Published: September 2020
BS EN ISO 14341:2020 is the revised international standard setting out how to classify specified wire electrodes and weld deposits. This blog post explains what the standard contains and what’s new about the updated version.
BS EN ISO 14341:2020 Welding consumables – Wire electrodes and weld deposits for gas shielded metal arc welding of non alloy and fine grain steels – Classificationspecifies requirements for the classification of wire electrodes and weld deposits in the as-welded condition and the post-weld heat-treated condition.
It covers gas shielded metal arc welding of non alloy and fine grain steels with a minimum yield strength of up to 500 MPa or a minimum tensile strength of up to 570 MPa. One wire electrode can be tested and classified with different shielding gases.
A combined specification
The document provides a classification in order to designate wire electrodes in terms of their chemical composition and, where required, in terms of the yield strength, tensile strength and elongation of the all-weld metal.
Indeed, this standard, like other international welding consumables standards, is described as a “combined specification”. That’s because it provides for classifications that indicate either the tensile properties or the impact properties of the all-weld metal obtained with a given electrode. This recognizes the two different approaches found in the global market to classifying any given wire electrode and allows for either – or indeed both – to be used.
To that end, clauses and tables that carry the suffix letter “A” apply only to wire electrodes classified to the system based on the yield strength and the average impact energy of 47 J of all-weld metal. Meanwhile clauses and tables that carry the suffix letter “B” apply only to wire electrodes classified to the system based on the tensile strength and the average impact energy of 27 J of all-weld metal. Clauses and tables which have neither the suffix letter “A” nor the suffix letter “B” apply to all wire electrodes classified in accordance with the document.
The meat of the standard then covers systems and requirements for product/process; strength and elongation of all-weld metal; impact properties of all-weld metal; shielding gas; and chemical composition of wire electrodes. The standard then describes three mechanical tests: for preheating and interpass temperatures; welding conditions and pass sequence; and post-weld heat-treated condition.
Revisions after a systematic review
This standard was first published in 2002. It was then revised in 2008 and again in 2011. This 2020 standard revises and replaces the 2011 version.
The text underwent a systematic review that recognized that some updating was required. As a result all the references have been brought up to date. In addition it was felt useful to add a new footnote to Table 3A on the symbols for chemical composition (Classification by yield strength and 47 J impact energy). As well, Table 3B on the symbols for chemical composition (Classification y tensile strength and 27J impact energy) has been amended. Finally, the wording in the section on rounding procedure was not clear enough which has been approved by the latest ISO sub-technical committee for welding consumables. It has therefore been refreshed to bring it into line with the approved wording used elsewhere.
