AWS A5.4 / ASME SFA-5.4 · Stainless stick electrode (SMAW / MMA)

E316L Stainless Steel Electrodes

E316L is a molybdenum-bearing, extra-low-carbon austenitic stainless steel covered electrode classified to AWS A5.4 for shielded metal arc welding of 316 and 316L grade stainless steels, carrying roughly 2 to 3 % molybdenum for resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride-bearing and acidic service, with carbon held to 0.04 % maximum to prevent intergranular corrosion at the weld.

Austenitic stainless steel, 316 / 316L / 18Cr-12Ni-2.5Mo
Stainless stick electrode (SMAW / MMA)
EN ISO 3581-A
5 ESAB grades

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Price on request. POFIS is an ESAB Authorized Distributor & Service Centre in Abu Dhabi — quotations include confirmed lead time and delivery terms.

The designation

What E316L means

E: A covered electrode for shielded metal arc welding (stick or MMA).
316: The weld metal composition: nominally 18–20 % chromium, 11–14 % nickel and — the defining addition — 2 to 3 % molybdenum. It is matched to 316 and 316L parent material.
Mo: Molybdenum is the whole reason 316 exists. Chromium gives general corrosion resistance; molybdenum specifically resists localised pitting and crevice attack by chloride ions. In seawater, produced water, brine and many process acids, that is the difference between a joint that survives and one that perforates.
L: Extra low carbon, 0.04 % maximum against 0.08 % for plain 316. It prevents chromium carbide precipitation at the grain boundaries during welding, which would leave those boundaries chromium-depleted and open to intergranular corrosion.
-15 / -16 / -17: The coating type. -15 is basic, DC+ only, with the toughest weld metal. -16 is rutile, AC or DC, easy to strike and good in position. -17 is rutile with added silica, giving a more fluid slag and a flatter bead. A -26 suffix denotes a high-efficiency iron-powder rutile coating for high deposition rates on flat and horizontal work.

Reading the E316L designation, left to right.

How it behaves

E316L in practice

Why 316L rather than 304L

The two look the same and weld similarly; the difference is 2 to 3 % molybdenum. Chromium forms the passive oxide film that makes steel stainless, but chloride ions attack that film locally, breaking through at a single point and corroding downwards into a pit that can perforate a wall without any general loss of thickness. Molybdenum stabilises the film against exactly that attack. Anywhere seawater, produced water, brine, or chloride-bearing process fluid is involved — and that covers most of what an oil and gas operation handles in this region — the specification will call for 316L, and the consumable must carry the molybdenum too.

A 308L deposit on 316L parent is a hidden defect

This is a common and expensive substitution. An E308L electrode welds 316L perfectly well in mechanical terms: the joint passes a bend test, passes radiography, and looks identical. But the deposit contains no molybdenum, so in chloride service the weld bead pits while the parent plate either side of it does not. The failure appears months or years later, in the one place that is hardest to repair. If the parent is 316 or 316L, the electrode must be 316L — the pitting resistance has to be continuous through the joint.

PREN, and why the weld can be the weak point

Pitting resistance is commonly estimated by the pitting resistance equivalent number, PREN = %Cr + 3.3 × %Mo + 16 × %N. A 316L parent typically sits around 24 to 26. If a weld deposit returns a lower PREN than the parent, the weld becomes the preferential corrosion site regardless of how sound it is. This is why consumable selection in corrosive service is a corrosion decision before it is a welding one, and why substituting a consumable to keep a job moving can be a costly choice.

Heat tint removal is not cosmetic

The straw and blue oxide colours either side of a stainless weld are chromium-depleted scale, and the metal immediately beneath them is depleted too. In chloride service that band corrodes first. Removing it — by pickling, mechanical cleaning with dedicated stainless abrasives, or both, followed by passivation to rebuild the chromium oxide film — is part of making the joint, not a finishing nicety. A 316L weld left with its heat tint on is not performing as 316L.

What POFIS supplies

ESAB E316L grades

Every grade below carries the E316L classification, which is why a WPS naming E316L can be satisfied by any of them. They are not interchangeable in practice — the differences in current type, hydrogen level and impact toughness are what decide which one belongs on your job. Figures are the manufacturer's typical as-welded values.

