Micro eng It depends. If it is Aus S.S - 304/316 grade, cold forming upto 10% will not work harden to a great extent. Piping code allows this so long as it is not meant for environment which makes the Aus S.S susceptible for SCC. For example: Exchanger tubes - U bends - can be cold formed as per piping code easily to 10% and with 10% work hardened tube you can use safely in corrosive environment likely to produce SCC without much adverse problem of failure. If it is above 10%, work hardening of Aus S.S material, the work hardened stress and corrosive environment factor (concentration of corrodent, service temperature, agitation, restrictions in liquid or gas flow etc) likely to produce SCC effects have to be weighed before considering whether you need solution annealing and quenching of Aus S.S. The same holds good for your query on MR-0103 - on need for solution annealing and quenching of a work hardened Aus S.S in sour or sweet service in oil& gas or refining or petro chemical services. So long as the weld hardness is below 20 HRc( < 200 BHN) a work hardened Aus .S.S can be used in sour or sweet service in oil & gas but meeting to MR- 0103 without great risk of SCC. Hope this helps C.V.Srinivasan Nishi Engineers Pvt. Ltd India Dec 06, 2008 E-mail: nishi@vsnl.com >Hi all >In the NACE MR 0103 Clause 2.5(Austenitic Stainless steel >materials) indicated that these materials shall be in the >solution annealed and quenched or solution annealed and >thermally stabilized condition. >We have cap or shell that forming or rolling (cold work) is >necessary for fabrication of them. >Cold working may generate some low-carbon martensite which >is strongly magnetic (According to ASM handbook vol.4 >-stainless steel) >So. Is post forming heat treatment mandatory for all cold >form section? (As per NACE MR0103) >Best regard.