AWS A5.29/A5.29M:2010

An American National Standard

Specification for Low-Alloy Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding

AWS A5.29/A5.29M:2010

An American National Standard

Approved by the American National Standards Institute

September 18, 2009

Specification for Low-Alloy Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding

4th Edition

Supersedes AWS A5.29/A5.29M:2005

Prepared by the American Welding Society (AWS) A5 Committee on Filler Metals and Allied Materials

Under the Direction of the AWS Technical Activities Committee

Approved by the AWS Board of Directors

Abstract

This specification prescribes the requirements for classification of low-alloy steel electrodes for flux cored arc welding. The requirements include chemical composition and mechanical properties of the weld metal and certain usability characteristics. Optional, supplemental designators are also included for improved toughness and diffusible hydrogen. Additional requirements are included for standard sizes, marking, manufacturing, and packaging. A guide is appended to the specification as a source of information concerning the classification system employed and the intended use of low- alloy steel flux cored electrodes.

This specification makes use of both U.S. Customary Units and the International System of Units (SI). Since these are not equivalent, each system must be used independently of the other.

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All standards (codes, specifications, recommended practices, methods, classifications, and guides) of the American Welding Society (AWS) are voluntary consensus standards that have been developed in accordance with the rules of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). When AWS American National Standards are either incorporated in, or made part of, documents that are included in federal or state laws and regulations, or the regulations of other govern- mental bodies, their provisions carry the full legal authority of the statute. In such cases, any changes in those AWS standards must be approved by the governmental body having statutory jurisdiction before they can become a part of those laws and regulations. In all cases, these standards carry the full legal authority of the contract or other document that invokes the AWS standards. Where this contractual relationship exists, changes in or deviations from requirements of an AWS standard must be by agreement between the contracting parties.

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On occasion, text, tables, or figures are printed incorrectly, constituting errata. Such errata, when discovered, are posted on the AWS web page (www.aws.org).

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This standard is subject to revision at any time by the AWS A5 Committee on Filler Metals and Allied Materials. It must be reviewed every five years, and if not revised, it must be either reaffirmed or withdrawn. Comments (recommenda- tions, additions, or deletions) and any pertinent data that may be of use in improving this standard are required and should be addressed to AWS Headquarters. Such comments will receive careful consideration by the AWS A5 Committee on Filler Metals and Allied Materials and the author of the comments will be informed of the Committee’s response to the comments. Guests are invited to attend all meetings of the AWS A5 Committee on Filler Metals and Allied Materials to express their comments verbally. Procedures for appeal of an adverse decision concerning all such comments are provided in the Rules of Operation of the Technical Activities Committee. A copy of these Rules can be obtained from the American Welding Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Road, Miami, FL 33126.

