Materials & grades
A228 music wire: ASTM A228 spring wire, with EN 10270-1 SH/DH and JIS SWP-A/SWP-B equivalents
A228 is ASTM's music spring quality wire: cold-drawn high-carbon steel wire with 0.70–1.00 % carbon and tensile strength that rises steeply as the diameter falls. Its nearest names are EN 10270-1 grades SH and DH, IS 4454 (Part 1) SH and DH, and JIS G 3522 SWP-A and SWP-B.
Names by standard
What it is called in each region
| Region | System | Designation | Norme | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | ASTM wire specification | A228/A228MSteel wire, music spring quality, for springs under high stress or needing good fatigue properties. | ASTM A228/A228M | Same material |
| UNS | K08500Listed against ASTM A228 by MakeItFrom; Total Materia also lists K08500 and K08501 against JIS SWP-A. | — | Same material | |
| UK | BS EN 10270-1 | SH / DHUK adoption of EN 10270-1; BSI lists the older BS 5216 as a historical edition. | BS EN 10270-1 | Closest equivalent |
| BS 5216 | Patented carbon steel spring wireLegacy British standard for patented cold-drawn spring wire, including music wire in the 1975 edition. | BS 5216 (1975, 1991; withdrawn) | Closest equivalent | |
| EU | EN 10270-1 grade | SH / DHPatented cold-drawn unalloyed spring wire for static (SH) and dynamic (DH) duty. DH is the nearer match for music wire. | EN 10270-1 | Closest equivalent |
| Inde | IS 4454 (Part 1) | SH / DHPatented cold-drawn unalloyed spring wire, drafted with reference to prEN 10270-1. | IS 4454 (Part 1):2001 | Closest equivalent |
| Japan | JIS G 3522 | SWP-A / SWP-BPiano wire. Type A is the lower tensile band and type B the upper. | JIS G 3522 | Closest equivalent |
On equivalence
- These are wire specifications that overlap rather than match. At 1.00 mm, ASTM A228M gives 2150–2400 MPa, JIS SWP-A 2060–2260, SWP-B 2260–2450 and IS 4454 SH/DH 2230–2470.
- A228 ksi values come from the inch-pound table and MPa values from the separate SI table of A228/A228M-18, at the nearest listed millimetre diameter; the two tables are not exact equivalents. Always confirm diameter-specific limits in the current standard.
- JIS G 3522 SWP-A and SWP-B bracket A228: A228M at 0.50 mm (2400–2650 MPa) overlaps the upper part of SWP-A (2300–2550) and the lower part of SWP-B (2550–2790).
- IS 4454 (Part 1) names grades SL, SM, SH, DM and DH in line with the European grades; DH is for dynamic duty and the nearer match for music wire. Its manganese limit (0.30–1.50 % for DH) is wider than the 0.50–1.20 % Scherdel gives for EN 10270-1 DH.
- The JIS G 3522 composition was not available in a readable source and is not tabulated here.
- BS 5216 is withdrawn; BSI lists it among the historical editions of BS EN 10270-1. EN 10270-1 was reissued in 2024; check which edition applies.
- 6150 (51CrV4) and 9254 are alloy spring steels supplied as oil-tempered wire; see their pages.
