Stainless Steel 153 MA-A (Solution annealed)
Temper · default condition
UNS S30415
Standard stocked condition for plate, sheet, bar and tube; maximum ductility and best high-temperature oxidation behaviour.
Values for the A condition
Other 153 MA tempers and conditions
153 MA is listed in 3 conditions; see the grade overview at 153 MA.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ADefaultThis page Solution annealed | Standard stocked condition for plate, sheet, bar and tube; maximum ductility and best high-temperature oxidation behaviour. | 340 | 650 | 45 | 190 HB | — |
Cold drawn | Pick for machined fasteners, pins and small bar parts where tighter tolerance and higher yield strength are wanted. | 550 | 780 | 25 | 22 HRC | 2 % IACS |
Quarter hard | Occasional strip condition where extra room-temperature strength and springback are required; oxidation performance unchanged after annealing in service. | 620 | 850 | 18 | 27 HRC | 2 % IACS |
What is 153 MA-A?
153 MA-A is 153 MA in the A temper — standard stocked condition for plate, sheet, bar and tube; maximum ductility and best high-temperature oxidation behaviour. 153 MA-A has a yield strength of 340 MPa (49.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) — weaker than 55% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 45% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi). 153 MA-A has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 83% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F).
Advantages
- High service temperature — 1,000°C (1,832 °F), better than 88% of stainless steel grades
- Readily welded — 80/100, better than 80% of stainless steel grades
- Low embodied carbon — 3.8 kg CO₂/kg, better than 77% of stainless steel grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 45%, better than 76% of stainless steel grades
Limitations
- Low electrical conductivity — 2 % IACS, worse than 77% of stainless steel grades
153 MA-A properties
Typical room-temperature values for 153 MA-A; 11 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 153 MA reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among stainless steel grades.
Physical3
153 MA-A has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 83% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F).
Mechanical16
153 MA-A has a yield strength of 340 MPa (49.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) — weaker than 55% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 45% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
Thermal6
153 MA-A is rated for continuous service to 1,000°C (1,832 °F). It conducts heat at 15 W/m·K (8.67 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 59% of stainless steel grades. Thermal expansion is 16.5 µm/m·K (9.17 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
153 MA-A conducts electricity at 2 % IACS, worse than 77% of stainless steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (57/100), worse than 66% of stainless steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 153 MA-A takes about 55 MJ of energy and emits 3.8 kg of CO₂ — more than 50% of stainless steel grades. Typical recycled content is 70%.
Manufacturability7
153 MA-A's machinability is fair (35/100, better than 51% of stainless steel grades); weldability very good (80/100); formability good (65/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 153 MA-A
Is 153 MA easy to machine?
Machine like a gummy austenitic: rigid setups, sharp positive-rake carbide, 15–25 % lower surface speed than 304, heavy feed and copious flood coolant to avoid work hardening and built-up edge.
Can 153 MA be welded?
Readily welded by GTAW/GMAW/SMAW with no preheat and low heat input; use over-alloyed heat-resisting filler (253 MA, 22.12.HT or 309/309Si), avoid interpass temperatures above ~150 °C and long dwell in the 600–850 °C σ-phase range.
Can 153 MA be formed, bent or molded?
Cold forms well but work hardens faster than 304 — allow larger bend radii, more press tonnage and interstage annealing at 1050–1100 °C; hot work at 1150–900 °C followed by rapid cooling.
What surface finishes work on 153 MA?
Pickle and passivate after hot work or welding to restore the Cr/Si oxide film; mechanical polishing and glass-bead blasting are fine, and no anodising or plating is normally applied.
153 MA chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.04 – 0.06 | 0.05 |
| Sikey oxidation-resistance addition | 1 – 2 | 1.3 |
| Mn | ≤ 0.8 | 0.5 |
| P | ≤ 0.04 | — |
| S | ≤ 0.02 | — |
| Cr | 18 – 19 | 18.5 |
| Ni | 9 – 10 | 9.5 |
| Nsolid-solution strengthening | 0.12 – 0.18 | 0.15 |
| Cerare-earth addition improving oxide scale adhesion | 0.03 – 0.08 | 0.05 |
| Fe | balance | — |
153 MA-A — frequently asked
What is 153 MA-A used for?
153 MA-A is typically used for furnace and boiler parts, exhaust system components and kiln hardware. In short: cerium-alloyed heat-resisting austenitic; lighter-duty 253 MA; oxidation resistant to 980 °C.
What is the yield strength of 153 MA-A?
153 MA-A has a typical yield strength of 340 MPa (49.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) — weaker than 55% of stainless steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is 153 MA-A easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (35/100, better than 51% of stainless steel grades). Machine like a gummy austenitic: rigid setups, sharp positive-rake carbide, 15–25 % lower surface speed than 304, heavy feed and copious flood coolant to avoid work hardening and built-up edge.
Can 153 MA-A be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (80/100). Readily welded by GTAW/GMAW/SMAW with no preheat and low heat input; use over-alloyed heat-resisting filler (253 MA, 22.12.HT or 309/309Si), avoid interpass temperatures above ~150 °C and long dwell in the 600–850 °C σ-phase range.
What surface finishes work on 153 MA-A?
Pickle and passivate after hot work or welding to restore the Cr/Si oxide film; mechanical polishing and glass-bead blasting are fine, and no anodising or plating is normally applied.
Can 153 MA-A be formed, bent or molded?
Cold forms well but work hardens faster than 304 — allow larger bend radii, more press tonnage and interstage annealing at 1050–1100 °C; hot work at 1150–900 °C followed by rapid cooling.
What is the maximum service temperature of 153 MA-A?
153 MA-A is rated for continuous use to about 1,000°C (1,832 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 153 MA-A and 153 MA-CD?
A is the default condition — standard stocked condition for plate, sheet, bar and tube; maximum ductility and best high-temperature oxidation behaviour. CD: pick for machined fasteners, pins and small bar parts where tighter tolerance and higher yield strength are wanted. Yield strength is 340 MPa in A versus 550 MPa in CD.
Sources
- Outokumpu 153 MA (EN 1.4818 / UNS S30415) heat-resisting grade datasheet — Outokumpu (2020)
- EN 10088-2 — Stainless steel sheet/plate/strip for general purposes (X6CrNiSiNCe19-10, 1.4818) — CEN (2014)
- ASTM A240/A240M — Chromium and chromium-nickel stainless steel plate, sheet and strip (S30415) — ASTM International (2022)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 13B — Corrosion: Materials — ASM International (2005)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.