**E316L grades supplied by POFIS** — typical as-welded properties. Blank cells are values the manufacturer does not publish for that grade, not zeros.
Grade	Classification	Current	Yield	Tensile	Elong.	Impact (lowest published)
OK 63.30 POFIS recommends	E316L-17 (AWS A5.4) E 19 12 3 L R 1 2	DC+, AC	460 MPa	570 MPa	40 %	43 J at −60 °C
OK 63.20	E316L-16 (AWS A5.4) E 19 12 3 L R 1 1	DC+, AC	480 MPa	590 MPa	41 %	46 J at −60 °C
OK 63.34	E316L-16 (AWS A5.4) E 19 12 3 L R 1 1	DC+, AC	440 MPa	600 MPa	40 %	52 J at −20 °C
OK 63.35	E316L-15 (AWS A5.4) E 19 12 3 L B 2 2	DC+	430 MPa	560 MPa	40 %	60 J at −120 °C
OK 63.41	E316L-26 (AWS A5.4) E 19 12 3 L R 5 3	AC, DC+	470 MPa	570 MPa	35 %	52 J at −60 °C

OK 63.30 E316L-17 (AWS A5.4)

The general-purpose choice: fluid slag, flat well-wetted bead, AC or DC, and the widest diameter range here at 1.6 mm to 5.0 mm. For most 316 and 316L plate, vessel and pipework fabrication.

Diameters: 1.6 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 3.2 mm, 4.0 mm, 5.0 mm
Alloy type: Austenitic CrNiMo
Type: Acid rutile coating
Source: ESAB Filler Metal Handbook, page 4-20

OK 63.20 E316L-16 (AWS A5.4)

Designed for thin-walled pipe, all positions including vertical down. The electrode for small-bore 316L pipework where burn-through is the risk.

Diameters: 1.6 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 3.2 mm
Alloy type: Austenitic CrNiMo
Type: Acid rutile coating
Source: ESAB Filler Metal Handbook, page 4-19

OK 63.34 E316L-16 (AWS A5.4)

Formulated specifically for vertical-down welding, producing a very flat bead profile. The purpose-made grade where a procedure calls for downhill progression on 316L.

Diameters: 2.5 mm, 3.2 mm
Alloy type: Austenitic CrNiMo
Type: Acid rutile coating, vertical-down
Source: ESAB Filler Metal Handbook, page 4-22

OK 63.35 E316L-15 (AWS A5.4)

The toughest grade here by a clear margin: 95 J at room temperature, 75 J at −60 °C and 60 J at −120 °C, meeting 0.38 mm minimum lateral expansion down to −120 °C. DC+ only. For procedures with real impact requirements.

Diameters: 2.5 mm, 3.2 mm, 4.0 mm
Alloy type: Austenitic CrNi (handbook as printed — see page note)
Type: Basic coating
Source: ESAB Filler Metal Handbook, page 4-23

OK 63.41 E316L-26 (AWS A5.4)

High-efficiency iron-powder coating for substantially higher deposition per electrode on flat and horizontal work. Not a positional electrode — use it where the job can be set down flat.

Diameters: 2.5 mm, 3.2 mm, 4.0 mm, 5.0 mm
Alloy type: Austenitic CrNi (handbook as printed — see page note)
Type: Acid rutile, high-efficiency iron powder
Source: ESAB Filler Metal Handbook, page 4-24

Diameters are listed from the manufacturer's deposition data. Ordering part numbers and pack sizes are confirmed with your quotation — send the grade and diameters you need to weldiv@pofis.ae.

Specifying

Which E316L grade to specify

For general 316L fabrication

OK 63.30 is the broad-coverage E316L-17: smooth running, flat well-wetted bead, AC or DC, and the widest diameter range of the group from 1.6 mm up to 5.0 mm. For most plate, vessel and pipework fabrication in 316 and 316L this is the electrode to quote.

For thin-walled pipe

OK 63.20 is an E316L-16 designed for thin-wall pipe in 1.6 to 2.5 mm, all positions including vertical down. On small-bore 316L pipework — instrument tubing manifolds, chemical injection lines, utility pipework — it is the electrode that will not burn through.

For vertical-down welding specifically

OK 63.34 is a rutile E316L-16 formulated for vertical-down welding, giving a very flat bead profile. Where a procedure calls for downhill progression on 316L — common on pipework to save time on fill passes — this is the purpose-made grade rather than a general-purpose electrode pushed out of its intended direction.

Where impact toughness is specified

OK 63.35 is the basic-coated E316L-15, and markedly the toughest here: 95 J at room temperature, 75 J at −60 °C and 60 J still at −120 °C, meeting a minimum 0.38 mm lateral expansion down to −120 °C. DC+ only. Specify it where the procedure sets genuine impact requirements, as cryogenic and low-temperature process work usually does.

For high deposition on flat and horizontal work

OK 63.41 is an E316L-26 high-efficiency electrode with an iron-powder coating that puts down substantially more metal per electrode. On long flat fillet and butt runs on heavy 316L section it saves real time. It is not a positional electrode — use it where the work can be set flat or horizontal.

When 316L is not enough

If the chloride level, temperature or chemistry outruns 316L, the next steps are a duplex grade such as 2205 welded with E2209, which brings both higher strength and much higher pitting resistance, or a super duplex or nickel alloy for the most aggressive service. Send POFIS the service conditions and we will confirm whether 316L is the right answer before you commit to a procedure.