Chemical composition
Composition limits, mass %
| Element | A228USA · ASTM A228 (as given in the Suzuki PrecoZ datasheet) | DHEU · EN 10270-1 (as listed by Scherdel) | DH (and DM)Inde · IS 4454 (Part 1):2001, Table 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 0.70–1.00 | 0.45–1.00 | 0.45–1.00 |
| Si | 0.10–0.30 | 0.10–0.30 | 0.10–0.30 |
| Mn | 0.20–0.70 | 0.50–1.20 | 0.30–1.50 |
| P | ≤0.025 | ≤0.020 | ≤0.025 |
| S | ≤0.030 | ≤0.025 | ≤0.020 |
| Cu | — | ≤0.12 | ≤0.12 |
Mechanical properties
Strength and hardness
| Condition | Tensile strength | Yield strength | Elongation | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold drawn music wire, ASTM A228Specified tensile range, wire diameter 0.020 in; ksi from the inch-pound table, MPa from the SI table row for the nearest listed diameter, 0.50 mmksi: ASTM A228 inch-pound table as reproduced in the Suzuki PrecoZ datasheet (Gibbs Interwire); MPa: ASTM A228/A228M-18 SI table | 2400–2650 MPa350–387 ksi | — | — | — |
| Cold drawn music wire, ASTM A228Specified tensile range, wire diameter 0.040 in; ksi from the inch-pound table, MPa from the SI table row for the nearest listed diameter, 1.00 mmksi: ASTM A228 inch-pound table as reproduced in the Suzuki PrecoZ datasheet (Gibbs Interwire); MPa: ASTM A228/A228M-18 SI table | 2150–2400 MPa315–349 ksi | — | — | — |
| Cold drawn music wire, ASTM A228Specified tensile range, wire diameter 0.080 in; ksi from the inch-pound table, MPa from the SI table row for the nearest listed diameter, 2.00 mmksi: ASTM A228 inch-pound table as reproduced in the Suzuki PrecoZ datasheet (Gibbs Interwire); MPa: ASTM A228/A228M-18 SI table | 1950–2200 MPa282–312 ksi | — | — | — |
| Cold drawn music wire, ASTM A228Specified tensile range, wire diameter 0.125 in; ksi from the inch-pound table, MPa from the SI table row for the nearest listed diameter, 3.2 mmksi: ASTM A228 inch-pound table as reproduced in the Suzuki PrecoZ datasheet (Gibbs Interwire); MPa: ASTM A228/A228M-18 SI table | 1780–1980 MPa261–288 ksi | — | — | — |
| Cold drawn music wire, ASTM A228Specified tensile range, wire diameter 0.192 in; ksi from the inch-pound table, MPa from the SI table row for the nearest listed diameter, 5.0 mmksi: ASTM A228 inch-pound table as reproduced in the Suzuki PrecoZ datasheet (Gibbs Interwire); MPa: ASTM A228/A228M-18 SI table | 1650–1850 MPa241–267 ksi | — | — | — |
| Cold drawn music wire, ASTM A228Specified tensile range, wire diameter 0.250 in; ksi from the inch-pound table, MPa from the SI table row for the nearest listed diameter, 6.5 mmksi: ASTM A228 inch-pound table as reproduced in the Suzuki PrecoZ datasheet (Gibbs Interwire); MPa: ASTM A228/A228M-18 SI table | 1580–1780 MPa230–255 ksi | — | — | — |
| Patented cold-drawn wire, IS 4454 (Part 1) grades SH and DHSpecified tensile range, wire diameter 0.50 mm; SH and DH limits are the same at this sizeIS 4454 (Part 1):2001, Table 5 | 2480–2740 MPa360–397 ksi | — | — | — |
| Patented cold-drawn wire, IS 4454 (Part 1) grades SH and DHSpecified tensile range, wire diameter 1.00 mm; SH and DH limits are the same at this sizeIS 4454 (Part 1):2001, Table 5 | 2230–2470 MPa323–358 ksi | — | — | — |
| Patented cold-drawn wire, IS 4454 (Part 1) grades SH and DHSpecified tensile range, wire diameter 2.00 mm; SH and DH limits are the same at this sizeIS 4454 (Part 1):2001, Table 5 | 1980–2200 MPa287–319 ksi | — | — | — |
