1.03 1.13 1.24 1.39 1.53 1.63 1.86 2.07 2.28 2.47
28 0.537 0.666 0.793 0.980 1.16 1.28 1.40 1.57 1.74 1.85 2.11 2.37 2.61 2.84
30 0.576 0.715 0.852 1.05 1.25 1.38 1.51 1.70 1.88 2.00 2.29 2.56 2.83 3.08
32 0.616 0.765 0.911 1.13 1.34 1.48 1.62 1.82 2.02 2.15 2.46 2.76 3.05 3.33
35 0.675 0.838 1.00 1.24 1.47 1.63 1.78 2.00 2.22 2.37 2.72 3.06 3.38 3.70 4.00 4.29
38 0.734 0.912 1.09 1.35 1.61 1.78 1.94 2.19 2.43 2.59 2.98 3.35 3.72 4.07 4.41 4.74
40 0.773 0.962 1.15 1.42 1.70 1.87 2.05 2.31 2.57 2.74 3.15 3.55 3.94 4.32 4.68 5.03 5.70 6.31 6.88
45 0.872 1.09 1.30 1.61 1.92 2.12 2.32 2.62 2.91 3.11 3.58 4.04 4.49 4.93 5.36 5.77 6.56 7.30 7.99
50 1.21 1.44 1.79 2.14 2.37 2.59 2.93 3.26 3.48 4.01 4.54 5.05 5.55 6.04 6.51 7.42 8.29 9.10
55 1.59 1.98 2.36 2.61 2.86 3.24 3.60 3.85 4.45 5.03 5.60 6.17 6.71 7.25 8.29 9.27 10.2 11.1 11.9 13.1
60 1.74 2.16 2.58 2.86 3.14 3.55 3.95 4.22 4.88 5.52 6.16 6.78 7.39 7.99 9.15 10.3 11.3 12.3 13.3 14.6
70 2.04 2.53 3.03 3.35 3.68 4.16 4.64 4.96 5.74 6.51 7.27 8.01 8.75 9.47 10.9 12.2 13.5 14.8 16.0 17.7
80 2.90 3.47 3.85 4.22 4.78 5.33 5.70 6.60 7.50 8.38 9.25 10.1 10.9 12.6 14.2 15.8 17.3 18.7 20.8
90 3.27 3.92 4.34 4.76 5.39 6.02 6.44 7.47 8.48 9.49 10.5 11.5 12.4 14.3 16.2 18.0 19.7 21.4 23.9 26.2
100 4.36 4.83 5.31 6.01 6.71 7.18 8.33 9.47 10.6 11.7 12.8 13.9 16.1 18.2 20.2 22.2 24.1 27.0 29.7 33.1
110 5.33 5.85 6.63 7.40 7.92 9.19 10.5 11.7 12.9 14.2 15.4 17.8 20.1 22.4 24.7 26.9 30.1 33.1 37.1 40.8
120 5.82 6.39 7.24 8.09 8.66 10.1 11.4 12.8 14.2 15.5 16.9 19.5 22.1 24.6 27.1 29.6 33.1 36.6 41.0 45.3
140 8.48 9.47 10.1 11.8 13.4 15.0 16.6 18.2 19.8 23.0 26.0 29.1 32.1 35.0 39.3 43.5 48.9 54.2
160 10.9 11.6 13.5 15.4 17.3 19.1 21.0 22.8 26.4 30.0 33.5 37.0 40.4 45.5 50.4 56.8 63.0 69.1
180 15.2 17.4 19.5 21.6 23.7 25.7 29.9 33.9 38.0 41.9 45.8 51.6 57.3 64.7 71.9 78.9
200 17.0 19.3 21.7 24.0 26.4 28.7 33.3 37.9 42.4 46.9 51.3 57.8 64.2 72.6 80.8 88.8 96.6
220 21.3 23.9 26.5 29.1 31.7 36.8 41.8 46.8 51.8 56.7 64.0 71.1 80.5 89.7 98.6 107 120
NOTE Diameters and thicknesses other than those listed are available by agreement between the purchaser and the manufacturer.
© BSI 12-1998

a
The series numbers align with those in ISO 4200, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
b The thicknesses printed in heavy type should preferably be chosen.
 BS 6323-4:1982

Publications referred to

BS 970, Specification for wrought steels for mechanical and allied engineering purposes.
BS 970-1, General inspection and testing procedures and specific requirements for carbon, carbon
manganese, alloy and stainless steels.
BS 3601, Steel pipes and tubes for pressure purposes: carbon steel with specified room temperature
properties.
BS 3602, Specification for steel pipes and tubes for pressure purposes: carbon and carbon manganese steel
with specified elevated temperature properties.
BS 3603, Specification for steel pipes and tubes for pressure purposes: carbon and alloy steel with specified
low temperature properties.
BS 3604, Specification for steel pipes and tubes for pressure purposes: ferritic alloy steel with specified
elevated temperature properties.
BS 3605, Seamless and welded austenitic stainless steel pipes and tubes for pressure purposes.
BS 4360, Specification for weldable structural steels.
BS 4848, Hot-rolled structural steel sections.
BS 4848-2, Hollow sections.
BS 5135, Metal-arc welding of carbon and carbon manganese steels.
BS 6323, Specification for seamless and welded steel tubes for automobile, mechanical and general
engineering purposes.
BS 6323-1, General requirements.
ISO 4200, Plain end steel tubes, welded and seamless — General tables of dimensions and masses per unit
length.

© BSI 12-1998
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