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ASME BPVC 2007 Section II – Materials – Part C rus — Welding Rods, Electrodes, and Filler Metals (2008a Addenda)
🔧 Part C of Section II is the sole compliance source for welding consumables used under the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. It publishes a family of filler metal specifications under SFA numbers (Specification adopted for Filler metals by ASME), each corresponding one-to-one with an AWS A5.x document: SFA-5.1 to AWS A5.1 (carbon steel covered electrodes), SFA-5.4 to AWS A5.4 (stainless steel electrodes), SFA-5.9 to AWS A5.9 (bare stainless wire and rods), SFA-5.18 to AWS A5.18 (carbon steel GMAW wire), SFA-5.20 to AWS A5.20 (flux-cored wire), and SFA-5.8 to AWS A5.8 (brazing and braze welding filler metals).
The document reviewed here is the 2007 Edition of Part C with the 2008a Addenda, issued July 1, 2008 and running to 803 pages, in Russian translation. Part C occupies a distinctive position in the Code: it defines what the consumable is, while Section IX (Qualification Standard for Welding, Brazing, and Fusing Procedures) defines whether a joint made with that consumable is acceptable. The two must be used as a pair.
💡 A common misconception is that Part C is merely a product catalogue. In reality every SFA specification contains a classification system, chemical limits, deposited-metal mechanical properties, test methods, and packaging and marking requirements — all mandatory acceptance criteria. Incoming inspection, certificate verification, and the consumable records inside a PQR all trace back to specific clauses of Part C.
1. Scope and Structure 📌
Part C has three layers of content:
- General document: SFA-5.01, Filler Metal Procurement Guidelines, which establishes ordering information, packaging, marking, and quality assurance conventions — the entry point for reading every other specification.
- Product- and process-specific specifications: carbon and low-alloy steels (SFA-5.1, 5.2, 5.5, 5.17, 5.18, 5.20, 5.23, 5.25, 5.28, 5.29); stainless steels (SFA-5.4, 5.9, 5.22); nickel alloys (SFA-5.11, 5.14); aluminium (SFA-5.3, 5.10); copper alloys (SFA-5.6, 5.7, 5.27); titanium (SFA-5.16); cast iron (SFA-5.15); surfacing (SFA-5.13, 5.21); tungsten electrodes (SFA-5.12); submerged-arc fluxes (SFA-5.17, 5.23); and brazing filler metals (SFA-5.8).
- Adoption route for new consumables: the foreword contains a dedicated guideline on approving new welding and brazing materials under the Code, describing data requirements, review path, and balloting.
Covered processes include shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) covered electrodes, submerged arc welding (SAW) wire-flux combinations, gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) filler rods, gas metal arc welding (GMAW) solid wires, flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) electrodes, oxyfuel gas welding rods, surfacing consumables, and brazing filler metals.
⚠️ Part C does not tell you which consumable to use. Consumable selection is decided jointly by the construction section (which sets joint property requirements: strength, toughness, corrosion resistance, crack resistance) and by Section IX (which verifies through procedure qualification that the chosen consumable and process combination achieves them). Applying the simple rule “matching filler for matching base metal” fails badly in dissimilar-metal joints, low-temperature service, Cr-Mo steels, and duplex stainless steels.
2. Technical Requirements 🔧
2.1 Reading a classification designation
The heart of Part C is the classification designation system. Take the carbon steel electrode E7018: E denotes a covered electrode; 70 is the minimum as-welded tensile strength in ksi (about 480 MPa); 1 indicates the welding position (1 = all positions, 2 = flat and horizontal); and 8 identifies coating type and current (8 = low-hydrogen potassium, AC or DCEP).
Stainless consumables follow different logic: in E308L-16, E is a covered electrode, 308L is the composition designation (L = low carbon, w(C) ≤ 0.03%), and 16 is the coating type (titania-calcia, AC or DCEP). In ER308L, ER denotes a bare electrode or rod suitable for GTAW, GMAW, or SAW. In the flux-cored designation E71T-1, 71 indicates the 70 ksi class, T a tubular flux-cored electrode, and 1 the all-position, gas-shielded category.
