In the ASME system on steel specifications, which statement is true?

• A. Uses the same designation as ASTM except that ASME uses an S for the first letter in the designation
• B. The grouping for steels is based on the P number
• C. It designates steels by heat treatment requirement exclusively
• D. It uses a prefix letter to denote fabrication origin

Answer: (A)

ASME designations for steel under the code use the same base grade as ASTM, but with an S added at the front. In practice, a familiar ASTM grade like A-36 becomes SA-36 in the ASME system, with the rest of the designation matching the same alloy and mechanical properties. This prefix signals that the material is specified under ASME/ BPVC rather than the ASTM system, while keeping the grade’s numeric part identical so engineers can recognize the same steel by its properties. The other ideas don’t fit: grouping by P-number is a welding-qualification detail rather than the general steel designation, heat treatment isn’t the sole basis for the designation, and a prefix for fabrication origin would be misleading—the S prefix identifies ASME designation, not fabrication provenance.