What does SFA mean? acronym?

Date 12-03-2008 21:23

Uncle Chuckles,
Here is a list of 16 definitions (some really funny). Maybe you could give the context it was used in?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=SFA

By Uncle Chuckles (*)

Date 12-03-2008 21:30

SFA 5.1 Mild Steel Covered Arc Welding Electrodes. No clue what the SFA could stand for.

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 12-03-2008 22:40

Uncle Chuckles,
Sweet Fanny Adams
Sweet F... All

SFA 5.1 = Special Filler Assignment 5.1

Hope that helped,
Regards,
Shane

By motgar

Date 12-03-2008 22:34

Not sure, always just associated it with ASME. AWS uses an A, and ASME uses SFA.

Has to do with conformances to that specification. If one is doing ASME code work, then the consumables, non-consumables, and shielding gases need to conform to those specifications.

By GRoberts (***)

Date 12-03-2008 23:49

The "A" comes from AWS. I have been told that since it is ASME instead of AWS, that the "SF" stands for "special filler". Another possibility I have heard is that the "S" that goes in front of AWS & ASTM specs, such as SFA5.1 (AWS) or SA312 (ASTM) is not really an "S", but a "$". As in supplier feel free to charge more any time there is an "S" in the front. Like $A-240, or $FA5.22.

By Uncle Chuckles (*)

Date 12-04-2008 13:46

Thanks guys,

My superviser and I were approched with that question and we both sat there for several minutes with blank looks on our faces. I finnaly told the guy it stood for Sweet F#$K All, and not to worry about it. But it would be nice to know the real reason for it.

Cheers,

By CHGuilford (****)

Date 12-04-2008 17:30

So you gave them a Silly, Foolish Answer. (No, I don't know it either unless it's as the other posters wrote in)

By Fredspoppy (**)

Date 12-04-2008 13:46

There is another Forum type website that has a lot of good information and is called Eng-Tips Forum. The link is http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=130771&page=8

The following is about the best explanation I have seen on the A versus SA or SFA, between ASTM, AWS and ASME. The post is attributed to a guy with metengr (Materials) as his identity.

"To add to the above, when the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code was formed, a materials subcommittee was established to review other materials standards/specifications like ASTM and either adopt them in whole or in part, with exceptions or editorial revisions.

To assure identity, the ASME Code committee elected to use a prefix S to denote that the material specification was reviewed and approved for ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel use. In some cases, material can meet both ASTM and ASME specifications. In other cases, ASTM materials are not acceptable for use in boiler or pressure vessel applications."

For welding fillers, ASME took the AX.XX from AWS and added SF to the front, making it SFAX.XX.

Hope this helps.

By Uncle Chuckles (*)

Date 12-04-2008 18:13 Edited 12-04-2008 18:16

Yes I gave a silly anwser. What is a work place without a little fun and humor? (I later told the individual of the proper breakdown of SFA according to the experienced and learned response of Fredspoppy) It never hurts to have a little laugh.

A big thankyou to Fredspoppy for the great answer, there was alot of head scratching over here on what it could stand for.

all the best,

Charles

By vittorio (*)

Date 12-22-2008 08:49

The S indicates the specification has been adopted by ASME
The F indicates the specification covers filler metals
The A indicates the specification was adopted from AWS

this is taken from CASTI Guidebook.

V.