E6010 is an all position, cellulosic electrode that has a quick-starting, steady, and deep penetrating arc. It produces x-ray quality welds in flat, horizontal, overhead, vertical-up, and vertical-down positions. Conforms to ANSI/AWS A5.1 & ASME SFA 5.1 E6010. Typical Semiautomatic GMA Procedures for Fillet and Lap Welding Aluminum 3 DC(EP) Base1 DC(EP) Wire Argon Approximate Wire Dia Range 2Thickness Suggested Feed Gas Flow Consumption Inches Amps Volts Inches Amps Volts IPM CFH Lbs/100Ft.030 100-130 18-22.094 100 22 500 30 0.75. REVISION Weld Filler Metal Selection Chart for Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) For Various Metal Combinations: The attached Tables provide generally accepted electrode selections for the base materials shown, along with process areas that need special consideration. C) for nonferrous materials, a base metal listed with the same P‐Number UNS Number in Table QW/QB-422 as the base metal to be used in production welding. For nonferrous base material P No. Are further divided into different UNS no. UNS N06625, UNS N08825, UNS N10276) which shows the different level of notch toughness.

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ASME Boiler and pressure vessel code (BPVC) has assigned certain numbers to base metals as well as to filler metals (electrodes).

For base metals, ASME has assigned two number system, these are;

• P Numbers
• Group Numbers

For filler metals, the number system which is assigned, are as follows;

• F Number
• A Number

These numbers can be found in ASME BPVC Section IX, please see Table–1 for details;

Table – 1

BASE METAL GROUPING:

The main purpose of assigning this number system is to reduce the number of procedure qualification records (PQR). Conducting a procedure qualification requires a lot of time and money due to the following procedural requirements;

• Preparation of test coupon
• welding of test coupon and
• sending it to a lab for destructive test

Hence, to reduce these costly and time-consuming activities, ASME has done grouping of base metals and has assigned certain P numbers to each group of metals. This grouping of base metals has been done on the basis of the following parameters;

• Material composition
• Weldability
• Mechanical property

Though all materials of the same ‘P’ number doesn’t exhibit the same properties, but after considering the above-mentioned parameters, ASME has done this logical grouping.

Why this grouping is required?

Suppose, if we change the base metal from an existing qualified WPS and if the new base metal falls in the same ‘P’ number then the requalification of the existing WPS is not required, it means no need for a new PQR.

But this doesn’t mean that one can easily substitute the base material, from existing WPS, of same ‘P’ number at any time. Whenever there is a change in the base material from existing WPS, the compatibility shall be considered with regards to the following factors;

• Metallurgical property
• Mechanical property
• Design considerations
• Service requirements
• Heat treatment

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Table–2 shows the assignment groups for various metals and their alloys (according to ASME BPVC).

Table – 2

Now that we have understood ‘P’ numbers let’s move on to group numbers. Group numbers are subsets of ‘P’ numbers assigned to ferrous based metals. Group numbers are assigned only to those materials which require toughness testing for the qualification of its WPS.

We will take an example of SA516 Gr 65 from table QW/QB-422 (Page – 118 of ASME Section IX, 2017 edition), we can find out the following values;

Base material – SA516 Gr 65

• Tensile strength (min.) – 65 Ksi (or 450 Mpa)
• P-No. – 1
• Group number – 1
• Nominal composition – C-Mn-Si
• Typical product form – Plate

Another grouping of base metals was the ‘S’ numbers, but the ‘S’ number is not used nowadays. It was deleted from ASME in 2009.

S Numbers were assigned to those materials which were acceptable for use by the ASME B31 Code for Pressure Piping, or by selected Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Cases, but were not included in section II of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel (BPVC). Base metals that were previously assigned ‘S’ Numbers were reassigned the corresponding P Numbers or P Numbers and Group Numbers.

FILLER METAL (ELECTRODE/WELDING ROD) GROUPING:

The F Number: F number grouping (for filler metals) is done to reduce the number of welding procedure specifications (WPS) and welder performance qualifications. The basis for F number grouping is usability characteristics. The usability characteristics fundamentally determine the ability of a welder to produce sound welds with a given filler metal. Hence it is assumed if a welder can make satisfactory weld with a particular filler metal, he will be able to weld with all the filler metals belonging to that particular ‘F’ number.

Table-3 shows a brief summary of ‘F’ and filler metals (according to ASME BPVC, Table: QW-432).

Table – 3

The ‘F’ number grouping doesn’t imply that one can easily substitute the filler metal (electrode/welding rod), from existing WPS, of the same ‘F’ number at any time. Whenever there is a change in the filler metal (electrode/welding rod) from existing WPS, the compatibility shall be considered with regards to the following factors;

• Metallurgical property
• Mechanical property
• Design considerations
• Service requirements
• Heat treatment

The A Number: Another type of grouping for filler metal or welding rod is the ‘A’ Number. ‘A’ number grouping has been done on the basis of the chemical composition of the deposited weld metal. This can be found in ASME BPVC Section IX, Table – QW-442).

Please watch the video (given below) for more clarity on this topic;

Also read: Thickness range for welder qualification

Also read: Welding Symbols

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Also read: How to write a welding procedure specification

Also read: CSWIP Question Answers

Also read: Welding Electrodes/Filler metal

This article provides information about A number in welding procedure specification based on requirement of ASME Code Section IX.

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A number gives a similar chemical composition in a “as weld”condition. The A number is essential variablein most of welding process in ASME Code Section IX. The Table QW-442 in ASMECode Section IX provides the list of A number. Please note the A number inWPS does not refer to the filler wire or electrodechemical composition; it refers to the deposited weld metal chemical composition.The filler metal and deposited weld metal have different chemical compositions.

How Do You Determine the A number in Welding ProcedureSpecification?

It can be obtained from procedure qualification coupon. The smallpiece of welding can be removed and chemical analysis test to be performed. Thenthe obtained chemical composition must be compared against the table QW-422 andA number to be selected.

Alternatively if your welding process is one of SMAW, GTAW,LBW and PAW processes you may use the filler metal specification or test reportof filler metal manufacturer.

Similarly you can do same assessment for GMAW and EGWprocesses but the shielding gas should be as the same of welding procedure specification.

Again, similarly you can do the same for SAW but the fluxshould be as the same of welding procedure specification.

As mentioned in above, the A number like P number and F number is an essential variablein most welding processes. It means if you have a WPS and you need to use thatin other job with different A number (it means you are using different fillermetal) then you need to re-qualify your WPS because it is essential variable.The A number 1 and 2 are exceptions. You can consider it as nonessentialvariables.

The ASME Section IX Training Course is 2 days video training course and available online and the student that successfully pass the exam, receive I4I academy certificate with 16 hours training credit.

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