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Personnel

AWS A5 Committee on Filler Metals and Allied Materials

J. S. Lee, Chair Chevron

H. D. Wehr, 1st Vice Chair Arcos Industries, LLC

J. J. DeLoach Jr., 2nd Vice Chair Naval Surface Warfare Center

R. K. Gupta, Secretary American Welding Society

T. Anderson ESAB Welding and Cutting Products

J. M. Blackburn Naval Sea Systems Command

J. C. Bundy Hobart Brothers Company

D. D. Crockett Consultant, The Lincoln Electric Company

R. V. Decker Weldstar

D. A. DelSignore Consultant

J. DeVito ESAB Welding and Cutting Products

H. W. Ebert Consulting Welding Engineer

D. M. Fedor The Lincoln Electric Company

J. G. Feldstein Foster Wheeler North America

S. E. Ferree ESAB Welding and Cutting Products

D. A. Fink The Lincoln Electric Company

G. L. Franke Naval Surface Warfare Center

R. D. Fuchs Böhler Welding Group USA, Incorporated

1. M. Henson J. W. Harris Company, Incorporated

2. D. Kiser Special Metals

P. J. Konkol Concurrent Technologies Corporation

D. J. Kotecki Damian Kotecki Welding Consultants

1. G. Kvidahl Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding

   1. Y. Lau Canadian Welding Bureau

      W. A. Marttila Consultant

      T. Melfi The Lincoln Electric Company

      R. Menon Stoody Company

      M. T. Merlo HyperTech Research, Incorporated

      B. Mosier Polymet Corporation

      A. K. Mukherjee Siemens Power Generation, Incorporated

      C. L. Null Consultant

      K. C. Pruden Hydril Company

      S. D. Reynolds, Jr. Consultant

      P. K. Salvesen Det Norske Veritas (DNV)

      K. Sampath Consultant

      W. S. Severance ESAB Welding and Cutting Products

      M. J. Sullivan NASSCO—National Steel & Shipbuilding

      R. C. Sutherlin ATI Wah Chang

      R. A. Swain Euroweld, Limited

      K. P. Thornberry Care Medical, Incorporated

      M. D. Tumuluru U.S. Steel Corporation

      H. J. White HAYNES International

      Advisors to the AWS A5 Committee on Filler Metals and Allied Materials

      R. L. Bateman Soldaduras West Arco Ltda.

      R. A. Daemen Consultant

      1. E. Fuerstenau Lucas-Milhaupt, Incorporated

         J. A. Henning Nuclear Management Company

         J. P. Hunt Consultant

         S. Imaoka Kobe Steel Limited

         M. A. Quintana The Lincoln Electric Company

         E. R. Stevens Stevens Welding Consulting

         E. S. Surian National University of Lomas de Zamora

         
         

         AWS A5M Subcommittee on Carbon and Low-Alloy Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding and Metal Cored Electrodes for Gas Metal Arc Welding

      2. D. Crockett, Chair Consultant, The Lincoln Electric Company

2. T. Merlo, Vice Chair HyperTech Research, Incorporated

R. K. Gupta, Secretary American Welding Society

J. C. Bundy Hobart Brothers Company

J. J. DeLoach, Jr. Naval Surface Warfare Center

S. E. Ferree ESAB Welding and Cutting Products

G. L. Franke Naval Surface Warfare Center

D. W. Haynie Kobelco Welding of America, Incorporated

M. James The Lincoln Electric Company

A. Y. Lau Canadian Welding Bureau

R. Menon Stoody Company

K. M. Merlo Edison Welding Institute

J. M. Morse The Lincoln Electric Company

T. C. Myers American Bureau of Shipping

R. B. Smith Select-Arc

R. A. Swain Euroweld, Limited

Advisors to the AWS A5M Subcommittee on Carbon and Low-Alloy Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding and Metal Cored Electrodes for Gas Metal Arc Welding

J. E. Campbell WeldTech Solutions Corporation

D. D. Childs Mark Steel Corporation

K. K. Gupta Westinghouse Electric Corporation

S. Imaoka Kobe Steel Limited

D. R. Miller ABS Americas Materials Department

M. P. Parekh Consultant

M. A. Quintana The Lincoln Electric Company

H. D. Wehr Arcos Industries, LLC

Foreword

This foreword is not part of AWS A5.29/A5.29M:2010, Specification for Low-Alloy Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding, but is included for informational purposes only.

This document is the second of the A5.29 specifications which uses of both U.S. Customary Units and the International System of Units (SI) throughout. The measurements are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system must be used inde- pendently of the other, without combining values in any way. In selecting rational metric units, AWS A1.1, Metric Prac- tice Guide for the Welding Industry, and ISO 554, Welding consumables—Technical delivery conditions for welding filler materials—Type of product, dimensions, tolerances, and markings, are used where suitable. Tables and figures make use of both U.S. Customary and SI Units, which, with the application of the specified tolerances, provides for interchange- ability of products in both the U.S. Customary and SI Units.

This is the third revision of A5.29 that was issued initially in 1980. In this revision, the quantity of “Mn + Ni” has been corrected from 1.5% to 1.50% in Note “d” of Table 7.

Historical Background

ANSI/AWS A5.29-80 Specification for Low-Alloy Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored Are Welding ANSI/AWS A5.29:1998 Specification for Low-Alloy Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding AWS A5.29/A5.29M:2005 Specification for Low-Alloy Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding

Comments and suggestions for the improvement of this standard are welcome. They should be sent to the Secretary, AWS A5 Committee on Filler Metals and Allied Materials, American Welding Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Road, Miami, FL 33126.

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Table of Contents

Page No.

Personnel iii

Foreword vii

List of Tables x

List of Figures x

1. Scope 1

2. Normative References 1

3. Classification 2

4. Acceptance 5

5. Certification 5

6. Rounding-Off Procedure 5

7. Summary of Tests 10

8. Retest 10

9. Test Assemblies 11

10. Chemical Analysis 17

11. Radiographic Test 17

12. Tension Test 20

13. Impact Test 20

14. Fillet Weld Test 21

15. Diffusible Hydrogen Test 21

16. Method of Manufacture 23

17. Standard Sizes 23

18. Finish and Uniformity 23

19. Standard Package Forms 26

20. Winding Requirements 26

21. Electrode Identification 27

22. Packaging 28

23. Marking of Packages 29

    Annex A (Informative)—Guide to AWS Specification for Low-Alloy Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored

    Arc Welding 31

    Annex B (Informative)—Guidelines for Preparation of Technical Inquiries for AWS Technical Committees 45

    AWS Filler Metal Specifications by Material and Welding Process 47

    AWS Filler Metal Specifications and Related Documents 49

    
    

    List of Tables

    
    

    Table Page No.

