E7018 or E7014

[StoneCold]

I am working on a small structural project and the welding contractor is looking at using E7014 instead of E7018. I have never used E7014 on anything significant. I know that it makes a very smooth weld but I have to say I am much more comfortable with them using E7018. Am I being overly cautious or should I just go with it?

Thanks

StoneCold

 

[weldtek]

My gut response without having a lot of information pertaining to the proposed application, other than it's a structural job, is, it's probably ok. If you're talking about full penetration welds, I'd probably opt for E7018, but, if you're talking about fillet welds in c.s. structural shapes or plate of a relatively light section thickness, I think it should be fine. It's been a lot of years since I used any E7014, and as you may know, it contains some iron powder which increases the deposition rate and also enables the electrode to carry some additional current. As you said the weld surface is typically fairly smooth, and one other characteristic of this electrode is that it can bridge gaps fairly well. As it's classification indicates it's suitable for out of position welding.

 

[stanweld]

E7014 has poorer radiographic soundness and toughness properties. If the structural design does not require volumetric NDE or toughness properties, E7014 can be used. If the design is in a seismic or low temperature application, E7018 should be used and will be required if design is per AISC.

 

[MetalsInc]

Hmmmm... my post just got deleted. Here it goes again.

The only thing to watch out for is lamellar tearing. The 14 electrode will have much higher hydrogen levels. Depending on your joint configuration and steel properties you could run into this problem. Make sure the advantages of using a 14 are worth it.

I've seen this happen to an entire building during erection. It was not easy, or cheap, to fix.

 

[p3opah]

7014 is the "other than low-hydrogen electrode", and as such can be used only with certain type of steel. See AWS D1.1 page 62, or if u you have steel spec, post it and I will check that for you. One of materials where you can use 7014 is ASTM A 36 (< 3/4 in.{20mm}), ASTM A 53 Grade B,... Hope this will help.