ASME Definitions, Consumables, Welding Positions
  • ASME P Material Numbers Explained

  • ASME has adopted their own designation for welding processes, which are very different from the ISO definitions adopted by EN24063.
     
    Designation Description
    OFW Oxyfuel Gas Welding
    SMAW  Shielded Metal Arc Welding (MMA)
    SAW Submerged Arc Welding
    GMAW Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG/MAG)
    FCAW  Flux Cored Wire 
    GTAW Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG)
    PAW Plasma Arc Welding

    Straight polarity = Electrode -ve

    Reverse polarity = Electrode +ve
     

    ASME F Numbers 
     
    F Number General Description
    1 Heavy rutile coated iron powder electrodes :- A5.1 : E7024
    2 Most Rutile consumables such as :- A5.1 : E6013
    3 Cellulosic electrodes such as :- A5.1 : E6011
    4 Basic coated electrodes such as : A5.1 : E7016 and E7018
    5 High alloy austenitic stainless steel and duplex :- A5.4 : E316L-16
    6 Any steel solid or cored wire (with flux or metal)
    2X Aluminium and its alloys
    3X Copper and its alloys
    4X Nickel alloys
    5X Titanium
    6X Zirconium
    7X Hard Facing Overlay
    Note:- X represents any number 0 to 9 

    ASME A Numbers 
    These refer to the chemical analysis of the deposited weld and not the parent material.  They only apply to welding procedures in steel materials.
     
    A1 Plain unalloyed carbon manganese steels.
    A2 to A4 Low alloy steels containing Moly and Chrome Moly
    A8 Austenitic stainless steels such as type 316.

    ASME Welding Positions   Graphic Representation

    Note the welding progression, (vertically upwards or downwards), must always be stated and it is an essential variable for both procedures and performance qualifications. 

    Welding Positions For Groove welds:-
    Welding Position Test Position ISO and  EN
    Flat 1G  PA
    Horizontal 2G PC
    Vertical Upwards Progression 3G PF
    Vertical Downwards Progression 3G PG
    Overhead 4G PE
    Pipe Fixed Horizontal 5G PF
    Pipe Fixed @ 45 degrees Upwards 6G HL045
    Pipe Fixed @ 45 degrees Downwards 6G JL045

     Welding Positions For Fillet welds:-
    Welding Position Test Position ISO and  EN
    Flat (Weld flat joint at 45 degrees) 1F PA
    Horizontal  2F PB
    Horizontal Rotated 2FR PB
    Vertical Upwards Progression 3F PF
    Vertical Downwards Progression 3F PG
    Overhead 4F PD
    Pipe Fixed Horizontal 5F PF

    Welding Positions QW431.1 and QW461.2
    Basically there are three inclinations involved.

    • Flat, which includes from 0 to 15 degrees inclination
    • 15 - 80 degrees inclination
    • Vertical, 80 - 90 degrees
    For each of these inclinations the weld can be rotated from the flat position to Horizontal to overhead. 

    Page last updated 19 March 2001