| Patented cold-drawn wire, IS 4454 (Part 1) grades SH and DHSpecified tensile range, wire diameter 3.00 mm; SH and DH limits are the same at this sizeIS 4454 (Part 1):2001, Table 5 | 1840–2040 MPa267–296 ksi | — | — | — |
| Patented cold-drawn wire, IS 4454 (Part 1) grades SH and DHSpecified tensile range, wire diameter 5.00 mm; SH and DH limits are the same at this sizeIS 4454 (Part 1):2001, Table 5 | 1660–1830 MPa241–265 ksi | — | — | — |
| Piano wire SWP-A, JIS G 3522 (2014)Specified tensile range, wire diameter 0.50 mmJIS G 3522 (2014) table as printed in the Nippon Steel Wire catalogue | 2300–2550 MPa334–370 ksi | — | — | — |
| Piano wire SWP-A, JIS G 3522 (2014)Specified tensile range, wire diameter 1.00 mmJIS G 3522 (2014) table as printed in the Nippon Steel Wire catalogue | 2060–2260 MPa299–328 ksi | — | — | — |
| Piano wire SWP-A, JIS G 3522 (2014)Specified tensile range, wire diameter 2.00 mmJIS G 3522 (2014) table as printed in the Nippon Steel Wire catalogue | 1810–2010 MPa263–292 ksi | — | — | — |
| Piano wire SWP-A, JIS G 3522 (2014)Specified tensile range, wire diameter 3.20 mm; sizes between rows take the larger row's value, so 3.0 mm uses the 3.20 mm rowJIS G 3522 (2014) table as printed in the Nippon Steel Wire catalogue | 1670–1860 MPa242–270 ksi | — | — | — |
| Piano wire SWP-A, JIS G 3522 (2014)Specified tensile range, wire diameter 5.00 mmJIS G 3522 (2014) table as printed in the Nippon Steel Wire catalogue | 1620–1770 MPa235–257 ksi | — | — | — |
| Piano wire SWP-B, JIS G 3522 (2014)Specified tensile range, wire diameter 0.50 mmJIS G 3522 (2014) table as printed in the Nippon Steel Wire catalogue | 2550–2790 MPa370–405 ksi | — | — | — |
| Piano wire SWP-B, JIS G 3522 (2014)Specified tensile range, wire diameter 1.00 mmJIS G 3522 (2014) table as printed in the Nippon Steel Wire catalogue | 2260–2450 MPa328–355 ksi | — | — | — |
| Piano wire SWP-B, JIS G 3522 (2014)Specified tensile range, wire diameter 2.00 mmJIS G 3522 (2014) table as printed in the Nippon Steel Wire catalogue | 2010–2210 MPa292–321 ksi | — | — | — |
| Piano wire SWP-B, JIS G 3522 (2014)Specified tensile range, wire diameter 3.20 mmJIS G 3522 (2014) table as printed in the Nippon Steel Wire catalogue | 1860–2060 MPa270–299 ksi | — | — | — |
| Piano wire SWP-B, JIS G 3522 (2014)Specified tensile range, wire diameter 5.00 mmJIS G 3522 (2014) table as printed in the Nippon Steel Wire catalogue | 1770–1910 MPa257–277 ksi | — | — | — |
In practice
Behaviour, heat treatment and uses
Characteristics
- ASTM A228 covers round, cold-drawn music spring quality wire with uniform mechanical properties, for springs under high stress or needing good fatigue properties.
- Strength comes from patenting and cold drawing, not quenching. The finer the wire, the higher the tensile strength: 350–387 ksi at 0.020 in against 230–255 ksi at 0.250 in.
- IS 4454 requires a wrapping test for wire under 3.00 mm: at least four close turns round a mandrel equal to the wire's own diameter without fracture.
- IS 4454 limits copper, nickel and chromium together to 0.25 % for DM and DH, and phosphorus plus sulphur to 0.040 %.
- Scherdel gives the working temperature of EN 10270-1 DH wire as not above 80 °C (up to 140 °C only with its special process).
Heat treatment
- Music wire is not hardened by quenching. It is patented before drawing and delivered hard.
- Springs coiled from it are normally stress relieved at low temperature. The sources used here give no temperature, so none is quoted.
