1.1 This specification covers hot-finished or cold-finished bars, except bars for forging (Note 1), suitable for machining processes. It includes rounds, squares, and hexagons in the more commonly used types of stainless free-machining steels designed especially for optimum machinability and for general corrosion and high-temperature service. Stainless steel bars other than the free-machining types are covered in a separate specification (Note 2).

1.2 This specification is expressed in both inch-pound units and in SI units; however, unless the purchase order or contract specifies the applicable M specification designation (SI units), the inch-pound units shall apply. The values stated in either inch-pound units or SI (metric) units are to be regarded separately as standard: within the text and tables, the SI units are shown in [brackets]. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents: therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the specification.

ASTM Standards

A276 Specification for Stainless Steel Bars and Shapes
A314 Specification for Stainless Steel Billets and Bars for Forging
A370 Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing of Steel Products
A484/A484M Specification for General Requirements for Stainless Steel Bars, Billets, and Forgings
A751 Test Methods, Practices, and Terminology for Chemical Analysis of Steel Products
A959 Guide for Specifying Harmonized Standard Grade Compositions for Wrought Stainless Steels
E527 Practice for Numbering Metals and Alloys in the Unified Numbering System (UNS)

SAE Document

SAE J1086 Recommended Practice for Numbering Metals and Alloys