This guide for welding austenitic stainless steel pipe is primarily for the welding of piping systems used for the distribution of fluids and gases, where smooth continuous flow of product is the desired result. It is written for welders, engineers, and management to provide the essential knowledge for successful welding of these materials using manual, semiautomatic, automated, mechanized, and orbital welding techniques and processes.

Austenitic, superaustenitic, and high carbon stainless steels are readily weldable when the proper procedures and techniques are followed. They can be joined by most of the fusion welding processes, and good pipe welders can adapt very quickly from carbon steel or low-alloy steel to stainless steel. Orbital pipe welding is also adaptable to these materials and is commonly used for high quality repeatable welds in critical applications.

This guide can be used by any competent pipe welder in any good shop or field site. Reasonable care is required, as in any pipe welding operation; however, careful adherence to the welding procedure requirements will usually produce excellent welds in stainless steel piping and tubing.

Although this guide is not written with mandatory requirements, mandatory language, such as the use of “shall,” will be found in those portions of the document where failure to follow the instructions or procedures could produce inferior, misleading, or unsafe results.