SMAW · Stainless steel
E347-16
A stabilised stainless rod that keeps its corrosion resistance even after long exposure in the carbide precipitation range, which low carbon grades alone cannot always do.
What the designation means
- E
- Covered electrode for shielded metal arc welding.
- 347
- An 18-8 austenitic deposit stabilised with niobium, which ties up carbon before it can form chromium carbides.
- -16
- Titania bearing covering, run on alternating current or direct current electrode positive.
At a glance
| Process | SMAW |
|---|---|
| Family | Stainless steel |
| Positions | All positions |
| Polarity | DCEP, or AC |
| Shielding | Self-shielded by the covering |
| Minimum tensile strength | 75 ksi |
Typical uses
- Welds on 321 and 347 stabilised stainless piping and vessels
- Equipment that will spend service time in the sensitisation temperature range
- High temperature process lines where a stabilised deposit is specified
How it runs
- Niobium stabilisation resists intergranular attack after elevated temperature exposure
- Slightly more fluid than a plain 308 deposit at the same current
- Dense slag that releases well after the bead contracts
- Bright bead face that darkens as heat input increases
Storage and handling
Keep sealed and warm; stainless coverings that pick up moisture produce porosity and an unstable arc.
Compare with
SMAWE308L-16The default stainless rod for welding the common 18-8 grades, giving a low carbon austenitic deposit with enough ferrite to resist hot cracking.GTAWER347The stabilised stainless torch rod, used on 321 and 347 base metals and wherever the joint will spend service time in the carbide precipitation range.SMAWE316L-16The molybdenum-bearing stainless rod chosen when the service environment contains chlorides or acids that would pit an ordinary 18-8 deposit.