BRITISH STANDARD BS EN

439:1994

Welding
consumables —
Shielding gases for arc
welding and cutting

The European Standard EN 439:1994 has the status of a

British Standard

UDC 621.791.04-403:621.791.754
BS EN 439:1994

Cooperating organizations

The European Committee for Standardization (CEN), under whose supervision

this European Standard was prepared, comprises the national standards
organizations of the following countries:

Austria Oesterreichisches Normungsinstitut

Belgium Institut belge de normalisation
Denmark Dansk Standard
Finland Suomen Standardisoimisliito, r.y.
France Association française de normalisation
Germany Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V.
Greece Hellenic Organization for Standardization
Iceland Technological Institute of Iceland
Ireland National Standards Authority of Ireland
Italy Ente Nazionale Italiano di Unificazione
Luxembourg Inspection du Travail et des Mines
Netherlands Nederlands Normalisatie-instituut
Norway Norges Standardiseringsforbund
Portugal Instituto Portuguès da Qualidade
Spain Asociación Española de Normalización y Certificación
Sweden Standardiseringskommissionen i Sverige
Switzerland Association suisse de normalisation
United Kingdom British Standards Institution

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the
direction of the Welding
Standards Policy Committee,
was published under the
authority of the Standards
Board and comes into
effect on Amendments issued since publication
15 December 1994
Amd. No. Date Comments
© BSI 02-1999

The following BSI references

relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference WEE/39
Draft for comment 91/70924 DC

ISBN 0 580 23240 9

 BS EN 439:1994

Contents

Page
Cooperating organizations Inside front cover
National foreword ii
Foreword 2
Text of EN 439 3
National annex NA (informative) Committees responsible Inside back cover

© BSI 02-1999 i
BS EN 439:1994

National foreword

This British Standard has been prepared under the direction of the Welding
Standards Policy Committee and is the English language version of EN 439:1994
Welding consumables — Shielding gases for arc welding and cutting, published
by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN).
National annex NA gives the constitution of the committees responsible for UK
participation in the preparation of this standard.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
the EN title page, pages 2 to 6, an inside back cover and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on
the inside front cover.

ii © BSI 02-1999
EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 439
NORME EUROPÉENNE
August l994
EUROPÄISCHE NORM

UDC 621.791.04-403:621.791.754

Descriptors: Welding, arc welding, gas shielded gases, gas mixtures, classifications, designation, chemical properties

English version

Welding consumables
Shielding gases for arc welding and cutting

Produits consommables pour le soudage — Schweißzusätze — Schutzgase zum

Gaz de protection pour le soudage et le Lichtbogenschweißen und Schneiden
coupage à l’arc

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 1994-08-17. CEN members

are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which
stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a
national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the Central Secretariat or to any
CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French,
German). A version in any other language made by translation under the
responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the
Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and
United Kingdom.

CEN
European Committee for Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation
Europäisches Komitee für Normung
Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 36, B-1050 Brussels

© 1994 Copyright reserved to CEN members

Ref. No. EN 439:1994 E
EN 439:1994

Foreword Contents
This European Standard was prepared by the Page
Technical Committee CEN/TC 121, Welding, the Foreword 2
secretariat of which is held by DS.
1 Scope 3
This European Standard shall be given the status of
2 Properties of gases 3
a National Standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by 3 Classification of shielding gases 3
February 1995, and conflicting national standards 4 Designation 3
shall be withdrawn at the latest by February 1995. 5 Tolerances of mixtures 3
According to the Common CEN/CENELEC Internal 6 Purities and dew point 3
Regulations, the following countries are bound to
implement this European Standard. Austria, 7 Forms of supply 3
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, 7.1 Gas cylinders 4
Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, 7.2 Liquid 4
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, 8 Shielding gas identification 4
Switzerland and United Kingdom.
Figure 1 — Cylinder pressure-temperature
diagram for argon (II) at constant cylinder 6
Table 1 — Properties of gases 4
Table 2 — Classification of shielding gases
for are welding and cutting 5
Table 3 — Identification numbers for gases in
groups R and M containing helium 6
Table 4 — Purities and dew points of gases
and gas mixtures 6

