GMAW · Stainless steel
ER316L
The molybdenum-bearing stainless filler used wherever chlorides or process acids would pit an ordinary 18-8 deposit, matched to the 316 and 316L base metals.
What the designation means
- ER
- Classified as both an electrode and a hand fed filler rod.
- 316
- An austenitic chromium-nickel-molybdenum composition, with molybdenum improving resistance to pitting in chloride environments.
- L
- Controlled low carbon content to limit carbide precipitation.
At a glance
| Process | GMAW |
|---|---|
| Family | Stainless steel |
| Positions | All positions with short circuit or pulsed transfer; spray transfer is flat and horizontal only |
| Polarity | DCEP for wire feed welding; DCEN when used as a hand fed rod |
| Shielding | Argon with a small oxygen or carbon dioxide addition for spray, or a helium bearing tri-mix for short circuit |
| Minimum tensile strength | 70 ksi |
Typical uses
- Chemical and pharmaceutical process piping in 316 stainless
- Marine and coastal equipment exposed to salt
- Heat exchanger and vessel internals requiring pitting resistance
How it runs
- Slightly more sluggish than the 308 family because of the molybdenum
- Low carbon dioxide in the shielding gas protects the low carbon deposit
- Small retained ferrite content resists solidification cracking
- Root passes need a back purge to prevent oxidation of the underside
Storage and handling
Store bagged and clean, away from carbon steel dust and grinding debris that would contaminate the deposit.
Compare with
GMAWER308LThe standard stainless filler for 304 and 304L base metal, with a small amount of retained ferrite in the deposit to guard against solidification cracking.SMAWE316L-16The molybdenum-bearing stainless rod chosen when the service environment contains chlorides or acids that would pit an ordinary 18-8 deposit.GTAWER2209The matching filler for 22 chromium duplex stainless, deliberately over-alloyed in nickel so the deposit does not solidify with too much ferrite.