AWS User’s Guideto Filler Metals

American Welding SocietyUser's Guide to Filler Metals

Text Compiled ByLee G. Kvidahl

AWS President, 1993-94

Edited ByAlexander M. Saitta

AWS Technical Services Division

AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY550 Northwest LeJeune Road

Miami, Florida 33126

Contents1. Scope 1

2. Provisions 12.1 Acceptance 12.2 Certification 12.3 Ventilation During Welding 12.4 Burn Protection 12.5 Electrical Hazards 22.6 Fumes and Gases 22.7 Radiation 3

3. Guide to Classification of Carbon and Low . . . 4Alloy Steel Rods for Oxyfuel Gas Welding

3.1 Provisions 43.2 Introduction 43.3 Classification System 43.4 Welding Considerations 43.5 Description and Intended Use of Carbon 4

and Low-Alloy Steel Rods

4. Guide to Classification of Carbon Steel 5Electrodes for Shielded Metal Arc Welding4.1 Provisions 54.2 Introduction 54.3 Classification System 54.4 Welding Considerations 54.5 Electrode Covering Moisture Content 6

and Conditioning4.6 Coverings 64.7 Description and Intended Use of Electrodes . . . . 7

5. Guide to Classification of Low-Alloy Steel . . . 11Covered Arc Welding Electrodes5.1 Provisions 115.2 Introduction 115.3 Method of Classification 115.4 Welding Procedure 115.5 Classification Tests 125.6 Electrode Coating Moisture Content and

Conditioning 125.7 Coverings 135.8 Description and Intended Use of Electrodes . . . 13

6. Guide to Classification of Carbon Steel 13Filler Metals for Gas Shielded Arc Welding

6.1 Provisions 136.2 Introduction 136.3 Classification System 136.4 Description and Intended Use 136.5 Welding Considerations 14

7. Guide to Classification of Low-Alloy Steel . . . 15Filler Metals for Gas Shielded Arc Welding

7.1 Provisions 157.2 Introduction 157.3 Classification System 157.4 Description and Intended Use 157.5 Welding Considerations 16

8. Guide to Classification of Carbon Steel 17Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding

8.1 Provisions 178.2 Introduction 178.3 Method of Classification 178.4 Welding Procedure 188.5 Description and Intended Use 18

9. Guide to AWS Classification of Low-Alloy . . . 19Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding

9.1 Provisions 199.2 Method of Classification 199.3 Welding Procedures 209.4 Description and Intended Use 20

10. Guide to Carbon Steel Electrodes and 21Fluxes for Submerged Arc Welding10.1 Provisions 2110.2 Introduction 2110.3 Classification System 2110.4 Welding Considerations 22

11. Guide to Classification of Low-Alloy 24Steel Electrodes and Fluxes forSubmerged Arc Welding11.1 Provisions 2411.2 Introduction 2411.3 Classification System 2411.4 Welding Considerations 25

12. Guide to Classification of Carbon and L o w . . . 28Alloy Steel Electrodes and Fluxes forElectroslag Welding12.1 Provisions 2812.2 Introduction 2812.3 Classification System 2812.4 Definition and General Description 29

13. Guide to Classification of Carbon and L o w . . . 30Alloy Steel Electrodes for Electrogas Welding13.1 Provisions 3013.2 Introduction 3013.3 Classification System 3013.4 Description and Intended Use 31

XIII

14. Guide to Classification of Stainless Steel . . . . 31Electrodes for Shielded Metal Arc Welding14.1 Provisions 3114.2 Introduction 31

14.3 Classification System 31

14.4 Ferrite in Weld Deposits 32

14.5 Description and Intended Use of Filler Metals . . 32

14.6 Classification as to Usability 37

14.7 Special Tests 38

15. Guide to Classification of Bare Stainless . . . . 38Steel Welding Electrodes and Rods15.1 Provisions 38

15.2 Introduction 38

15.3 Classification System 3815.4 Preparation of Samples for Chemical Analysis . . 38

15.5 Ferrite in Weld Deposits 39

15.6 Description and Intended Use of Filler Metals . . 4015.7 Usability 46

16. Guide to Classification of Flux Cored 46Corrosion Resisting Chromium-NickelSteel Electrodes16.1 Provisions 46

16.2 Introduction 4616.3 Method of Classification 47

16.4 Ferrite in Weld Deposits 47

16.5 Consideration of Chemical Requirements 4816.6 Classification According to Composition 49

17. Guide to Classification of Aluminum and 51Aluminum Alloy Electrodes for ShieldedMetal Arc Welding17.1 Provisions 51

17.2 Introduction 51

17.3 Classification System 5117.4 Welding Considerations 51

17.5 Description and Intended Use of Electrodes . . . 52

18. Guide to Classification of Bare Aluminum . . . 52and Aluminum Alloy Welding Electrodesand Rods

-..• 18.1 Provisions 5218.2 Introduction 5218.3 Classification System 5218.4 Welding Considerations 5318.5 Description and Intended Use of Aluminum . . . 54

