ASME SA738 Grade A Steel Plate | SA738 Gr.A Heat-Treated Vessel Plate

ASME SA738 Grade A, also written ASME SA738 GR.A, is heat-treated carbon-manganese-silicon steel plate under ASME SA-738/SA-738M. The specification is identical with ASTM A738/A738M. It covers five grades — Grade A, B, C, D and E — for welded pressure vessels at moderate and lower temperature service. Four strength levels are listed: 75, 80, 85 and 90 ksi minimum tensile. Grade A is the 75 ksi (515 MPa) line: 310 MPa yield and 515–655 MPa tensile. SHH STEEL is a global steel mill sourcing partner and steel manufacturer & exporter (mill-direct, China origin) for this Grade. Plate is produced to ASME SA-738/SA-738M and shipped to buyers in the USA, Europe, Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Buyers write ASME SA738 Grade A, ASME SA738 GR.A, SA738 Gr.A, SA738GRA, SA-738 Grade A, SA 738 Gr A, A738 Grade A and ASTM A738 Gr.A. A purchase order that only says “SA738” is incomplete. This page is not SA516 Gr.70. Grade 70 is not the heat-treated SA738 book. It is not SA612. It is not SA662 Grade A. It is not SA737 Grade B. Grade B in this book is the 85 ksi line, not Grade A.

The steel shall be killed. Fine austenitic grain practice follows ASME SA-20 / ASTM A20. Current practice normally limits Grade A thickness to about 150 mm. Grade A plates over 65 mm shall be quenched and tempered. Grade A plates 65 mm and under follow the heat-treatment rule in the named edition, commonly normalize unless the order names QT. Dual marking SA738 / A738 Grade A is available. Certificates can be EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2. Company scope: global steel mill sourcing partner – SHH STEEL.

This plate sits in pressure vessel steel plates and carbon steel plates. It does not sit with ASME SA387 Cr-Mo alloy plate or ASTM A36 steel plate structural plate.

SA-20 still governs marking, testing location, retests, repair rules and supplementary requirements unless the product specification overrides them.

ASME SA738 Grade A / ASME SA738 GR.A uses the Grade A column. Manganese limits change with thickness.

Heat Analysis and Product Analysis — ASME SA738 Grade A (typical Table 1 limits)

Grade B carbon heat is 0.20% max. Grade D and Grade E use still lower carbon. Do not ship Grade B as Grade A. Vacuum carbon-deoxidized steel under S17 may replace part of the table when specified.

SHH STEEL reports heat analysis on every certificate and product analysis when SA-20 requires it. If a Houston, Rotterdam or Jebel Ali specification tightens phosphorus or sulfur, write that on the order.

Grade A is the 75 ksi tensile class.

Tensile Requirements — ASME SA738 Grade A (typical Table 2, ≤50 mm)

Tensile columns can change with thickness in Table 2. Confirm the ordered thickness against the named edition. Grade B is 585–705 MPa tensile. Grade C is 550–690 MPa tensile. Grade D and Grade E sit on other columns and have tighter thickness caps. Do not stamp Grade A as Grade B because a coupon came in high.

Density is 7.85 g/cm³. Notch toughness is commonly added for moderate and lower temperature service. Write the temperature, energy, location and orientation. Simulated PWHT is common on QT thicknesses.

SA203 Gr.A, SA225 Gr.C and SA455 steel plate are also vessel plates. None of them is ASME SA738 GR.A.

ASME SA738 Grade A / ASME SA738 GR.A is selected when the vessel wants heat-treated C-Mn-Si at the 75 ksi tensile class for moderate and lower temperature welded service. Typical equipment is storage vessels, process drums and other Section VIII work written to SA-738 Grade A. Allowable stress comes from ASME Section II Part D after the Code lists this Grade.

