M.A.Soud ASTM A 106 Gr C contains some unspecified elements such as Cr, Cu,Mo, Ni,V - ranging from 0.08 to 0.40% For Ex: Cr in ASTM Gr C could be max: 0.40 % Nickel: 0.40 %, Mo: 0.15% ASTM A 333 Gr 6 does not contain these unspecified elements. You can think of some Field Kit with chemial etchants with a low power battery with some standard test steel samples of the elements you would like to quickly analyze for this steel sorting of tubes One such kit is available through Head,Technology, Transfer at Bhabha Atomic Energy Mumbai India. You can see the web site and find out details of e-mail and phone etc. Alternative is to use a Porable Metal Alloy Analyzer which uses NDT principles to detect a variety of elements and accurately analyze qualitatively and quantitatively from carbon to Tungsten. There are many manufacturers of Alloy Analyzers with several models with proven accuracy and modern PC based software available in the world market. Meteorx Finland is one among them. Columbia Scientific is another. Texas Instruments USA is the third. Some Japanaese makes are also available. Depending on the accuracy of metal identification from liquid to solid and field use you can choose portable metal alloy analysers Alloy Analysers may be available with some of the middle east inspection companies who may be offering their services on cost which may be cheaper than buying a new unit. If this is a large project, where thousands of pipes have to be sorted, it is worth the purchase of a new unit with modern PC based software and record which will serve your today's grade mix up of ASTM A 106 Gr C versus A333 Grade 6. Trust this answers your query. C.V.Srinivasan Nishi Engineers Pvt Lt d Chennai India Oct 10 E-mail: nishi@vsnl.com/nishi@hathway.com >In one of our projects a large number of pipes and fittings >of two carbon steel grades ( ASTM A106 Gr.c & A333 Gr.6 >) are mixed together by mistake. Unfortunately the color >codes and other material codes of these materials diminished >due to sand blasting of theire surfaces and we could not >distinguish and seperate them.I would like to know if there >is any destructive or non destructive test for solving this >problem. Any comments in this respect would be appreciated.

I would like to add my opinion to this discussion... I believe A333 is a good substitute for A106-B for a broad range of temeperatures Based on my review of ASME B31.3 (Table A-1) the allowable stress for A106 Grade b is 16ksi to 500F; for A333 grade 6 - 20Ksi to 400F and 18.9ksi to 500F It would be fair to say that, given the application has an operating temperature greater than -20F, either A106 or A333 materials will be accceptable. (This assumes that the piping is the same schedule, configuration, etc) However, below -20F, only the A333 will be acceptable to -50F Below -50F, use stainless steel piping my opinion only MJC