Consumeables Catalog - Lincoln Electric

APPENDIX
Agency Approvals
Consumables Qualifications Guide
The notes and codes listed below are also repeated throughout the catalog where applicable.
• American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) approvals are issued subject to the Bureau’s Rule requirement
for Materials and Welding Part 2. Tests are conducted in the company’s plant, under supervision of an
ABS surveyor to determine if electrodes conform to ABS grades or AWS specifications previously judged
satisfactory by ABS for welding vessels. The Bureau publishes a list of approved electrodes giving
their class and approved operating positions for each size. Sometimes, where there is no approved
specification, approval may be given on the basis that each individual shipyard or contractor will
qualify the procedure and electrode subject to Part 2, Section 3, paragraph 2/3C.3.2.c.
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has issued specifications covering construction
of nuclear facilities. Each lot of welding consumables to be used must be individually tested to ASME
SFA specifications.
• American Welding Society (AWS) specifications and classifications are established by the Society
to provide standards for different types of electrodes throughout the industry. AWS does not test or
approve any electrodes. The manufacturer certifies that their electrode conforms to a certain class.
• Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) approvals are based on tests witnessed by a CWB representative.
Approvals listed in this booklet are for products manufactured in the USA. Products manufactured in
Canada are approved separately. In general, CWB specifications are similar to AWS specifications.
Copies of approvals are maintained in Cleveland and are available upon request.
• Lloyd’s Register (LR), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Germanischer Lloyd (GL), Bureau Veritas (BV),
Controlas, and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (NKK) issue approvals for electrodes used worldwide in
shipbuilding, offshore structures and pressure vessels. Products approved under the rules of these
classification societies require annual requalification under the supervision of their surveyors.
• TÜV (TUV) is a German agency very similar to ASME. Projects manufactured under TUV rules must be
welded with consumable approved by TUV. Initial approvals are obtained based on testing completed
under TUV supervision. Approvals are maintained subject to Quality Assurance audits completed every
two years.
• Deutche Bahn (DB) is the approval agency for German railroads. Approvals are based on tests
specified by DB, and witnessed by an authorized third party.
WELDING CONSUMABLES CATALOG ı 391