| SFA Number | AWS Counterpart | Typical Classifications | Material and Process | Typical Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFA-5.1/SFA-5.1M | A5.1/A5.1M | E6010, E7018, E7024 | Carbon steel covered electrodes (SMAW) | Pipe root passes, structural work, vessel main seams |
| SFA-5.5/SFA-5.5M | A5.5/A5.5M | E7015-B2L, E8018-B2 | Low-alloy steel covered electrodes (SMAW) | Cr-Mo high-temperature piping and vessels |
| SFA-5.4/SFA-5.4M | A5.4/A5.4M | E308L-16, E316L-17 | Stainless covered electrodes (SMAW) | Stainless vessels, piping, cladding |
| SFA-5.9/SFA-5.9M | A5.9/A5.9M | ER308L, ER316L, ER347 | Stainless wire and rods (GTAW/GMAW/SAW) | Stainless pipe roots, automated welding |
| SFA-5.18/SFA-5.18M | A5.18/A5.18M | ER70S-3, ER70S-6 | Carbon steel solid wire (GMAW) | Structural and vessel longitudinal/circumferential seams |
| SFA-5.20/SFA-5.20M | A5.20/A5.20M | E71T-1, E71T-8 | Carbon steel flux-cored wire (FCAW) | High-deposition flat and vertical filling |
| SFA-5.14/SFA-5.14M | A5.14/A5.14M | ERNiCr-3, ERNiCu-7 | Nickel alloy bare wire | Dissimilar joints, nickel-alloy equipment |
| SFA-5.17/SFA-5.17M | A5.17/A5.17M | F7A0-EL12, F7P2-EB2 | Submerged arc wire/flux combinations | Heavy-wall vessels, large-diameter pipe |
2.2 Chemical and mechanical requirements
Each SFA specification imposes two mandatory families of acceptance criteria: the chemistry of the filler metal itself (heat analysis of core wire, solid wire, or rod) and the mechanical properties of the deposited weld metal (tensile strength, yield strength, elongation, and absorbed impact energy). Deposited-metal specimens must be prepared with the welding parameters, interpass temperature, and test assembly dimensions prescribed by the standard — this is the most disputed area of Part C, because the same classification can produce very different deposited-metal properties at different heat inputs.
| Requirement | Specimen / Object | Typical Criterion (example) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical composition | Core wire or bare wire | E308L: Cr 19.5%–22.0%, Ni 9.0%–11.0%, C ≤ 0.03% | Sampled per heat; tolerances per standard tables |
| Deposited tensile strength | All-weld-metal test pad | E7018: ≥ 70 ksi (≈483 MPa) | Welding parameters for the pad are prescribed |
| Deposited yield strength | Same | E7018: ≥ 58 ksi (≈400 MPa) | Some classes use 0.2% offset method |
| Elongation | Same | E7018: ≥ 22% in 50 mm | Indicates ductility and crack tolerance |
| Charpy absorbed energy | Same | Some classes: ≥ 27 J at −29 °C or lower | Suffixes denote low-temperature or hydrogen classes |
| Diffusible hydrogen | Deposited metal | Low-hydrogen classes typically ≤ 4 mL/100 g; H4 stricter | Directly governs cold-cracking susceptibility |
| Moisture content | Electrode coating | Per prescribed conditioning and measurement method | Tied to storage and baking discipline |
2.3 Character of the 2008a Addenda
Part C addenda are also issued as replacement pages with margin markings. Unlike Part A, where whole specifications are often replaced, Part C changes more commonly track a new AWS edition, revise classification suffixes (diffusible hydrogen grades such as H4/H8/H16, low-temperature toughness suffixes), extend packaging and marking requirements, and update the acceptable-editions table for non-AWS sources (SA/EN, SA/ISO equivalents). During receiving inspection, compare the addenda change list against the marking printed on each consumable package — especially the suffix. The same base classification with a different suffix can carry completely different hydrogen and toughness requirements.
🚨 A suffix is not decoration. On thick sections, highly restrained joints, low-alloy high-strength steels, or low-temperature service, using an H16 electrode (diffusible hydrogen ≤ 16 mL/100 g) where H4 is required is a classic cause of delayed cracking and, later, brittle failure in service. Verify the complete classification, never just the characters “E7018.”
3. Engineering Practice Essentials 🛠️
- 🔍 Consumables are bound to the qualified procedure: a PQR records a specific combination of consumable classification, welding parameters, and position. Changing the classification — even within the same SFA specification — normally requires requalification or an essential/nonessential variable evaluation under QW-400 of Section IX.