2 © BSI 02-1999

1 Scope
This standard is applicable to gas shielded arc
welding and cutting processes with gases and gas
mixtures defined within. Applications include, but
are not limited to:
— tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding;
— metal active gas (MAG) welding;
— metal inert gas (MIG) welding;
— plasma arc welding (PAW);
— plasma arc cutting (PAC);
— back shielding.
The purpose of this standard is to classify shielding
gases in accordance to their chemical properties as
a base for the approval of shielding gas and filler
wire combinations.
Gas purities and mixing tolerances are also
specified.
2 Properties of gases
The physical and chemical properties are listed in
Table 1.
3 Classification of shielding gases
Table 2 classifies into groups the various
component/composition combinations of shielding
gases according to their reaction behaviour.
The symbols used for classification groups are:
— R: reducing gas mixtures;
— I: inert gases and inert mixtures;
— M: oxidizing mixtures containing oxygen,
carbon dioxide or both;
— C: highly oxidizing gas and highly oxidizing
mixtures;
— F: unreactive gas or reducing gas mixtures.
Where components not listed in Table 2 are added to
one of these classifications it is designated as a
special gas mixture and carries the prefix S. Details
of the S designation are given in clause 4.
4 Designation
Shielding gases are designated by the term
“shielding gases”, the number of this standard,
group and identification number according to
Table 2.
Example 1: A gas mixture containing 30 % helium,
and balance argon is designated:
Shielding gas EN 439 — 13
Example 2: A gas mixture containing 10 % carbon
dioxide, 3 % oxygen and balance argon is
designated:
© BSI 02-1999
EN 439:1994
Shielding gas EN 439 — M24
If argon is partly replaced by helium, the helium
content is designated by an additional identification
number, see Table 3. This identification number is
added in brackets as a suffix.
Example 3: A gas mixture M21 containing 25 %
helium is designated:
Shielding gas EN 439 — M21 (1)
Special gases shall be designated by the prefix S
followed by the base gas or mixture symbol as in
Table 2, followed by the percent concentration by
volume and chemical formula of the additional
gases.
S (designation) + % chemical symbol
Example 4: A special gas mixture containing 10 %
carbon dioxide, 3 % oxygen and balance argon,
designation M24, but also containing 2,5 % neon is
designated:
Shielding gas EN 439 — S M24 + 2,5Ne
5 Tolerances of mixtures
For component concentrations up to 5 % by volume
the permissible deviation shall not exceed ± 0,5 %
by volume from the specified value. For component
concentrations of between 5 % by volume and 50 %
by volume the concentration shall not vary by more
than ± 10 % of the specified value.
6 Purities and dew point
The minimum purities and maximum dew points of
gases as delivered in cylinders or insulated tanks,
are specified in Table 4 according to their
classifications in Table 2. Purities and dew points
for special gas mixtures shall correspond to the base
gases or gas mixtures used, as specified in Table 4.
For some materials, e.g. titanium and tantalum,
gases of higher purities may be required and
specifications can be agreed between the user and
the supplier. The user’s gas supply system should be
designed and maintained such that the purity as
delivered is maintained up to the point of use.
7 Forms of supply
Shielding gases are supplied in the gaseous or liquid
state either as single gas or gas mixture.
Where gas mixtures are prepared on site from
individual gases, the mixing system shall be
designed and maintained such that the tolerance
and the purity specified in clauses 5 and 6 can be
achieved and maintained.
3
EN 439:1994

7.1 Gas cylinders In order to produce gas mixtures from liquified

With the exception of carbon dioxide, all the gases gases, the liquids have to be converted to the
and gas mixtures listed in Table 2 are fully in the gaseous state prior to mixing. Argon-oxygen
gaseous state when supplied in gas cylinders. mixtures can also be stored pre-mixed as a liquid
without using a mixer for the supply.
The gas cylinders for the gases listed in Table 2 are
NOTE In plasma arc cutting, gas mixing can take place inside
filled to a stated volume and pressure as indicated the machine from individual gases or gas mixtures.
by the supplier. The actual pressure will vary with
the ambient temperature, e.g. the pressure of 8 Shielding gas identification
argon (I1) will vary as in Figure 1.
The designation of the shielding gas according to
Suitable regulators shall be fitted to the gas cylinder clause 4 has to be provided with or without the term
before use. “shielding gases”.
7.2 Liquid
Liquefied gases will be supplied as low temperature
(cryogenic) liquids in insulated tanks or, in the case
of carbon dioxide, as a liquid at ambient
temperature in gas cylinders. Before use liquified
gases supplies have to be converted into the gaseous
state.
Table 1 — Properties of gases
Type of gas Chemical Specified at 0 °C and 1,013 bar (0,101 MPa) Boiling point Reaction behaviour
symbol at 1,013 bar during welding
Density Relative density
(air = 1,293) to air