SHH STEEL supplies this plate to fabricators in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. It is not nickel low-temp plate like SA203 Gr.D or SA203 Gr.E. It is not QT Ni-Cr-Mo like SA543. It is not SA302 Gr.A. Stainless inquiries belong on ASME SA240 or ASTM A240.

Do not treat Grade A over 65 mm as a normalize-only plate. The specification requires quench and temper above that thickness. Grade B in this book is often asked for nuclear containment work. That is Grade B, not Grade A.

SA738 Gr.A is killed C-Mn-Si at the 75 ksi class. Welding is Code welding.

Qualify procedures to ASME Section IX. Use consumables written for 515–655 MPa tensile. Review whether the plate is normalized or QT before copying a SA516 Gr.70 procedure. Do not use a SA543 QT Ni-Cr-Mo procedure. Hydrogen control, preheat and PWHT follow the qualified procedure and the vessel specification.

Do not copy a SA387 Gr.12 Cl.2 procedure onto SA738 Grade A. The fabricator owns the WPS. SHH STEEL can share mill heat data for that review, including packages prepared for US, EU or Middle East inspectors.

The steel shall be heat-treated. For Grade A over 65 mm, plates shall be quenched and tempered. When plates are tempered, the minimum tempering temperature is 595 °C (1100 °F). Grade A at 65 mm and under follows the named edition; confirm normalize versus QT on the purchase order.

Grades B, C, D and E are quenched and tempered in all thicknesses. Do not apply those rules to thin Grade A without reading the edition.

If the vessel will see PWHT, test coupons shall follow a simulated cycle when the order names it. This is not the SA543 Ni-Cr-Mo route and not the SA537 Cl.1 book copied by name only. Special heat treatment, extra simulation or third-party hold points add time. Plan about two months when those extras are on the order.

Usual delivery from SHH STEEL is heat-treated ASME SA738 Grade A / ASME SA738 GR.A plate: QT above 65 mm, and the ordered condition at 65 mm and under.

The certificate lists ASME SA738 Grade A and, when dual certified, ASTM A738 Grade A; heat number; heat analysis; product analysis when ordered; tensile results to the Grade A table; heat-treatment statement; impact when ordered. Certificates may be EN 10204 3.1 or EN 10204 3.2.

Surface is mill scale unless the order names shot blast, paint or machine allowance. Cutting, beveling and nest sizes belong on the purchase order.

Usual supply range from SHH STEEL for SA738 Gr.A heat-treated vessel plate:

• Thickness: commonly 8 mm – 150 mm. Current practice normally limits Grade A to about 150 mm. Over 65 mm is the QT trigger
• Width: 1500 mm – 4000 mm
• Length: 3000 mm – 12000 mm
• Cut-to-length shells, heads and nest sizes inside those limits

Structural sizes belong on EN 10025-2 or JIS G3106. Weathering plate belongs on EN 10025-5 or Corten A/B. Fine-grain structural belongs on EN 10025-3 or EN 10025-4. QT structural belongs on EN 10025-6.

Dimensional limits follow ASME SA-20. Thickness, width, length, flatness and camber are vessel-plate tolerances, not structural-plate tolerances from ASTM A36/A36M. UT to A435 / A577 / A578 is added when the order names it.

Repair welding of surface defects follows SA-20 rules unless the order forbids repair.

Most export ASME SA738 Grade A / ASME SA738 GR.A orders add extras. SHH STEEL does not assume them.

Charpy details. Temperature, energy, location and orientation.

Simulated PWHT. Same-heat coupons follow the vessel cycle when named, especially on QT plate.

NDE. UT to A435 / A577 / A578.

Vacuum carbon deoxidation (S17). When specified.

Through-thickness / Z-direction testing. When the drawing names it.

Third-party. EN 10204 3.2, with inspectors arranged for US, European or Middle East documentation packages.

These names are project-comparison grades. They are not automatic substitutes.

DIN 17100, ASME SA515 and ASTM A285 are not SA738 Grade A.

