MMA Electrode Classification

Some rods perform best when used downhand. Some also perform well out of position ie vertical
upwards, overhead, vertical downwards, horizontal. The AWS classification (ie E6013 or E7018)
doesn't really cater for this, however, the ISO standard does. This page decodes the classification
used for the more common rod types.

AWS Standard
Rods are commonly known by their AWS (American Welding Society) name, so it's a useful
standard to decode. We'll use E7018 rods as an example:

Electrode
E
E just means the electrode is for MMA welding and has a flux coating.

Tensile Strength (in ksi)

70
The minimum tensile strength measured in kilo-pounds(force) per square inch. In our
example 70ksi would be 70,000psi pounds(force) per square inch, or 480N/mm2.

Welding Positions
1 1 All Positions
2 Flat and horizontal positions

Flux Coating and Current

Note the last 2 digits are used together to describe the flux coating.

0 High cellulose sodium (Cellulosic) DC+

8 1 High cellulose potassium AC or DC+ or DC-
2 High titania sodium (Rutile) AC or DC-
3 High titania potassium (Rutile) AC or DC+
4 Iron powder titania (Rutile) AC or DC- or DC+
5 Low hydrogen sodium DC+
 6 Low hydrogen potassium (Basic) AC or DC+
7 Iron powder iron oxide AC or DC+ or DC-
8 Iron powder low hydrogen (Basic) AC or DC+

If the second last number (representing the welding position is 2 the classification changes
a little. From the last 2 digits:

20 High iron oxide AC or DC+ or DC-

22 High iron oxide AC or DC-

1SO 2560 Standard

The European coding system has recently been amended and is now an International Standard
1SO 2560 which is basically the same as EN499.

The ISO standard gives you more information especially the last two digits signifying the
operation characteristics. But it doesn't roll off the tongue quite so easily as the AWS
classification.

In the ISO standard E7018 rods are known as E46 4 B 32 H5

Electrode
E
E just means the electrode is for MMA welding and has a flux coating.

46 Yield Strength (in N/mm2)

Multiply this number by 10 for the minimum yield strength in N/mm2. In our example 46
will represent a minimum yield strength of 460N/mm2

This is not directly equivalent to the tensile strength in the AWS standard. Yield Strength is
where the metal starts to deform plastically (when it doesn't spring back to it's original form
after the load is released). Tensile Strength is when the metal breaks.

Yield Strength (N/mm2) Tensile Strength (N/mm2)

 35 >355 440-570

38 >380 470-600

42 >420 500-640

46 >460 530-680

50 >500 560-720

Minimum Impact Temperature at 46J

This represents the temperature at which the weld material becomes brittle.
4
A +20C 4 -40C
O 0C 5 -50C
2 -20C 6 -60C