kg/m3 °C

Argon Ar 1,784 1,380 – 185,9 Inert

Helium He 0,178 0,138 – 268,9 Inert
Carbon dioxide CO2 1,977 1,529 – 78,5a Oxidizing
Oxygen O2 1,429 1,105 – 183,0 Oxidizing
Nitrogen N2 1,251 0,968 – 195,8 Unreactiveb
Hydrogen H2 0,090 0,070 – 252,8 Reducing
a Sublimation temperature (solid to gas transition temperature).
b
The behaviour of nitrogen varies with different materials. Possible negative influences shall be considered.

4 © BSI 02-1999
 Table 2 — Classification of shielding gases for arc welding and cutting
© BSI 02-1999

Symbola Components in percent volume Typical applications Remarks

Group Identification Oxidizing Inert Reducing Unreactive
No. CO2 O2 Ar He H2 N2
R 1 Balance2 > 0 to 15 TIG plasma arc
)
welding, plasma arc
cutting, back shielding
2 Balance2 > 15 to 35 Reducing
)

I 1 100 MIG, TIG, plasma arc

welding, back shielding
2 100 Inert
3 Balance > to 95
M1 1 > 0 to 5 Balance2 > 0 to 5 Slightly oxidizing
)

2 > 0 to 5 Balance2
)

3 > 0 to 3 Balance2
)

4 > 0 to 5 > 0 to 3 Balance2

)

M2 1 > 5 to 25 Balance2 MAG

)

2 > 3 to 10 Balance2
)

3 > 0 to 5 > 3 to 10 Balance2

)

4 > 5 to 25 > 0 to 8 Balance2

)

M3 1 > 25 to 50 Balance2
)

2 > 10 to 15 Balance2
)

3 > 5 to 50 > 8 to 15 Balance2

)

C 1 100 More pronounced

2 Balance > 0 to 30 oxidation
F 1 100 Plasma arc cutting, Unreactive

EN 439:1994
back shielding
> 0 to 50
2 Balance Reducing
a Where components not listed are added to one of the groups in this table, the gas mixture is designated as special gas mixture and carries the prefix S. Details of the S designation
are given in clause 4.
2)
Argon may be replaced by up to 95 % helium. The helium content is designated by an additional identification number, see clause 4, and is given in Table 3.
5
EN 439:1994

Table 3 — Identification numbers for gases in Table 4 — Purities and dew points of
groups R and M containing helium gases and gas mixtures
Identification number Helium content in volume % Groupa Purity Dew point Moisture
at 1,013 bar
(1) > 0 to 33
% by vol min. °C max. p.p.m. max.
(2) > 33 to 66
R 99,95 – 50 40
(3) > 66 to 95
I 99,99 – 50 40
M1 99,70 – 50 40
M2 99,70 – 44 80
M3 99,70 – 40 120
C 99,70 – 35 200
F 99,50 – 50 40
Oxygen 99,50 – 35 200
Hydrogen 99,50 – 50 40
a
Data for oxygen and hydrogen have been included in this
table.

Figure 1 — Cylinder pressure-temperature diagram for argon (I1)

at constant cylinder content

6 © BSI 02-1999
 BS EN 439:1994

National annex NA (informative)

Committees responsible
The United Kingdom participation in the preparation of this European Standard was entrusted by the
Welding Standards Policy Committee (WEE/-) to Technical Committee WEE/39 upon which the following
bodies were represented:

Aluminium Federation
Associated Offices Technical Committee
Association of Welding Distributors
British Association for Brazing and Soldering
British Compressed Gases Association
British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd.
British Steel Industry
Electricity Association
Engineering Equipment and Materials Users’ Association
Lloyd’s Register of Shipping
Magnesium Industry Council
Power Generation Contractors’ Association [PGCA (BEAMA Ltd.)]
Process Plant Association
Stainless Steel Wire Industry Association
Suffolk Lawn Mowers Ltd.
Welding Institute
Welding Manufacturers’ Association (BEAMA Ltd.)

© BSI 02-1999
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