Ship plate inquiries belong on shipbuilding steel plates or BV Rules. Weathering inquiries belong on weathering steel plates. Stainless inquiries belong on stainless steel products, JIS G4305 or AISI stainless.

Other vessel comparisons: SA203 Gr.B, SA302 Gr.C, A516 Grade 70, SA533 Type C Cl.2, SA517 Gr.P.

SHH STEEL is a global steel mill sourcing partner with mill partnerships in China. We supply ASTM, ASME, EN and JIS steel to the USA, Europe, Middle East and Southeast Asia. Origin is mill-direct, China origin. We do not treat SA738 Grade A as an Asia-only stock item. Inquiry packages are written for fabricators and EPC buyers in Houston, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Jebel Ali, Dammam, Singapore and surrounding ports.

Typical trade terms:

• FOB Shanghai
• CIF Houston
• CIF Rotterdam
• CIF Jebel Ali
• Other CIF / CFR ports on request (Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, Genoa, Jeddah, Mundra, Ho Chi Minh)

Typical lead time for ASME SA738 Grade A / ASME SA738 GR.A:

• Ex-stock / ready plate: about 5–7 days after order confirmation, subject to actual warehouse size and cutting
• Mill rolling, standard heat treatment: about 45 days
• Special heat treatment, simulated PWHT, 3.2 hold or extra NDE: about 2 months

Documents travel with the cargo: mill certificate, packing list, commercial invoice, bill of lading, and EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 as ordered. Third-party inspection can be arranged before loading for US, European or Middle East projects. Packing is seaworthy, with edge protection and marking in English as specified on the order.

If the buyer needs a dual ASTM A738 / ASME SA738 stamp for a Section VIII vessel in the United States, say so on the inquiry. If the buyer needs a PED / 3.2 file for Europe, say so on the inquiry. Do not assume a domestic Chinese certificate format will pass at destination.

SHH STEEL is a global steel mill sourcing partner and steel manufacturer & exporter (mill-direct, China origin). We supply ASTM / EN / JIS steel to the USA, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. On ASME SA738 Grade A / ASME SA738 GR.A that means mill pricing, dual SA738/A738 marking, Grade A chemistry reported, QT when thickness requires it, tensile results at 310 MPa yield and 515–655 MPa tensile, 3.1 as standard and 3.2 when specified. Trade terms include FOB Shanghai and CIF Houston / Rotterdam / Jebel Ali.

We keep the Grade on the order. Grade A is not Grade B. SA738 Grade A is not SA516 Grade 70. SA738 is not SA612. SA738 is not SA387 Gr.22 Cl.2. If the drawing is over 65 mm, we will not ship normalize-only Grade A and call it close.

Company scope: global steel mill sourcing partner – SHH STEEL.

ASME SA738 Grade A Steel Plate, also searched as ASME SA738 GR.A, is heat-treated C-Mn-Si plate under ASME SA-738/SA-738M for moderate and lower temperature welded vessels, at 310 MPa yield and 515–655 MPa tensile. Whether the inquiry says ASME SA738 Grade A, ASME SA738 GR.A, SA738 Gr.A or A738 Grade A, SHH STEEL as a global steel mill sourcing partner and steel manufacturer & exporter (mill-direct, China origin) supplies plate with Grade A chemistry, the correct heat-treatment route, and EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 certification.

SHH STEEL supplies ASME SA738 Grade A / SA738 Gr.A Heat-Treated Vessel Plate to the USA, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia for ASME Section VIII work that actually names this Grade. FOB Shanghai / CIF Houston / Rotterdam / Jebel Ali.

Contact SHH STEEL for mill rolling, stock inquiry, dual SA738/A738 marking, impact testing, 3.2 inspection or a quotation.

ASME SA738 Grade A Steel Plate, ASME SA738 GR.A, SA738 Gr.A, SA738GRA, SA-738 Grade A, A738 Grade A, heat-treated vessel plate, global steel mill sourcing partner SHH STEEL