What is the Unified Numbering System for Metals and

Alloys? (PDF)
whatispiping.com/unified-numbering-system-uns/

Anup Kumar Dey June 30, 2022

To overcome the problems of traditional material numbering systems developed during

the 1960s for distinguishing each material separately and standardize, a study was
conducted. After an 18-month feasibility study and discussions with AISI, Aluminum
Association, Copper Development Association, and Steel Founders’ Society of America,
the team recommended for establishing the Unified Numbering System (UNS). The UNS
numbering system is used by many engineering industries and accepted globally.

What is a Unified Numbering System

The Unified Numbering System or UNS is a metal and alloy designation system managed
jointly by ASTM International and SAE International. Each specific metal or alloy is
assigned with a UNS number that defines mainly its specific chemical composition, and
sometimes specific mechanical or physical property. So, the unified numbering system
basically is a composition-based material numbering system where each metal/alloy is
identified with a letter followed by five numbers.

Note that, a UNS number alone does not serve as the full specification of that material as
it does not establish any requirements for material properties, heat treatment, form, or
quality. A document SAE HS-1086 gives a cross-reference for various designation
systems and the chemical composition of materials. Currently, there are more than 5200+
UNS designations for different metals and alloys.

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Difference between UNS number and Material Specification
A UNS number only provides a specific chemical composition. The full material
specification is not provided in the UNS number. Other material requirements such as
mechanical properties, heat treatment, form, purpose, and testing methods are specified
in the respective material specification. Various trade and professional organizations
prepare these material specifications. Within a material specification, a number of
different UNS numbers may be included.

UNS Number Format

Each UNS number is structured with a letter followed by five digits that designate the
composition of the material. They have 18 series to identify metals and alloys. Out of
these 18 series, 9 are for ferrous metals and alloys and the other 9 are for non-ferrous
metals and alloys.

Letters used in the unified numbering system are A for Aluminum and Aluminum alloys, C
for copper and copper alloys, D for specified mechanical property steels, E for Rare earth
and rare earthlike metals and alloys, F for cast Irons, G for AISI and SAE carbon and
alloy steels, H for AISI and SAE H-steels, J for Cast steels, K for Miscellaneous other
steels and ferrous alloys, L for Low-melting metals and alloys, M for Miscellaneous
nonferrous metals and alloys, N for Nickel and nickel alloys, P for Precious metals and
alloys, R for Reactive and refractory metals and alloys, S for Stainless Steels, T for Tool
Steels, W for Welding filler metals, and Z for Zinc and zinc alloys.

The first 3 digits usually match older 3-digit numbering systems, while the last 2-digits
indicate modern variations. To give an example, Stainless Steel Type 310 in the original
3-digit system became S31000 in the UNS System. The more modern low-carbon
variation, Type 310S, became S31008 in the UNS System. Sometimes the suffix digits
represent a material property specification. For example, “08” in UNS S31008 represents
the maximum allowed carbon content of that material is 0.08%.

Examples of Unified Numbering System for Common materials

Some of the common materials and translations to other standards are:

UNS S31600 is SAE 316

UNS K11547 is T2 tool steel
UNS S17400 is ASTM grade 630, Cr-Ni 17-4PH precipitation hardened stainless
steel
UNS S30400 is SAE 304, Cr/Ni 18/10, Euronorm 1.4301 stainless steel
UNS S31603 is 316L, a low carbon version of 316. The digits “03” were assigned
since the maximum allowed carbon content is 0.03%
UNS C90300 is CDA 903

Refer to the table below which provides the description of numbers in the UNS numbering
system.

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A00001- Aluminum and aluminum alloys
A99999

A01001-A63562 Aluminum Foundry Alloys, Ingot, or Casting

A82014-A87475 Wrought Aluminum Alloys Clad with Wrought Aluminum Alloys,

Non- or Heat Treatable

A91030- Wrought Aluminum Alloys, Non-Heat Treatable

A91450

A93002-A95954 Wrought Aluminum Alloys, Non-Heat Treatable

A98001-A98280 Wrought Aluminum Alloys, Non-Heat Treatable

A92001-A92618 Wrought Aluminum Alloys, Heat Treatable

A96002-A97472 Wrought Aluminum Alloys, Heat Treatable

C00001- Copper and copper alloys

C99999

Wrought  
Alloys

C10100- Pure and Low Alloyed Copper (>99%Cu)

C15760

C16200- Cadmium Copper

C16500

C17000- Copper-Beryllium Alloy (Beryllium Bronzes)

C17700

C18000- Copper and High Copper Alloys (>96%Cu)

C19900

C20500- Brasses (Cu-Zn)

C29800

C31000- Leaded Brasses (Cu-Zn-Pb )

C35600

C40400- Tin Brasses (Cu-Zn-Sn-Pb)

C49080

C50100- Phosphor bronzes (Cu-Sn-P)

C52900

C53200- Leaded Phosphor Bronzes

C54800

C55180- Cu-Ag-P and Cu-P Brazing Filler Metal

C56000

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C60600- Aluminum Bronzes
C64400