Storage & handling

Storing and handling E316L consumables

Keep basic-coated electrodes dry

OK 63.35 has a basic coating and absorbs moisture in the same way a carbon steel basic electrode does. Keep it sealed until use and in a holding oven once opened. ESAB packs smaller-diameter high-alloy electrodes in Mini VacPac for this reason.

Carbon steel contamination defeats the alloy

Iron particles picked up from a shared grinding disc, wire brush or workbench will rust on the surface and initiate pitting underneath, in a material chosen specifically for its pitting resistance. Dedicate abrasives and brushes to stainless, keep the fabrication area separate, and pickle and passivate before the item enters service.

Frequently asked

E316L — common questions

What does E316L mean?

E is a covered stick electrode; 316 is the weld metal composition, nominally 18–20 % chromium, 11–14 % nickel and 2–3 % molybdenum, matched to 316 and 316L stainless steel; and L means extra low carbon at 0.04 % maximum. The molybdenum gives resistance to chloride pitting and crevice corrosion, and the low carbon prevents intergranular corrosion at the weld.

What is the difference between E308L and E316L?

Molybdenum. E316L contains 2 to 3 %; E308L contains none. That molybdenum is what resists pitting and crevice corrosion from chlorides, so in seawater, produced water, brine or acidic service a 316L joint survives where a 308L one pits. Mechanically they are very similar, which is exactly why substituting one for the other is a mistake that does not show up until the plant is running.

Can I use E308L to weld 316L stainless steel?

Mechanically it will pass; in corrosive service it is a hidden defect. The weld deposit would have no molybdenum, so the bead pits while the 316L parent either side of it does not — and the failure appears in the least accessible part of the joint, often years later. If the parent is 316 or 316L, use E316L. The pitting resistance has to be continuous through the joint.

What is the difference between E316L-15, -16, -17 and -26?

The coating. -15 is basic, DC+ only, with the toughest weld metal and the harshest arc. -16 is rutile, AC or DC, easy to strike and good in position. -17 is rutile with added silica for a more fluid slag and a flatter bead. -26 is a high-efficiency iron-powder rutile coating that deposits far more metal per electrode but is limited to flat and horizontal work.

What is PREN and why does it matter for welding?

PREN is the pitting resistance equivalent number, calculated as %Cr + 3.3 × %Mo + 16 × %N, and it estimates how well an alloy resists chloride pitting. A 316L parent typically sits around 24 to 26. If the weld deposit has a lower PREN than the parent, the weld becomes the first place to corrode no matter how sound the joint is — which is why consumable selection in corrosive service is a corrosion decision before it is a welding one.

Do I need to pickle and passivate a 316L weld?

In corrosive service, yes. The straw and blue heat tint either side of the weld is chromium-depleted scale with chromium-depleted metal beneath it, and in chloride service that band corrodes first. Pickling removes it and passivation rebuilds the chromium oxide film. A 316L weld left with its heat tint intact is not performing as 316L. POFIS supplies the pickling and passivation chemistry as well as the electrodes.

Where can I buy E316L electrodes in Abu Dhabi?

POFIS supplies the full ESAB OK stainless electrode range from Abu Dhabi across the UAE and the wider GCC, as an ESAB Authorized Distributor and Service Centre, approved ADNOC vendor and ISO 9001 certified supplier. Tell us the diameter, position and any impact requirement and we will confirm the grade before quoting. Email weldiv@pofis.ae.

Procurement & supply

Buying the E316L consumables through POFIS

The E316L consumables is supplied from Abu Dhabi by Perfect Oilfield & Industrial Supply LLC as an ESAB Authorized Distributor and Service Centre. The information below covers what procurement and QA/QC departments normally need before raising a purchase order.

Lead time

Stock items dispatch from Abu Dhabi within 24–48 hours. Indent items are quoted with a confirmed lead time at the time of offer.

Approved vendor status

POFIS is an approved ADNOC vendor and is listed on the approved vendor lists (AVL) of major operators and EPC contractors across the GCC. We can complete supplier registration and prequalification documentation on request.

Payment terms

Standard credit terms are available to registered corporate accounts. LPO, LC and advance payment are all accepted.

Delivery terms

Delivery across the UAE and the wider GCC. Quotations can be issued on EXW, FOB, CIF or DDP terms to suit your project.

Warranty

Full manufacturer warranty, honoured locally. As an ESAB Authorized Service Centre we carry out warranty work and repairs in Abu Dhabi rather than returning equipment abroad.

Service & spares

In-UAE service, commissioning, operator training and spare parts backing for every machine we supply.

ISO 9001 Certified
Approved ADNOC Vendor
ESAB Authorized Distributor & Service Centre

Price on request

Request a quotation for the E316L filler metals

Send the form and the POFIS welding division replies with pricing, confirmed lead time, delivery terms and availability. Tell us who you are and what the job is, so the reply can be specific to it rather than a catalogue price list.

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