7/27/2014 MMA Electrode Classification

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MMA Electrode Classification
Some rods perform best when used downhand. Some also perform well out of position ie vertical
upwards, overhead, vertical downwards, horizontal. The AWS classification (ie E6013 or E7018)
doesn't really cater for this, however, the ISO standard does. This page decodes the classification
used for the more common rod types.
AWS Standard
Rods are commonly known by their AWS (American Welding Society) name, so it's a useful standard
to decode. We'll use E7018 rods as an example:
E
Electrode
E just means the electrode is for MMA welding and has a flux coating.
70
Tensile Strength (in ksi)
The minimum tensile strength measured in kilo-pounds(force) per square inch. In our
example 70ksi would be 70,000psi pounds(force) per square inch, or 480N/mm
2
.
1
Welding Positions
1 All Positions
2 Flat and horizontal positions
Flux Coating and Current
Note the last 2 digits are used together to describe the flux coating.
0 High cellulose sodium (Cellulosic) DC+
1 High cellulose potassium AC or DC+ or DC-
2 High titania sodium (Rutile) AC or DC-
3 High titania potassium (Rutile) AC or DC+
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4 Iron powder titania (Rutile) AC or DC- or DC+
5 Low hydrogen sodium DC+
6 Low hydrogen potassium (Basic) AC or DC+
7 Iron powder iron oxide AC or DC+ or DC-
8 Iron powder low hydrogen (Basic) AC or DC+
If the second last number (representing the welding position is 2 the classification
changes a little. From the last 2 digits:
20 High iron oxide AC or DC+ or DC-
22 High iron oxide AC or DC-

1SO 2560 Standard
The European coding system has recently been amended and is now an International Standard 1SO
2560 which is basically the same as EN499.
The ISO standard gives you more information especially the last two digits signifying the operation
characteristics. But it doesn't roll off the tongue quite so easily as the AWS classification.
In the ISO standard E7018 rods are known as E46 4 B 32 H5
E
Electrode
E just means the electrode is for MMA welding and has a flux coating.
46
Yield Strength (in N/mm
2
)
Multiply this number by 10 for the minimum yield strength in N/mm
2
. In our example 46
will represent a minimum yield strength of 460N/mm
2
This is not directly equivalent to the tensile strength in the AWS standard. Yield Strength
is where the metal starts to deform plastically (when it doesn't spring back to it's original
form after the load is released). Tensile Strength is when the metal breaks.

Yield Strength (N/mm
2
) Tensile Strength (N/mm
2
)
35 >355 440-570
38 >380 470-600
42 >420 500-640
46 >460 530-680
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50 >500 560-720
4
Minimum Impact Temperature at 46J
This represents the temperature at which the weld material becomes brittle.
A +20C 4 -40C
O 0C 5 -50C
2 -20C 6 -60C
3 -30C Z Other
So 6 represents -60 degrees C.
Chemical Composition
There is an additional field included here for some specialist rods and represents the
percentage of Manganese (Mn), Nickel (Ni) and Molybdenum (Mo) in the filler metal.
%Mn %Ni %Mo
- 2.0 - -
Mo 1.4 - 0.3-0.6
MnMo > 1.4-2.0 - 0.3-0.6
1Ni 1.4 0.6-1.2 -
2Ni 1.4 1.8-2.6 -
3Ni 1.4 > 2.6-3.8 -
Mn1Ni > 1.4-2.0 0.6-0.12 -
1NiMo 1.4 0.8-1.2 0.3-0.6
Z Other
1NiMo may be used for some of the lower strength grades of Weldox. Otherwise these
alloyed grades are normally used for welding mild steel that has been "improved" for
applications such as offshore work.
Rod Flux Coating
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B
A Acid
A type of rutile characterised by
very smooth arc but with minimal
penetration and prone to moisture
pick up. good on very thin sheet
RC Rutile Cellulosic (E6013)
Most rutiles contain some cellulose to
improve the penetration, otherwise the same
as R.
C Cellulosic (E6010)
An organic coating containing
Cellulose with good penetration,
high deposition, and easily
removed slag, but high hydrogen
content.
RA Rutile Acid
Hybrid between Acid type and full Rutile.
Rarely used, if ever.
R Rutile (E6013)
In welding rod coatings it provides
slag cover, arc stability (it ionizes
easily) and helps the fast freeze
ability of positional rods.
RB Rutile Basic
Another hybrid. a rutile with better
mechaicals but lose some of their ease of
welding characteristic. Some of the glassy
slag low hydrogen rods could be classed as
RB or maybe BR.
RR Rutile thick coated (E7024)
Rutile rods with the addition of iron
powder which increases deposition
rate. Normally only used on the
flat.
B Basic (E7018 or E7016)
These chemically basic (alkali) coatings
contain calcium carbonate or calcium
fluoride. They are normally used for Low
Hydrogen rods.
3
Current Type and Recovery
'Recovery' is the weight of weld metal deposited in the weld relative to the weight of the
core wire. Over 100% means that the weld will weigh more than the weight of the core
wire. In other words the coating contains iron powder (or in some rods other alloys).
Recovery Current Type
1
<105
AC + DC
2 DC Only
3
105-125
AC + DC
4 DC Only
5
125-160
AC + DC
6 DC Only
7
>160
AC + DC
8 DC Only
Welding Positions
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2
1 All positions
2 All positions except vertical down
3 Flat. For fillet welds they can also be used in horizontal and vertical positions.
4 Flat butt and fillet welds
5 Vertical Down
H5
Hydrogen content
Further information at the end (used in low Hydrogen rods) gives the Hydrogen content
in ml/100g.
H5 5ml/100g maximum
H10 10ml/100g maximum
H15 15ml/100g maximum

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