JIS H3300 vs. ASTM B111

In numerous industrial sectors such as power plants, ships, petrochemicals, air conditioning, and refrigeration, heat exchangers function like the "lungs" of a system, constantly facilitating heat exchange. The core building material of this "energy bridge" is the copper alloy tube. Its performance directly determines the efficiency, service life, and reliability of the entire equipment.

When selecting production standards and grades for copper alloy tubes, several standards are typically available, including JIS H3300 and ASTM B111. Among these, ASTM B111 is the most widely applied standard.

JIS H3300: Japanese Standard for Copper and Copper Alloy Seamless Pipes and Tubes

ASTM B111: American Standard for Copper and Copper-Alloy Seamless Condenser Tubes and Ferrule Stock

Similarity: Both JIS H3300 and ASTM B111 specify that copper alloy tubes can be used in equipment like heat exchangers, evaporators, and condensers.

Difference: Compared to ASTM B111, JIS H3300 also specifies copper alloy tubes for use in water supply pipelines and air conditioning refrigeration.

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The table below lists all the grades from the ASTM B111 and JIS H3300 standards. JIS and ASTM have their own grade designation systems. While many grades have equivalents, they are not entirely one-to-one. Each standard may include some unique grades or have different subdivisions for the same type of alloy. The Japanese standard JIS H3300 divides grades more finely into ordinary class and special class, with the latter having more precise dimensions and tighter tolerances.

Chemical Composition

According to the technical specification documents of both JIS H3300 and ASTM B111 standards, for common and mature copper alloy materials, the regulations for main alloying elements are essentially identical, with only minor differences in the content of certain elements.

Mechanical Properties

Similarities:

① Both standards specify key mechanical property indicators:

Minimum Tensile Strength

Minimum 0.2% Proof Strength (Yield Strength)

Minimum Elongation after Fracture

② Both standards clearly state that mechanical properties are closely related to the materials "Temper." Requirements are specified separately for soft (annealed) states and various hard (cold-worked) states.

Differences:

Compared to ASTM B111, JIS H3300 additionally provides detailed regulations for the tubes hardness. If required by the buyer, hardness should be used, and when hardness is used, tensile strength and elongation should not be used.

Furthermore, JIS H3300 includes descriptions and specifies relevant performance parameters for high-strength copper and copper alloy tubes used in pressure vessels.

Since mechanical properties are intimately related to the state of the copper alloy, the JIS and ASTM standards assign the following heat treatment symbols based on the heat treatment state of the copper tube:

O temper (Annealed): Full Annealing
→ Heated to a relatively high temperature with sufficient holding time, allowing full recrystallization within the material, almost completely eliminating internal stresses and work-hardening effects from cold working, restoring the material to its softest and most ductile state.

OL temper (Light Annealed): Light Annealing
→ Heated to a relatively lower temperature, possibly with a shorter holding time; annealing is incomplete. It partially relieves internal stress and work hardening but retains some of the strength from cold working, representing a state between "hard" and "fully soft."

Copper tubes can be categorized as "soft copper tubes," "hard copper tubes," and "half-hard copper tubes." These distinctions stem from different heat treatment processes.

Pure copper becomes hard after drawing, rolling, or stretching at room temperature, forming so-called "hard copper." Hard copper has high tensile strength but lower conductivity. Therefore, to improve the workability and conductivity of pure copper, a "continuous softening method" is adopted: hard copper is placed in an annealing furnace heated to 250-350°C, or heated by electric current for "self-annealing," and then coiled.

O temper: Required for extensive bending, tube expanding, flaring processing.

Hard temper: Required for high strength, vibration resistance, and erosion resistance.

OL temper: Only mild forming operations are needed, but slightly higher strength and stiffness (slightly better collapse resistance, vibration resistance) are desired after forming.

Outside Diameter Tolerances

In accordance with JIS H3300

According to JIS H3300, the following outside diameter tolerances apply to copper alloy tubes for heat exchangers: C4430, C6870, C6871, C6872, C7060, C7100, C7150, and C7164.

In accordance with ASTM B111

Wall Thickness Tolerances

In accordance with JIS H3300

In accordance with ASTM B111

Both JIS H3300 and ASTM B111 explicitly specify grain size requirements only for materials in the annealed condition, with no requirements for the hard temper.