    1U A5.29 Mechanical Property Requirements 3

    1M A5.29M Mechanical Property Requirements 7

    1. Electrode Usability Requirements 9

    2. Tests Required for Classification 10

    3. Base Metal for Test Assemblies 14

    4. Heat Input Requirements and Suggested Pass and Layer Sequence for Multiple Pass Electrode Classifications 15

    5. Preheat, Interpass, and PWHT Temperatures 16

    6. Weld Metal Chemical Composition Requirements for Classification to A5.29/A5.29M 18

    7. Dimensional Requirements for Fillet Weld Usability Test Specimens 22

    8. Diffusible Hydrogen Limits for Weld Metal 25

    9. Standard Sizes and Tolerances of Electrodes 25

    10. Packaging Requirements 26

1. Comparison of Approximate Equivalent Classifications for ISO/DIS 17632 34

2. Comparison of Approximate Equivalent Classifications for ISO/DIS 17634 35

3. Comparison of Approximate Equivalent Classifications for ISO/DIS 18276 36

List of Figures

Figure Page No.

1. A5.29/A5.29M Classification System 6

2. Pad for Chemical Analysis of Deposited Weld Metal. 11

3. Test Assembly for Mechanical Properties and Soundness of Weld Metal 12

4. Fillet Weld Test Assembly 13

5. Dimensions of Fillet Welds 22

6. Alternate Methods for Facilitating Fillet Weld Fracture 23

7. Radiographic Standards for Test Assembly in Figure 3 24

8. Standard Spools—Dimensions of 4, 8, 12, and 14 in [100, 200, 300, and 350 mm] Spools 27

9. Standard Spools—Dimensions of 22, 24, and 30 in [560, 610, and 760 mm] Spools 28

Specification for Low-Alloy Steel Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding

1. Scope

   1. This specification prescribes requirements for the classification of low-alloy steel electrodes for flux cored arc welding (FCAW) either with or without shielding gas. Iron is the only element whose content exceeds 10.5 percent in undiluted weld metal deposited by these electrodes. Metal cored low-alloy steel electrodes are not classified under this specification but are classified according to AWS A5.28/A5.28M.1

   2. Safety and health issues and concerns are beyond the scope of this standard and, therefore, are not fully addressed herein. Some safety and health information can be found in the nonmandatory Annex Sections A5 and A9. Safety and health information is available from other sources, including, but not limited to, ANSI Z49.12 and applicable federal and state regulations.

   3. This specification makes use of both U.S. Customary Units and the International System of Units (SI). The measure- ments are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system must be used independently of the other without combining in any way when referring to weld metal properties. The specification with the designation A5.29 uses U.S. Customary Units. The specification A5.29M uses SI Units. The latter are shown within brackets ([ ]) or in appropriate columns in tables and figures. Standard dimensions based on either system may be used for the sizing of electrodes or packaging or both under the A5.29 and A5.29M specifications.

      
      

2. Normative References

   The following standards contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this AWS stan- dard. For dated references, subsequent amendments to, or revisions of, any of these publications do not apply. However, parties to agreement based on this AWS standard are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the documents shown below. For undated references, the latest edition of the standard referred to applies.

   1. The following AWS standards are referenced in the mandatory sections of this document:

      1. AWS A4.3, Standard Methods for Determination of the Diffusible Hydrogen Content of Martensitic, Bainitic, and Ferritic Steel Weld Metal Produced by Arc Welding

      2. AWS A5.01, Filler Metal Procurement Guidelines

      3. AWS A5.32/A5.32M, Specification for Welding Shielding Gases

      4. AWS B4.0 or B4.0M, Standard Methods for Mechanical Testing of Welds.

   2. The following ANSI standard is referenced in the mandatory sections of this document:

      1. ANSI Z49.1, Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes.

1 AWS standards are published by the American Welding Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Road, Miami, FL 33126.

2 This ANSI standard is published by the American Welding Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Road, Miami, FL 33126.