Usages types
- Small high-stress compression, extension and torsion springs
- Springs with good fatigue requirements
- Precision and instrument springs
- Wire forms and musical instrument strings
Spring steels
Similar grades compared
| Grade | C % | Mn % | Cr % | Ni % | Tensile, first listed condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A228 music wire | 0.70–1.00 | 0.20–0.70 | — | — | 2400–2650 MPa |
| 1075 / C75S | 0.70–0.80 | 0.40–0.70 | ≤0.40 | ≤0.40 | ≤640 MPa |
| 5160 / 55Cr3 | 0.56–0.64 | 0.75–1.00 | 0.70–0.90 | — | 724 MPa |
| 9254 / 54SiCr6 | 0.51–0.59 | 0.60–0.80 | 0.60–0.80 | — | 1450–1750 MPa |
Composition from the US standard where one exists, otherwise the first standard listed on each grade's page. Strength conditions differ between grades; open a grade for its full table.
Questions et réponses
Common questions
What is the equivalent of ASTM A228 music wire?
The nearest are EN 10270-1 grades SH and DH, IS 4454 (Part 1) grades SH and DH, and JIS G 3522 SWP-A and SWP-B. None is identical; tensile ranges at each diameter differ slightly.
Is music wire the same as piano wire?
Yes in practice. JIS G 3522 calls it piano wire (SWP). Nippon Steel Wire says the name comes from piano strings, which is also the origin of the term music wire.
How strong is ASTM A228 wire?
From 350–387 ksi at 0.020 in (2400–2650 MPa at 0.50 mm in the SI table) down to 230–255 ksi at 0.250 in (1580–1780 MPa at 6.5 mm). Strength falls as the wire gets thicker.
What carbon content does music wire have?
ASTM A228 wire has 0.70–1.00 % carbon, with 0.20–0.70 % manganese and 0.10–0.30 % silicon, according to the Suzuki PrecoZ datasheet.
What is the difference between SWP-A and SWP-B?
Both are JIS G 3522 piano wire. Type A has the lower tensile band (for example 2060–2260 MPa at 1.00 mm) and type B the higher (2260–2450 MPa).
From the Corona catalog
Products listed with A228 music wire
Keep reading
Related references
References
Sources
- Nippon Steel Wire: spring wire product catalogue (2025) — JIS G 3522 (2014) tensile table for SWP-A and SWP-B by diameter.
- Suzuki PrecoZ music wire technical data sheet (Gibbs Interwire) — ASTM A228 composition and tensile strength table by diameter (inch, psi). Datasheet is distributor-issued.
- IS 4454 (Part 1):2001 Steel wire for mechanical springs, cold drawn unalloyed steel wire (public copy) — Grades, composition (Table 2) and tensile strength by diameter (Table 5).
- ASTM A228/A228M: Steel wire, music spring quality — Scope and designation of the specification.
- ASTM A228/A228M-18 (SI table, composition Table 2; licensed copy hosted by Malin Company) — SI tensile table in MPa by diameter in mm; composition C 0.70–1.00, Mn 0.20–0.70, P ≤0.025, S ≤0.030, Si 0.10–0.30 (checker, 2026-10-28).
- BSI: BS EN 10270-1 Steel wire for mechanical springs, patented cold drawn unalloyed spring steel wire — UK adoption of EN 10270-1.
- Scherdel Federfibel: EN 10270-1 DH patented cold drawn spring steel wire — DH composition, dimension range and use.
- Catalogue of BS EN 10270-1 editions (including BS 5216:1991 and 1975) — Links BS 5216 to later EN 10270-1 editions.
- MakeItFrom: ASTM A228 (SWP A, K08500) music wire — UNS K08500 and JIS SWP-A pairing.
- Total Materia: JIS SWP-A — Cross-references: EN DH and SH, UNS K08500 and K08501, SAE J178.
Values summarize published limits and typical data. The governing standard and the current edition control; check them before specifying.