Steel Thickness Range (mm and gauge)
49 CFR 178.503(a)(9)(i) requires metal drums that are marked with the nominal thickness of the metal used for construction to comply with the minimum tolerance thickness of ISO 3574 1986(E). The below table documents the minimum dimension allowable per this standard. The minimum tolerance varies depending on the size of the coil that the material is produced from.
Gauge is a term that is normally used to describe the thickness of sheet steel. The below table documents how Skolnik defines Gauge and its correlation to the required markings.
Gauge is a term that is normally used to describe the thickness of sheet steel. The below table documents how Skolnik defines Gauge and its correlation to the required markings.
| Drum Marking | ISO 3574 (in) | ISO 3574 Minimum (in) | Skolnik Tolerance (in) | Gauge No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | 1.39 - 1.61 | 0.0547 | 0.055 | 16 |
| 1.2 | 1.11 - 1.29 | 0.0437 | 0.044 0.050 | 18 |
| 1.0 | 0.92 - 1.08 | 0.0362 | 0.037 0.042 | 119 |
| 0.9 | 0.82 - 0.98 | 0.0323 | 0.033 0.038 | 20 |
| 0.8 | 0.73 - 0.87 | 0.0287 | 0.029 0.033 | 22 |