Electrodes and Rods

PER ALLOY

19. Guide to Classification of Copper and 56Copper Alloy Arc Welding Electrodes19.1 Provisions 56

19.2 Introduction 56

19.3 Method of Identification 56

19.4 Description and Intended Use of Filler Metal. . . 56

20. Guide to Classification of Copper and 57Copper Alloy Bare Welding Rods andElectrodes

20.1 Provisions 57

20.2 Introduction 57

20.3 Method of Classification 57

20.4 Description and Intended Use of the Welding. . . 58Rods and Electrodes

PART F: NICKEL AND NICKEL ALLOY

21. Guide to Classification of Nickel and 58Nickel Alloy Welding Electrodes forShielded Metal Arc Welding21.1 Provisions 58

21.2 Introduction 58

21.3 Classification System 58

21.4 Welding Considerations 59

21.5 Description and Intended Use of Electrodes . . . 59

-.;

22. Guide to Classification of Nickel and 61Nickel Alloy Bare Welding Electrodesand Rods22.1 Provisions 61

22.2 Introduction 61

22.3 Classification System 61

22.4 Welding Considerations 6222.5 Description and Intended Use of Electrodes . . . 62

and Rods

23. Guide to Classification of Welding 64Electrodes and Rods for Cast Iron

23.1 Provisions 64

23.2 Introduction 64

23.3 Classification System 64

23.4 Welding Considerations 64

23.5 Description and Intended Use of Electrodes . . . 66and Rods for Welding Cast Iron

23.6 Postweld Heat Treatment 68

XIV

S324. Guide to Classification of Titanium and 68

Titanium Alloy Welding Electrodes and Rods24.1 Provisions 6824.2 Introduction 6824.3 Classification System 6824.4 Welding Considerations 6924.5 Description and Intended Use of Titanium . . . . 70

and Titanium Alloy Electrodes and Rods

25. Guide to Classification of Magnesium 70Alloy Welding Electrodes and Rods25.1 Provisions 7025.2 Introduction 7025.3 Classification System 7125.4 Welding Considerations 7125.5 Description and Use of Magnesium 71

Alloy Electrodes and Rods

PART J: ZIRCONIUM AND ZIRCONIUM ALLOY

26. Guide to Classification of Zirconium and . . . . 73Zirconium Alloy Welding Electrodes and Rods26.1 Provisions 7326.2 Introduction 7326.3 Method of Classification 7326.4 Welding Considerations 7326.5 Description and Intended Use of Electrodes . . . 74

and Rods

27. Guide to Classification of Surfacing 74Welding Rods and Electrodes27.1 Provisions 7427.2 Introduction 7427.3 Classification System 7427.4 RFe5 and EFe5 High-Speed Steel Filler Metals . 7427.5 EFeMn Austenitic Manganese Electrodes 7627.6 RFeCr-A and EFeCr-A Austenitic High 78

Chromium Iron Filler Metals27.7 RCoCr and ECoCr Cobalt-Base Filler Metals . . 8027.8 Copper-Base Alloy Filler Metals 8227.9 RNiCr and ENiCr Nickel-Chromium-Boron . . . 84

Filler Metals

28. Guide to Classification of Composite 86Surfacing Welding Rods and Electrodes28.1 Provisions 8628.2 Introduction 8628.3 Classification System 8728.4 RFe5 and EFe5 High-Speed Steel Filler Metals . 8728.5 EFeMn Austenitic Manganese Steel Electrodes. . 8828.6 RFeCr-Al and EFeCr-Al Austenitic High . . . . 90

Chromium Iron Filler Metals28.7 Tungsten-Carbide Welding Rods and Electrodes . 92

29. Guide to Classification of Filler Metals for . . . 96Brazing and Braze Welding29.1 Provisions 9629.2 Introduction 9629.3 Method of Classification 9629.4 Brazing Considerations 9729.5 Brazing Characteristics and Applications 97

