AWS A5.13/A5.13M is the specification for surfacing electrodes for shielded metal arc welding. The first edition was published by American Welding Society (AWS) in 1956. It evolved to two-set series later: A5.13 and A5.21. AWS A5.21 stipulates solid bare electrodes and rods for surfacing, while AWS 5.13 focuses on surfacing electrodes for shielded metal arc welding(SMAW). Revisions 1970, 1980 and 2000 of AWS A5.13 were issued subsequently. The latest edition presented in this article is AWS A5.13/A5.13M: 2010 revision. Surfacing refers to hardfacing or weld overlay on the metal work piece in this context.

The standard specification primarily introduces four groups of surfacing electrodes for SMAW process. It includes:

• Iron Base Surfacing Electrodes: EFe-1, EFe-2, EFe-3, EFe-4, EFe-5, EFe-6, EFe-7, EFeMn-A, EFeMn-B, EFeMn-C, EFeMn-D, EFeMn-E, EFeMn-F, EFeMnCr, EFeCr-A1A, EFeCr-A2, EFeCr-A3, EFeCr-A4, EFeCr-A5, EFeCr-A6, EFeCr-A7, EFeCr-A8, EFeCr-E1, EFeCr-E2, EFeCr-E3, EFeCr-E4.
• Nickel and Cobalt Base Surfacing Electrodes: ECoCr-A, ECoCr-B, ECoCr-C, ECoCr-E, ENiCr-C, ENiCrMo-5A, ENiCrFeCo.
• Copper Base Surfacing Electrodes: ECuAl-A2, ECuAl-B, ECuAl-C, ECuAl-D, ECuAl-E, ECuSi, ECuSn-A, ECuSn-C, ECuNi, ECuNiAl, ECuMnNiAl.
• Tungsten Carbide Surfacing Electrodes: EWCX-12/30, EWCX-20/30, EWCX-30/40, EWCX-40, EWCX40/120.

The standard AWS A5.13/A5.13M:2010 also covers many others aspects: safety and health issues and concerns, units, referenced documents, classification, acceptance, certification, rounding-off procedure, summary of tests, retest, weld test assembly, chemical composition requirements for iron base, nickel & cobalt base, and copper base surfacing electrodes, chemical composition requirements for tungsten carbide granules, mesh size and quantity of tungsten carbide granules, method of manufacture, standard sizes and lengths, core wire and covering, exposed core, electrode identification, packaging, marking of packages, informative Annex A and Annex B.

Click to download the latest 2010 revison in PDF format:
AWS A5.13/A5.13M PDF Part-1
AWS A5.13/A5.13M PDF Part-2
(Note:the literature shall be only used for internal study and communication.)