ISO 21952-2025 PDF

Full title and description

Welding consumables — Wire electrodes, wires, rods and deposits for gas shielded arc welding of creep‑resisting steels — Classification. This International Standard defines the classification, designation and basic requirements for wire electrodes, wires and rods used for gas‑shielded metal‑arc welding (GMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) of creep‑resisting steels, and for the properties of their all‑weld‑metal deposits in the as‑welded or post‑weld‑heat‑treated condition.

Abstract

This document provides a combined classification system for welding consumables intended for elevated‑temperature (creep‑resisting) steels. It permits classification either by chemical composition with requirements for yield strength and a specified average impact energy (system A), or by tensile strength of the all‑weld metal together with chemical composition (system B). It also specifies testing and designation rules and allows one consumable to be tested and classified with different shielding gases.

General information

• Status: Published.
• Publication date: February 2025 (Edition 3 — published February 13, 2025 in ISO catalog listings).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO); published as ISO 21952:2025.
• ICS / categories: 25.160.20 (Welding consumables and processes).
• Edition / version: Edition 3 (2025).
• Number of pages: 17 (ISO published text). National/adopted editions (EN, DIN, etc.) may show different formatting/page counts.

Scope

Specifies requirements for the classification of wire electrodes, wires and rods used for gas‑shielded arc welding (GMAW) and tungsten‑inert‑gas welding (GTAW) of creep‑resisting steels and for the properties of the resulting deposits, both in the as‑welded and post‑weld‑heat‑treated conditions. The standard defines two complementary classification systems (system A: composition + yield/impact requirements; system B: tensile strength + composition) and gives rules for designation, testing and marking. It supersedes the previous 2012 edition and has been adopted as a European (EN) variant in 2025.

Key topics and requirements

• Two classification systems: system A (chemical‑composition based with yield strength and average impact energy requirements — 47 J) and system B (tensile strength based plus chemical composition).
• Applicability to gas‑shielded processes: gas‑shielded metal‑arc welding (GMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW).
• Requirements for mechanical properties of all‑weld metal (yield/tensile/impact) and for chemical composition limits of consumables.
• Designation, marking and labelling rules that identify product/process symbols, mechanical property symbols and shielding gas used for qualification.
• Rules for testing deposits in either the as‑welded or post‑weld heat‑treated condition and for acceptance/retest procedures.
• Normative references to relevant test and delivery standards (mechanical and chemical test methods, specimen preparation and reporting conventions).

Typical use and users

Primary users include welding consumable manufacturers (wire and rod producers), welding engineers, procurement and quality teams in industries that use creep‑resisting steels (power‑generation boilers and turbines, petrochemical pressure equipment, high‑temperature piping and vessels), and certification/test laboratories performing all‑weld‑metal qualification. Standards bodies and regulatory authorities also use the standard when harmonizing national specifications.

Related standards

Standards that commonly interact with or complement ISO 21952:2025 include: ISO 14343 (classification of wires/rods for stainless and heat‑resisting steels — 2025), ISO 3580 (covered electrodes for creep‑resisting steels — 2017), ISO 17634 (tubular cored electrodes for GMAW of creep‑resisting steels), ISO 24598 (SAW consumables classification), ISO 14175 (gases and gas mixtures for fusion welding) and ISO 20378 (rods for gas welding of non‑alloy and creep‑resisting steels). These provide aligned classification schemes, test methods and delivery rules used alongside ISO 21952.

Keywords

welding consumables; wire electrodes; welding wires; welding rods; gas‑shielded arc welding; GMAW; GTAW; creep‑resisting steels; classification; all‑weld‑metal; tensile strength; yield strength; impact energy; post‑weld heat treatment.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 21952:2025 is an international standard that classifies wire electrodes, welding wires and rods intended for gas‑shielded arc welding of creep‑resisting steels and specifies designation, testing and basic mechanical/chemical requirements for their all‑weld‑metal deposits.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers classification by two alternative systems (system A — composition plus yield/impact; system B — tensile strength plus composition), applicability to GMAW and GTAW processes, deposit conditions (as‑welded or post‑weld heat treated), testing rules and designation/marking conventions.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Manufacturers of welding wires and rods, welding engineers and designers, QA/QC and procurement personnel in power generation, petrochemical and heavy industries, and testing laboratories that qualify consumables for elevated‑temperature service.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 21952:2025 is the current (third) edition published in 2025 and supersedes the earlier 2012 edition; it has been adopted as an EN/European variant (EN ISO 21952:2025) in the 2025 adoption cycle.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes. ISO 21952 sits within a family of ISO welding‑consumables classification standards for creep‑resisting, stainless and other elevated‑temperature steels (for example ISO 3580, ISO 14343, ISO 17634, ISO 24598 and related test/delivery standards). These standards share parallel classification approaches and complementary test methods.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: welding consumables, wire electrodes, creep‑resisting steels, GMAW, GTAW, classification, all‑weld‑metal, tensile strength, yield strength, impact energy, post‑weld heat treatment.