C64700- Silicon Bronzes

C66100

C66200- Copper Alloys

C66420

C66700- Manganese Bronzes

C67820

C68000- Silicon Brasses and Other Copper-Zinc Alloys

C69950

C70100- Copper-Nickel Alloys

C72950

C73150- Nickel Silvers and Leaded Nickel Silvers

C79900

Cast alloys  

C80100- Cast Coppers (>99%Cu)

C81200

C81300- Cast Chromium Copper and Beryllium Copper Alloys (>96%Cu)

C82800

C83300- Cast Red, Yellow and Leaded Brasses

C85800

C86100- Cast Manganese Bronzes and Leaded Manganese Bronzes

C86800

C87300- Cast Silicon Brasses and Bronzes

C87900

C89320- Cast Cu-Sn-Bi-(Se, Zn, Ni) Alloys

C89940

C90200- Tin Bronzes and Leaded Tin Bronzes

C94500

C94700- Cast Nickel-Tin Bronzes

C94900

C95200- Cast Aluminum Bronzes

C95810

C96200- Cast Copper-Nickel Alloys

C96800

C97300- Cast Nickel-Silver Alloys

C97800

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C98200- Cast Leaded Copper Alloys
C98840

C99300- Cast Copper Alloys

C99750

D00001- Steels with specified mechanical properties

D99999

D40450- Carbon Steels

D40900

D50400- Alloy Steels Casting

D52101

E00001-E99999 Rare earth and rare earth-like metals and alloys

E00000-E00999 Actinium

EO1000- Cerium
E20999

E21000-E45999 Mixed rare earth

E46000-E47999 Dysprosium

E48000-E49999 Erbium

E50000-E51999 Europium

E52000-E55999 Gadolinium

E56000-E57999 Holmium

E58000-E67999 Lanthanum

E68000-E68999 Lutetium

E69000-E73999 Neodymium

E74000-E77999 Praseodymium

E78000-E78999 Promethium

E79000-E82999 Samarium

E83000-E84999 Scandium

E85000-E86999 Terbium

E87000-E87999 Thulium

E88000-E89999 Ytterbium

E90000-E99999 Yttrium

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F00001-F99999 Cast irons

F 10001- Cast Iron, Gray

F15501

F 10090- Cast Iron Welding Filler Metal

F10920

F 20000- Cast Iron, Malleable

F22400

F 22830- Cast Iron, Pearlitic Malleable

F26230

F 30000- Cast Iron, Ductile (Nodular)

F36200

F 41000- Cast Iron, Gray, Austenitic

F41007

F 43000- Cast Iron, Ductile (Nodular), Austenitic

F43030

F45000 F Cast Iron, White

45009

F47001-F47006 Cast Iron, Corrosion

G00001- AISI and SAE carbon and alloy steels (except tool steels)
G99999

G10050- Carbon Steel

G10950

G15130- Carbon Steel

G15900

G11080-G11510 Desulfurized Carbon Steel

G12110- Rephosphorized and Resulfurized Carbon Steel

G12150

G13300- Mn Alloy Steel

G13450

G40120- Mo Alloy Steel, Cr-Mo Alloy Steel, Ni-Cr-Mo Alloy Steel, Ni-Mo
G48200 Alloy Steel

G81150- Ni-Cr-Mo Alloy Steel

G88220

G50150- Cr Alloy Steel, Cr-B Alloy Steel

G52986

G61180- Cr-V Alloy Steel

G61500

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G92540- Cr-Si Alloy Steel, Si-Mn Alloy Steel, Cr-S-Mn Alloy Steel, Ni-Cr-
G98500 Mo Alloy Steel, Ni-Cr-Mo-B Alloy Steel

H00001- AISI and SAE H-steels

H99999

H10380- H-Carbon Steel, C-Mn H-Alloy Steel, C-B H Carbon Steel, Mn

H15621 H-Carbon Steel, B- Mn H -Carbon Steel

H40270- C-Mo H-Alloy Steel, Cr-Mo H-Alloy Steel Ni-Mo H-Alloy Steel
H48200

H50401- C-Cr-B H-Alloy Steel, C-Cr H-Alloy Steel

H51601

H61180-H61500 Cr-V H-Alloy Steel

H81451- Ni-Cr-Mo H-Alloy Steel

H94301

J00001-J99999 Cast steels (except tool steels)

J01700-J05003 Carbon Steel Casting

J11442-J84090 Alloy Steel Casting

J91100-J92001 Austenitic Manganese Steel Casting, Alloy Steel Casting

J92110-J93000 Alloy Steel Casting Precipitation Hardening, Alloy Steel Casting,

Cast Cr-Ni-Mo Stainless Steel, Cast Cr-Ni Stainless Steel, Cast
Cr-Mn-Ni-Si-N Stainless Steel

J93001-J95705 Stainless Steel Casting, Cast Cr-Ni-Mo Stainless Steel, Alloy

Steel Casting, Maraging Cast Ferritic-Austenitic Stainless Steel,
Duplex Alloy Steel Casting, Alloy Steel Casting

K00001- Miscellaneous steels and ferrous alloys

K99999

K00040-K08500 Carbon Steel, Carbon Steel with Special Magnetic Properties,

Steel Welding Rod, Enameling Steel

K10614-K52440 Alloy Steel, Alloy Steel Electrode and Welding Wire, High-
Strength Low-Alloy Steel

K90901-K95000 Alloy Steel, Superstrength; Ferritic Cr-Mo-V Steel; Manganese

Steel, Nonmagnetic; Ni-Co Steel Welding Wire; Iron, Electrical
Heating Element Alloy; Iron Thermostat Alloy; Martensitic Age-
Hardenable Alloy; Maraging Alloy; Fe-Co Soft Magnetic Alloy;
Nickel Steel; Invar; Iron, Nickel Sealing Alloy; etc.

