EN 439 STANDARD: WELDING CONSUMABLES SHIELDING

GASES FOR ARC WELDING AND CUTTING

Objective
The objective of the following standard is to classify shield gases from their chemical properties and as a basis to approve of the binary addition materials gases or moistures for shielding. The purity of the gases and the moistures tolerances are also specified.

Nuno T. 47144

Field of applications
Applicable on arc welding and cutting processes, where the utilize gases or gas moistures. Appropriate but not limited only on the following processes: gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc welding, plasma welding, plasma cutting and root gaseous protection.

Table 1 Physical and chemical properties of base gases

Specified for 0C and 1,013 bar (0,101 MPa) Gas Chemical Symbol Density 3 (air=1,293) Kg/m Argon Helium Carbon dioxide Oxigen Nitrogen Hydrogen Ar He CO2 O2 N2 H2 1,784 0,178 1,977 1,429 1,251 0,90 Relative density 1,380 0,138 1,529 1,105 0,968 0,070 Boiling point at 1,013 bar (C) -185,9 -268,9 -78,5 1) -183,0 -195,8 -252,8 Inert Inert Oxidizing Oxidizing 2) Nonreactive reducing Behaviour during welding operations

1) sublimation temperature 2) The behavior of nitrogen varies with the material, in some cases, can be harmful

Shield gases classification

In table 2 the gases and the moistures are classified in groups according to their chemical reaction and composition. The symbols utilized in the group classification are: R (reducing gas moistures), I (inert gases and moistures), M (oxidizing moistures with oxygen, carbon dioxide or both), C (highly oxidizing gases and moistures), F (nonreactive gases or reducing moistures). Some components are not listed on table 2, when these components are added on one of the listed components, the result is called as a special gas moisture and the prefix S is added for the original designation.

Supply forms
Gases are supplied in liquid or gas form, for simple gases or moistures. When the moistures are mixed on the field, from their components, the moisture system should be designed and kept to maintain the gases purity and tolerances specified as referred before.

High pressure containers (bottle):

Except on carbon dioxide, all the gases and moisture, shown on table 2, are found in gas state, supplied in high pressure containers (bottle).

Designation
Gases for protection are called shield gases in the present standard, using the symbols referred as the group and the number of identification, shown on table 2.

Table 2 Shield gases classification for arc welding and cutting

Symbol1) Group Identification number oxidizing CO2 O2 Ar reamain2) reamain2) Volume of percentage of the constituent inert He reducing H2 >0 to 15 >0 to 35 nonreative N2 GTAW, Plasma, root protection Applications Observations

1 2

reducing

1 2 3

100 reamain 100 >0 to 95

GTAW, GMAW, Plasma, root protection

inert

Nuno T. 47144

M1

1 2 3 4

>0 to 5 >0 to 5 >0 to 5 >0 to 3 >0 to 3

reamain2) reamain2) 2) reamain 2) reamain

2)

mildly oxidizing >0 to 5 Sharply oxidizing

M2

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2

>5 to 25 >0 to 5 >5 to 25 >25 to 50 >5 to 50 100 reamain >10 to 15 >8 to 15 >3 to 10 >3 to 10 >3 to 10

reamain reamain 2) 2) reamain reamain 2) reamain 2) reamain reamain 2)

2)

GMAW

M3

>0 to 30 Plasma cutting, proteco de raz

1 2

>0 to 50

100 reamain

nonreactor reducing

1) When the components are not listed on a specified classification on this table, the result is called as an special gas moisture and the prefix S is added for the original designation. Section 4 shows the details relative to the suffix S. 2) Argon can be replaced with by Helium at 95 %. The content of helium is call for an additional number of identification, show on table 3 according to section 4.

Table 3 Identification number for R and M groups with Helium

Identification number (1) (2) (3) Percentage of Helium in volume >0 to 33 >33 to 66 >66 to 95

Moistures and Tolerances

For components at concentrations of 5%, in volume, the allowed margin is kept within 0.5% (in absolute value). For concentrations within 5% to 50%, in volume, the margin is kept within 10% of the specified value (relative value).

Purities and dew point

The minimum purity and the maximum dew point of the supplied gases, in bottles or tanks, can be found on table 4, for each of the classification listed on table 2. The purities and dew points of the special moistures should correspond to the utilized gas or moisture, according on table 4. For welding of some material, e.g. titanium and tantalum, where the utilization of high purity gases is needed, and in these cases, the specifications can be accorded with the supplier. The supply system of the gases to the user should be designed to maintain the purity of the products until further usage.

Table 4 Purity and dew point of gases and moistures

Group1) R I M1 M2 M3 C F Oxigen Hydrogen Minimum purity involume % 99,95 99,99 99,70 99,70 99,70 99,70 99,50 99,50 99,50 Dew point at 1,013 bar (max C) -50 -50 -50 -44 -40 -35 -50 -35 -50 Humidity max. ppm 40 40 40 80 120 200 40 200 40

1) Values for oxygen and hydrogen are also included in this table.