ER308L STAINLESS STEEL TIG WELDING ROD (1METER )

The ER308L stainless steel TIG welding rod is an austenitic stainless steel filler metal primarily used for TIG (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding or GTAW).

Here is a detailed description:

Classification and Composition
AWS Classification: ER308L (or sometimes ER308/308L)

"L" Designation: The "L" stands for Low Carbon (a maximum of 0.03% carbon content).

Purpose of Low Carbon: The low carbon content is the critical feature. It significantly reduces the possibility of intergranular carbide precipitation during welding, which can lead to a form of corrosion known as "weld decay." This makes the weld metal highly resistant to intergranular corrosion.

Key Alloying Elements (Typical Weld Metal Chemistry):

Chromium (Cr): ∼19.5%−22.0% (Provides corrosion resistance)

Nickel (Ni): ∼9.0%−11.0% (Stabilizes the austenitic structure)

Carbon (C): ≤0.03% maximum

Manganese (Mn): 1.0%−2.5%

Silicon (Si): 0.30%−0.65%

Primary Applications and Base Metals
The ER308L rod is the most popular grade of stainless steel filler metal and is generally used for welding un-stabilized stainless steels of similar composition.

Ideal for Welding: The low carbon version is ideal for welding austenitic stainless steel grades such as:

Type 304 and 304L (the most common)

Type 308 and 308L

Stabilized grades like Type 321 and Type 347

Common Industries/Equipment: It is the go-to choice for applications requiring excellent corrosion resistance, especially in:

Food and beverage equipment (e.g., dairy, brewery, restaurant)

Chemical processing and storage tanks

Pharmaceutical equipment

Pipe and pressure vessel fabrication

General purpose fabrication where corrosion conditions are a moderate concern.

Specialized Use: It is suitable for applications that involve cryogenic temperatures (extremely low temperatures) because the low-carbon austenitic structure maintains good toughness.

General Welding Characteristics
Welding Process: TIG (GTAW), although the same classification of wire is used for MIG (GMAW).

Shielding Gas (TIG): Typically 100% Argon is used for TIG welding.

Weld Properties: It produces strong, ductile, and clean welds with excellent corrosion resistance.

Corrosion Resistance: Good resistance to general corrosion and is specifically designed to resist intergranular corrosion (weld decay) that can occur when the heat-affected zone is exposed to corrosive environments.