ISO 377:2017 PDF

Overview

ISO 377:2017 - "Steel and steel products - Location and preparation of samples and test pieces for mechanical testing" defines how to identify, locate, separate and prepare samples and test pieces from steel sections, bars, rods, flat products and tubular products (as defined in ISO 6929). The standard ensures samples used for mechanical testing (tensile, impact, bend, etc.) are representative and traceable, and it clarifies when product or order requirements take precedence over ISO 377:2017.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and applicability: Applies to common steel product forms (sections, bars, flat and tubular products); can be extended to other metallic products by agreement in the order.
• Representative testing and test units: Defines sample product, sample, rough specimen and test piece and requires selection according to Annex A so test results represent the product.
• Identification and traceability: Samples, rough specimens and test pieces must be marked to trace location and orientation in the original product; automatic inline systems may substitute equivalent control procedures.
• Location of test pieces: Annex A (normative) specifies where tensile and impact specimens should be taken for various product shapes; drawings (Figures A.1–A.15) illustrate locations and placements.
• Direction of axis: Axis designation for test pieces must follow ISO 3785 and product/order specifications (longitudinal, transverse, etc.).
• Condition and separation: Distinguishes testing in the as-delivered condition versus the reference condition (heat-treated to intended final state). Requirements cover when to separate samples and how to avoid altering material characteristics during separation.
• Preparation: cutting, machining, heat treatment: Cutting and machining must avoid work hardening or overheating; surface tool marks that affect results must be removed by grinding/polishing while maintaining dimensional tolerances defined in the test method standards. Reference heat treatment must ensure temperature uniformity and calibrated measurement.

Practical applications and users

ISO 377:2017 is used by:

• Steel manufacturers and mill quality control teams for sample selection and traceability;
• Metallurgical and materials testing laboratories preparing specimens for tensile, impact and bend tests;
• Purchasers, inspectors and third-party certification bodies to define sampling and acceptance procedures in contracts and orders;
• Standards developers and engineers integrating mechanical testing procedures into product specifications.

This standard helps ensure reliable, reproducible mechanical test results for steel product qualification, acceptance testing and failure analysis.

Related standards

• ISO 6929 - Vocabulary for steel products (referenced for product definitions)
• ISO 3785 - Designation of test specimen axes (referenced for axis direction)
• Product-specific standards and test-method standards (their requirements prevail where they differ from ISO 377)

Keywords: ISO 377:2017, steel sampling, test pieces, mechanical testing, specimen preparation, tensile test, impact test, reference condition, as-delivered condition.