30. Guide to Classification of Fluxes for 105Brazing and Braze Welding30.1 Provisions 10530.2 Introduction 10530.3 Classification System 10530.4 Brazing Considerations 10530.5 Description and Intended Use of 105

Brazing Fluxes

31. Guide to Classification of Tungsten and . . . . 106Tungsten Alloy Electrodes for Arc Weldingand Cutting31.1 Provisions 10631.2 Introduction 10631.3 Classification 10631.4 Operation Characteristics 10731.5 Description and Intended Use of Electrodes. . . 10831.6 General Recommendations 109

32. Guide to Classification of 109Consumable Inserts32.1 Provisions 10932.2 Introduction 10932.3 Classification System 10932.4 Description of Process 10932.5 Usability 110

Index of Filler Metal Classifications and 112Specifications

AWS Filler Metal Specifications and RelatedDocuments

. 114

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AWS User's Guide to Filler Metals

1. Scope

This document contains information on the many differ-ent types of filler materials available to industry. Weldingconsiderations and intended applications for the variousmaterials are provided to assist the user. The informationhas been extracted directly from 30 AWS filler materialstandards, and it is recommended that the user referencethese documents for additional information.

Part A:

General Information2. Provisions

Each of the AWS filler material specifications containsections that establish provisions for material acceptanceand certification, as well as safety considerations.Because this information is necessary for the properapplication of all filler materials, these sections areincluded in this guide.

2.1 Acceptance. Acceptance of all welding materials isin accordance with ANSI/AWS A5.01, Filler MetalProcurement Guidelines, as the specification states. Anytesting a purchaser requires of the supplier, for materialshipped in accordance with the specification, shall beclearly stated in the purchase order according to the pro-visions of ANSI/A WS A5.01. In the absence of any suchstatement in the purchase order, the supplier may ship thematerial with whatever testing is normally conducted onmaterial of the same classification, as specified inSchedule F, Table 1, of ANSI/AWS A5.01. Testing inaccordance with any other schedule in that table shall bespecifically required by the purchase order. In such cases,acceptance of the material shipped shall be in accordancewith those requirements.

2.2 Certification. The act of placing the AWS specifi-cation and classification designations on the productpackaging, or placing the classification on the productitself, constitutes the supplier's (manufacturer's) certifi-cation that the product meets all of the requirements ofthe specification.

The only testing requirement implicit in this certificationis that the manufacturer has actually conducted the testsrequired by the specification on material that is represen-tative of that being shipped and that the tested material metthe requirements of the specification. Representative mate-

rial, in this case, is any production run of that classificationusing the same formulation.

"Certification" is not to be construed to mean that testsof any kind were necessarily conducted on samples of thespecific material shipped. Tests on such material may ormay not have been conducted. The basis for the certifica-tion required by the specification is the classification testof "representative material" cited above, and theManufacturer's Quality Assurance Program inANSI/AWS A5.01, Filler Metal Procurement Guidelines.

2.3 Ventilation During Welding. Five major factorsgovern the quantity of fumes in the atmosphere towhich welders and welding operators are exposed dur-ing welding; they are:

(1) the dimensions of the space in which welding is per-formed (with special regard to the height of the ceiling);

(2) the number of welders and welding operators work-ing in that space;

(3) the rate of evolution of fumes, gases, or dust,according to the materials and processes used;

(4) the proximity of the welders or welding operatorsto the fumes as they issue from the welding zone, and tothe gases and dusts in the space in which they are work-ing; and

(5) the ventilation provided to the space in which thewelding is performed.

American National Standard Z49.1, Safety in Weldingand Cutting (published by the American WeldingSociety), discusses the ventilation that is required duringwelding and should be referred to for details. Attention isdrawn particularly to the section of that document onhealth protection and ventilation.

2.4 Burn Protection. Molten metal, sparks, slag, and hotwork surfaces are produced by welding, cutting, andallied processes. These can cause burns if precautionarymeasures are not used. Workers should wear protectiveclothing made of fire-resistant material. Pant cuffs, openpockets, or other places on clothing that can catch andretain molten metal or sparks should not be worn. High-top shoes or leather leggings and fire-resistant glovesshould be worn. Pant legs should be worn over the outsideof high-top shoes. Helmets or hand shields that provideprotection for the face, neck, and ears, and a head cover-ing to protect the head should be used. In addition, appro-priate eye protection should be used.

When welding overhead or in confined spaces, earplugs to prevent weld spatter from entering the ear canal