ASTM B601-12

Standard Classification for Temper Designations for Copper and Copper Alloys—Wrought and Cast

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.
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.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Sep-2012
• ICS: 77.150.30 - Copper products
• Technical Committee: B05 - Copper and Copper Alloys
• Drafting Committee: B05.91 - Editorial and Publications

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM B601-09 - Standard Classification for Temper Designations for Copper and Copper Alloys—Wrought and Cast
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Replaced By: ASTM B601-16 - Standard Classification for Temper Designations for Copper and Copper Alloys—Wrought and Cast
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2016
• Referred By: ASTM B302-17 - Standard Specification for Threadless Copper Pipe, Standard Sizes
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B929-23 - Standard Specification for Copper-Nickel-Tin Spinodal Alloy Rod and Bar
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B944-22 - Standard Specification for Copper-Beryllium Welded Heat Exchanger and Condenser Tube (UNS No. C17510)
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B135/B135M-17 - Standard Specification for Seamless Brass Tube
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B131-22 - Standard Specification for Copper Alloy Bullet Jacket Cups
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B770-21 - Standard Specification for Copper-Beryllium Alloy Sand Castings for General Applications
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B134/B134M-15(2021) - Standard Specification for Brass Wire
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B870-21 - Standard Specification for Copper-Beryllium Alloy Forgings and Extrusions (UNS Nos. C17500, C17510, and C17540)
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B139/B139M-12(2017) - Standard Specification for Phosphor Bronze Rod, Bar, and Shapes
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B98/B98M-13(2019) - Standard Specification for Copper-Silicon Alloy Rod, Bar and Shapes
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B411/B411M-14(2019) - Standard Specification for Copper-Nickel-Silicon Alloy Rod and Bar
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B206/B206M-12(2017) - Standard Specification for Copper-Nickel-Zinc (Nickel Silver) Wire and Copper-Nickel Alloy Wire
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B956-19e1 - Standard Specification for Welded Copper and Copper-Alloy Condenser and Heat Exchanger Tubes with Integral Fins
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2012

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:B601 −12
StandardClassification for
Temper Designations for Copper and Copper Alloys—
1
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 Department of Defense.
1. Scope* 5. Classification of Tempers
1.1 This classification establishes temper designations for
5.1 Annealed Tempers, O—Tempers produced by annealing
copper and copper alloys—wrought and cast. The temper to meet mechanical property requirements.
designations are classified by the process or processes used in
5.2 Annealed Tempers, with Grain Size Prescribed, OS—
manufacturing the product involved and its resulting proper-
Tempers produced by annealing to meet standard or special
ties. It is not a specification of copper and copper alloys.
grain size requirements.
1.2 The property requirements for the tempers are given in
5.3 As-Manufactured Tempers, M—Tempers produced in
the applicable product specification.
the product by the primary manufacturing operations of
casting, or casting and hot working, and controlled by the
2. Referenced Documents
methods employed in the operations.
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
5.4 Cold-Worked Tempers, H—Tempers produced by con-
B846 Terminology for Copper and Copper Alloys
trolled amounts of cold work, by manufacturing process, or by
use.
3. Terminology
5.5 Cold-Worked (Drawn), and Stress-Relieved Tempers,
3.1 For terminology related to copper and copper alloys,
HR—Tempers produced by controlled amounts of cold work
refer to Terminology B846.
followed by stress relief.
5.5.1 Order-Strengthening Tempers, HT—Tempers pro-
4. Significance and Use
duced by controlled amounts of cold work followed by a
4.1 Significance—This classification establishes an alphanu-
thermal treatment to produce order strengthening.
meric code of the tempers of copper and copper alloy products.
5.5.2 End Annealed Temper, HE—Temper produced by cold
4.2 Use—An alphanumeric code establishes a system by
work followed by anneal of the ends of the product.
which product tempers in specifications and published data are
5.6 Heat-Treated Tempers, T—Tempers that are based on
designated.
solution heat treatments followed by rapid cooling, with or
4.2.1 The letters in the code identify the type of process
without subsequent cold working or thermal treatments.
used to produce the product temper. For example, “H” indi-
5.6.1 Quench-Hardened Tempers, TQ—Tempers produced
cates a temper resulting from cold working.
by quench-hardening treatments.
NOTE 1—These letters are frequently the same as those used in temper
5.6.2 Solution Heat-Treated Temper, TB—Tempers pro-
systems of other metal products.
duced by solution heat-treating precipitation hardenable or
NOTE 2—Undefined letters, used in prior temper systems and included
spinodal hardenable alloys.
in this system for reference, are defined in Appendix X1.
5.6.3 Solution Heat-Treated and Cold-Worked Tempers,
TD—Tempers produced by controlled amounts of cold work of
1
This classification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B05 on solution heat-treated precipitation hardenable or spinodal hard-
Copper and CopperAlloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B05.91
enable alloys.
on Editorial and Publications.
5.6.4 Precipitation Heat-Treated Temper, TF—Tempers pro-
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2012. Published November 2012. Originally
duced by Solution Heat-Treatment and precipitation heat
approved in 1974. Last previous edition approved in 2009 as B601 – 09. DOI:
10.1520/B0601-12.
treatment of precipitation-hardenable alloys.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
5.6.5 Spinodal Heat Treated Temper, TX—Tempers pro-
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
duced by Solution Heat-Treatment and spinodal heat treatment
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. of spinodal hardenable alloys.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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B601−12
1
5.6.6 Cold-Worked and Precipitation Heat-Treated
O80 Annealed to Temper— ⁄8 Hard
1
O81 Annealed to Temper— ⁄4 Hard
Tempers, TH—Tempers produced in alloys that have been
1
O82 Annealed to Temper— ⁄2 Hard
solution heat treated, cold worked, and precipitation heat
treated.
5.6.7 Cold-Worked and Spinodal Heat-Tre
...

Designation: B601 − 09 B601 − 12
Standard Classification for
Temper Designations for Copper and Copper Alloys—
1
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 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.
2. Referenced Documents
2
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.
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.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
B601 − 12
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 e
...