In accordance with JIS H3300

ASTM B111 stipulates that the average grain size for copper alloy tubes, except for C19200 and C28000, should be within the range of 0.010-0.045 mm.

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The reason behind this stems from a fundamental principle of materials science: the microstructure of a material determines its macroscopic properties, and the dominant microstructural feature differs under various processing conditions.

Annealed Condition (O temper): Grain size is the core control indicator.

Annealing is a heat treatment process involving recrystallization and grain growth. After cold working, the material's internal grains are fragmented and full of defects (dislocations), placing it in a high-energy, unstable state. Annealing heating provides energy for new grains to nucleate and grow, forming new, strain-free equiaxed grains.

In this state, grain size becomes the most critical microstructural factor influencing the material's properties.

For tubes requiring subsequent operations like expanding or bending (e.g., heat exchanger tubes), uniform, fine grains are crucial. Coarse grains can lead to "orange peel" surface appearance and are prone to cracking during processing.

Hardened Condition (H temper): The amount of cold work deformation (or the final mechanical properties) is the core control indicator; the original grain size is no longer key.

The hardened condition (e.g., H14, H18) is achieved through cold working (e.g., drawing, rolling), not heat treatment. During this process, the morphology of the grains changes; the original equiaxed grains are elongated and fragmented, forming a fibrous deformed structure.

Therefore, for hardened materials, the standards directly specify mechanical properties (such as tensile strength, yield strength, elongation) or hardness, which is more direct, effective, and reliable than specifying a "grain size" that is difficult to measure accurately and does not play a dominant role.

JIS H3300: East Asian region projects, high-precision heat exchanger tubes, air conditioning and refrigeration industry.

ASTM B111: North American and European markets, marine environments, or highly corrosive conditions (e.g., power plant condensers).

Q1: Which standard should I choose for a heat exchanger project going to Japan or South Korea?
A: For projects in East Asian regions like Japan or South Korea, JIS H3300 is typically specified. It is widely accepted and often required for local compliance. For European or North American destinations, ASTM B111 is the common choice.

Q2: Can I use an ASTM B111 C12200 tube in place of a JIS H3300 C1220T tube?
A: Yes, these are considered equivalent grades for phosphorus-deoxidized copper. Their chemical compositions and required mechanical properties for annealed temper are largely interchangeable. However, always check the specific dimensional tolerances required by your design, as JIS H3300 offers an optional "Special Class" with tighter tolerances.

Q3: My tubes need to be bent into a U-shape. What temper should I order?
A: You should order the O temper (fully annealed). Both standards specify O temper (O for JIS, O61 for ASTM) for extensive bending, tube expanding, or flaring. Hard tempers are likely to crack during U-bending.

Q4: Does a harder temper mean better corrosion resistance?
A: Not directly. Corrosion resistance is primarily determined by the alloy's chemical composition (e.g., C70600 copper-nickel for seawater). However, a harder temper offers higher strength and better erosion resistance from high-velocity fluids. For stagnant or low-flow corrosive conditions, the softer O temper is often preferred.

Q5: The JIS standard mentions "Ordinary Class" and "Special Class" for tolerances. Which one should I buy?
A: It depends on your design requirements. Ordinary Class is standard and more economical. Special Class offers tighter outside diameter and wall thickness tolerances. Choose Special Class if you have very precise fit-up requirements, such as for mechanically expanded tubes into thick tubesheets, or for very long tube lengths where cumulative tolerance is a concern.

Q6: Are there any grain size requirements for hard-drawn (H80/HE80) tubes under ASTM B111?
A: No. Both ASTM B111 and JIS H3300 only specify grain size requirements for annealed (O/O61) or lightly annealed (OL) tempers. For hard tempers, the standards control properties through mechanical strength (tensile/yield) and hardness because the deformed grain structure is no longer characterized by a simple average grain size.

Q7: I need high strength for a high-pressure application. Which standard offers stronger tubes?
A: Both standards cover high-strength alloys, but JIS H3300 explicitly includes a category for "high-strength copper and copper alloy tubes used in pressure vessels." You should compare the specific yield strength of a chosen grade, such as C7060 (JIS) vs. C70600 (ASTM). For critical pressure applications, also verify the required temper (e.g., H80 for ASTM, H for JIS) and always confirm with your design code.

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ASTM B111 pdf and ASME SB111 pdf full traceability.

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