ASME IX Specific grading of electrodes conundrum

Date 06-05-2009 10:20

have a ASME IX weld procedure and ASME IX PQR using ELGA P 83 CR electrodes to E8015-B2L (have a ELGA product spec sheet with this no. on)

weld procedure was submitted for approval and customer queried consumable grade

asked ELGA to confirm their spec for their P 83 CR electrodes and they returned a different (maybe up to date) spec sheet stating E 8018-B2

checked the consumable certificates for the electrodes used and one (older) cert states AWS/ASME SFA 5.5-96 E 8015-B2L and the other (newer) states AWS/ASME SFA 5.5 E CRMO1 B 42 H5

is the ASME IX weld procedure and PQR ok ?
have AWS specific grades changed due to updates to codes ?

any help/advice greatly appreciated as i'm at a loss with this one
many thanks
Mick

By Fredspoppy (**)

Date 06-05-2009 12:15

Mick,
The Elga electrode P83Cr is classified as E8018-B2. With carbon (C) spec'd as 0.05-0.10% this would be correct. To be E8018-B2L, the C would be spec'd at less than 0.03 or 0.04%.

The E CrMo1 B42H5 is a classification in accordance with European Norm (EN) ISO3580-A. The P83Cr can have different classifications, but the E8015 would be a different coating (and therefore a different classification) than the E8018. I didn't see a dual AWS classification in the Elga website, only the single AWS and EN ones.

Hope this helps.

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 06-05-2009 12:56

Mick,
The WPS / PQR are acceptable to use but there is something strange and I see why your client is a bit concerned.
E CrMo1 B 42 is the EN (European) classification for E 8018 B2
8018 is Low Hydrogen, Potassium, Iron Powder flux type recommended for use with AC / DCEP
8015 is Low Hydrogen, Sodium flux type recommended for use with DCEP

Something doesn't add up.
It may simply be a stuff up by the electrode manufacturer.
Regards,
Shane

By mickdale (*)

Date 06-06-2009 06:38

thanks for your help
it is definitely a "stuff up" by ELGA - they have supplied us with 3 different specs on their consumable test certs for the same consumables.

i assumed that the european spec was just that unless there had been a VERY recent radical change to AWS

i am worried about our ASME IX PQRs which state E8015-B2L - can we correct the WPS and still use the PQRs ?????? (if E8015-B2L test qualifies E8018-B2 i assume we are ok)

thanks again for your help
mick