L00001-L99999 Low-melting metals and alloys

L00001-L00999 Bismuth

L01001-L01999 Cadmium

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L02001-L02999 Cesium

L03001-L03999 Gallium

L04001-L04999 Indium

L06001-L06999 Lithium

L07001-L07999 Mercury

L08001-L08999 Potassium

L09001-L09999 Rubidium

L10001-L10999 Selenium

L11001-L11999 Sodium

L13001-L13999 Tin

L50001-L59999 Lead

M00001- Miscellaneous nonferrous metals and alloys

M99999

M00001- Antimony
M00999

M01001- Arsenic
M01999

M02001- Barium
M02999

M03001- Calcium
M03999

M04001- Germanium
M04999

M05001- Plutonium
M05999

M06001- Strontium
M06999

M07001- Tellurium
M07999

M08001- Uranium
M08999

M10001- Magnesium
M19999

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M20001- Manganese
M29999

M30001- Silicon
M39999

N00001 to Nickel and nickel alloys

N99999

P00001-P99999 Precious metals and alloys

P00001-P00999 Gold

P01001-P01999 Iridium

P02001-P02999 Osmium

P03001-P03999 Palladium

P04001-P04999 Platinum

P05001-P05999 Rhodium

P06001-P06999 Ruthenium

P07001-P07999 Silver

R00001- Reactive and refractory metals and alloys

R99999

R01001- Boron
R01999

R02001.R02999 Hafnium

R03001- Molybdenum
R03999

R04001.R04999 Niobium (Columbium)

R05001- Tantalum
R05999

R06001- Thorium
R06999

R07001.R07999 Tungsten

R08001- Vanadium
R08999

R10001.R19999 Beryllium

R20001- Chromium
R29999

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R30001.R39999 Cobalt

R40001.R49999 Rhenium

R50001- Titanium
R59999

R60001- Zirconium
R69999

S00001-S99999 Heat and corrosion-resistant steels (stainless), valve steels,

iron-base “superalloys“

S13800-S17780 Precipitation Hardenable Cr-Ni-Al-Mo-(Cu, Ti) Stainless Steels

S20100-S39000 Austenitic Cr-Mn-Ni (Si, Mo, Cu, Al) Stainless Steel; Thermal
Spray Wire; Austenitic Cr-Mn-Ni Stainless Steel and Welding
Filler Metal; Austenitic Cr-Ni Heat-Resisting Steel and Welding
Filler Metal; Precipitation Hardenable Cr-Ni-(Si, Ti, Mo, Al)
Stainless Steel, etc.

S40300-S46800 Martensitic Cr Stainless Steel; Ferritic Cr Stainless Steel with Ti

or Ni or Mo; Martensitic Cr-Ni-Mo Stainless Steel; Hardenable
Cr Stainless Steel

S50100-S50500 Cr Heat Resisting Steels and Filler Metal

S63005-S64007 Valve Steel

S65006-S65007 Valve Steel

S65150-S67956 Iron Base Superalloy

T00001-T99999 Tool steels, wrought, and cast

T11301-T12015 High-Speed Tool Steels

T20810-T20843 Hot-Work Tool Steels

T30102-T Cold Work Tool Steels

30407

T31501-S31507 Oil-Hardening Steels

T41901-T41907 Shock-Resisting Tool Steels

T51602-T51621 Mold Steels

T60601-T60602 C-W Tool Steels

T61202-T61206 Low-Alloy Tool Steels

T72301-T72305 Water Hardening Tool Steels

T74000-T75008 Cr-Steels Solid Welding Wire for Machinable Surfaces and Tool
and Die Surfaces

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 T87510-T87520 Thermal Spray Wire

T90102-T91907 Cast Tool Steels

W00001- Welding filler metals, classified by weld deposit

W99999 composition

W60000- Copper base alloys

W69999

W70000- Surfacing alloys

W79999

W80000- Nickel base alloys

W89999

Z00001-Z99999 Zinc and zinc alloys

Table 1: UNS Numbering System for Metals and Alloys

Importance of UNS (Unified Numbering System)

Various trade associations, societies, and individual users and producers of metals and
alloys use the UNS system to avoid confusion. The system provides a uniform approach
and proficient indexing which helps in record keeping, data storage, retrieval, and cross-
referencing. Using UNS numbers metal and alloy identification becomes much easier.

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