AWS E308L A5.9 question

By Kix

Date 12-02-2011 15:39

Our QC dept recently rejected a roll of MIG wire from a reputable manufacturer for not meeting AWS A5.9. Apparently the typical certs that came with the wire state that the chromium reads at 17.68. In the ASME Sec II part C specification for welding electrodes and filler metals, the AWS A5.9 section in the table it says that the chromium should read in the range of 19.5-22.00. Is there a tolerance for this? I can't imagine that this manufacturer would send out a lot of wire that doesn't meet the specifications it claims their wire meets. Is there something that our QC dept is missing here?

By Mikeqc1 (****)

Date 12-02-2011 20:23

what wire was it
is the Spec on the Box?
sfa 5.9

By 803056

Date 12-02-2011 22:00

Was the analysis performed on the bare wire or a weld deposit?

Al

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 12-03-2011 04:17

Good point. Aren't the specifications for "as deposited" ?

By js55

Date 12-05-2011 15:34

As depositied is only required for fluxed process weld materials.

By Kix

Date 12-06-2011 15:20

It was just a typical cert like what you get off of the manufacture website. Not sure how they come up with their analysis.

By Kix

Date 12-06-2011 15:21

It was a ER308L stainless steel MIG wire that is supposed to meet AWS A5.9.

By JustinT (*)

Date 12-05-2011 19:10

I would reject that too as that doesn't meet the specification.

Also keep in mind that a typical cert does not mean that it is the chemistry for that specific heat of wire, an actual cert would be. However, it's even more troubling that the typical certification that they're using to support labeling that wire as A5.9 ER308L doesn't meet the requirement. That would call into question any untested wire since that qualification was run and it would be illegal to mark the boxes with that identification.

By Kix

Date 12-06-2011 15:19

I totally agree. That's why I started investigating because I was pretty dam sure that this manufacture wouldn't send out a roll of wire that didn't meet the spec that they said it does. After further investigation I found a new typical cert off of the website. The only thing that was different is that there was an E in front of the Lot #. I went and checked the number on the spool and saw that there was an E in the front of the Lot number. I typed that in and the cert that popped up had all the numbers where they needed to be. :lol:

Where the first cert came from I have no idea. Weird.....