- 🔧 Baking and holding discipline: low-hydrogen electrodes must be baked at the manufacturer’s recommended temperature (typically 300–400 °C for 1–2 h) before use, then held in a 100–150 °C portable oven and used within a controlled period. Repeated baking degrades the coating; fluxes also require baking, with recycled-to-new flux ratios controlled.
- 📋 Certificates and lot traceability: every lot should carry a certificate conforming to the applicable SFA specification, stating classification, lot number, and deposited-metal test results. Issue and return of consumables should be logged to give three-way traceability of “weld – welder – consumable lot,” a standard requirement for nuclear and high-hazard equipment.
- 📊 Filler selection for dissimilar joints: when austenitic filler joins ferritic to austenitic base metal, control dilution and the martensitic band at the fusion line, and consider nickel-base filler (ERNiCr-3) where necessary. Assess carbon content, ferrite number (FN), and crack resistance together.
- 🧪 “L” grades and stabilization: the low-carbon design of E308L/ER316L resists intergranular corrosion; for long service in the 400–850 °C range or thick multipass welds, consider Nb-stabilized 347 or 321 types. For duplex stainless, verify PREN and the ferrite-austenite balance.
- 📦 Storage conditions: consumable stores should be dry and ventilated with controlled relative humidity; electrodes stored off the floor and away from walls. Partly used packages must not be mixed with other lots.
✅ Recommended practice: maintain a “one card per consumable” record showing the complete classification including suffix, the SFA number and edition, the governing PQR number, the baking schedule, the list of qualified joints, and prohibited applications. This single card is the most valuable information source for welder training, quality audits, and failure investigation.
4. Frequently Asked Questions ❓
❓ Q: Is SFA-5.1 identical to AWS A5.1?
A: Broadly corresponding, but not identical. SFA is ASME’s adopted version of the AWS document and may include ASME editorial changes, additional requirements, and edition restrictions. Compliance determinations must use the SFA text published in Part C; the AWS original serves understanding and training.
A: Broadly corresponding, but not identical. SFA is ASME’s adopted version of the AWS document and may include ASME editorial changes, additional requirements, and edition restrictions. Compliance determinations must use the SFA text published in Part C; the AWS original serves understanding and training.
❓ Q: Can imported consumables be substituted for domestic ones without requalification?
A: No. Section IX bases variables on the classification designation and essential performance characteristics. Requalification may be avoided only if the substitute shares the same SFA/AWS classification, coating type, hydrogen grade, and deposited chemistry and properties, and the change is judged nonessential under QW-400. Otherwise a new PQR is required. A domestic brand without an SFA classification generally follows the “unlisted material” route.
A: No. Section IX bases variables on the classification designation and essential performance characteristics. Requalification may be avoided only if the substitute shares the same SFA/AWS classification, coating type, hydrogen grade, and deposited chemistry and properties, and the change is judged nonessential under QW-400. Otherwise a new PQR is required. A domestic brand without an SFA classification generally follows the “unlisted material” route.
❓ Q: How does Part C treat impact testing of consumables?
A: Part C states the minimum required by the classification — for example, certain classes must meet a specified absorbed energy at −29 °C. Whether the equipment needs lower-temperature toughness is decided by the construction section (Section VIII UHA-51, the relevant Section III subsection) and by the user specification. Where design temperature falls below the classification’s default test temperature, an additional requirement or a low-temperature suffix classification must be ordered.
A: Part C states the minimum required by the classification — for example, certain classes must meet a specified absorbed energy at −29 °C. Whether the equipment needs lower-temperature toughness is decided by the construction section (Section VIII UHA-51, the relevant Section III subsection) and by the user specification. Where design temperature falls below the classification’s default test temperature, an additional requirement or a low-temperature suffix classification must be ordered.
❓ Q: Do the Russian and English editions differ in how classifications are written?
A: The classification codes (E7018, ER308L) are international alphanumeric strings and remain identical in every translation. However, descriptive text for coating types and welding positions may use local terminology. Procurement and acceptance documents should state both the classification code and the SFA number to eliminate ambiguity.
A: The classification codes (E7018, ER308L) are international alphanumeric strings and remain identical in every translation. However, descriptive text for coating types and welding positions may use local terminology. Procurement and acceptance documents should state both the classification code and the SFA number to eliminate ambiguity.
