ESAB
Search icon
  • Log in | Create an account
  • Products & Solutions
    • ESAB Products & Solutions
      ESAB
    • ESAB Product search
      Product search
    • Featured Products and Innovations Featured Products and Innovations
      Featured Products and Innovations Featured Products and Innovations
      • Aluminium MIG Welding Solutions
      • Cobot Welding Solutions
      • The Ultimate Euro Tour
      • Warrior Edge Solutions

    • Accessories and Consumables
      Accessories and Consumables
      • Filler Metal Accessories
      • General Supplies
      • Chemical Aids
      • Drying Ovens
      • MIG Torch Consumables
      • Conductor Tubes / Torch Neck
      • Contact Tips
      • Gas Diffusers
      • Gas Nozzles
      • Liners / Conduits
      • Plasma Accessories
      • PPE / Safety Accessories
      • Welding Equipment Accessories
      • Cable Connectors and Lugs
      • Electrode Holders
      • Ground Clamps
      • Other
      • Welding Cables
    • Carbon Arc Gouging / Exothermic Cutting
      Carbon Arc Gouging / Exothermic Cutting
      • Carbon Arc Gouging Electrodes
      • Carbon Arc Gouging Torches
      • Exothermic Cutting
    • CNC Cutting
      CNC Cutting
      • Controls
      • Cutting Machines
      • Gas Cutting Torches
      • Plasma Systems
      • Process Tools
      • Beveling
      • Drilling
      • Marking and Labeling
      • Pipe Cutting
      • Software
    • Filler Metals
      Filler Metals
      • Aluminum
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Copper
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Hardfacing
      • Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW/MCAW)
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Self-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Strip Cladding (SAW/ESW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
      • Low Alloy
      • Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW/MCAW)
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
      • Mild Steel
      • Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW/MCAW)
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Self-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
      • Nickel
      • Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW/MCAW)
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Strip Cladding (SAW/ESW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
      • Other
      • Repair And Maintenance
      • Stainless Steel
      • Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW/MCAW)
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Strip Cladding (SAW/ESW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
    • Manual Plasma Cutting
      Manual Plasma Cutting
    • PPE / Safety
      PPE / Safety
      • Fume Mitigation
      • Hands and Body
      • Head and Face
    • Robotics
      Robotics
      • Cobots
      • Cobot Equipment
      • Robotic Equipment
      • Robotic Feeders
      • Robotic Power Sources
      • Robotic Torch Cleaning Stations
      • Robotic Torches
      • Software
      • Weld Data Monitoring
    • Torches
      Torches
      • Carbon Arc Gouging Torches
      • MIG Torches
      • Fume Extraction
      • Push Pull
      • Spool Guns
      • Standard
      • Plasma Torches
      • Manual Plasma Torches
      • TIG Torches
      • Air-Cooled
      • Water-Cooled
    • Welding Automation
      Welding Automation
      • Mechanized Welding
      • Submerged Arc Welding
      • Column and Boom Systems
      • Controllers
      • Flux and Wire Systems
      • Gantries
      • Joint Tracking Systems
      • Power Supplies
      • Roller Beds
      • Welding Heads
      • Welding Tractors
      • Weld Data Monitoring
    • Welding Equipment
      Welding Equipment
      • Battery-Powered Welders
      • MIG Welders (GMAW)
      • Multi-Process Welders
      • Software
      • STICK Welders (SMAW)
      • TIG Welders (GTAW)
      • Weld Data Monitoring
      • Wire Feeders
      • MIG Torches
      • TIG torches
    • ESAB
    • Exaton
    • Tweco
    • Arcair
    • Swift-Cut
    • InduSuite
    • Thermal Dynamics
    • Stoody
    • Nuclear Welding Solutions
    • LNG solutions
    • Wind energy
    • Repair and maintenance
    • Petrochemical solutions
    • Mobile machinery solutions
    • Shipbuilding solutions
    • Pipeline solutions
    • All industries
    • Value added engineering
    Contact us

    +39 0331 1021904

    Find a Service Centre Partner login
  • ESAB University
    • ESAB University ESAB University
      ESAB University
    • ESAB Specialty alloys webinars
      ESAB
    • Articles Articles
      Articles
    • Blog Blog
      Blog
    • ESAB ESAB FAQ
      ESAB
    • Videos Videos
      Videos
    • Webinars Webinars
      Webinars
    View all
    • Choosing Welding Consumables Choosing Welding Consumables
    View all
    Contact us

    +39 0331 1021904

    Find a Service Centre Partner login
  • About Us
    • ESAB About Us
      ESAB
    • Careers Careers
      Careers
    • Environment Environment
      Environment
    • Pension Scheme Information Pension Scheme Information
      Pension Scheme Information
    • ESAB History
      ESAB
    • ESAB News
      ESAB
    • ESAB Why choose an ESAB Authorised Distributor
      ESAB
    Corporation Logo Learn More About ESAB Corporation View Investor Relations
    Contact us

    +39 0331 1021904

    Find a Service Centre Partner login
  • Support
    • ESAB Support
      ESAB
    • Manuals Manuals
      Manuals
    • Warranty Warranty
      • Warranty Coverage
      • Terms and Conditions of Sale
      • Register Your Product
    • Certifications and Documents Certifications and Documents
      • Product Certifications
      • Standard Equipment Certificates
      • Documents and Surcharges
      • Welding procedures
      • Product Stewardship Inquiry
      • Safety Data Sheets
    • Tools Tools
      • Smartphone Apps
      • Resources
      • Calculators
    • Product FAQ Product FAQ
      • Documentation
      • Product Support
    • Contact us Contact us
      Contact us
    Contact us Register your product Find a Service Centre
    Contact us

    +39 0331 1021904

    Find a Service Centre Partner login
  • Our Brands
    View all
    • TBi Industries TBi Industries
    • EWAC EWAC
    • Alcotec Alcotec
    • AMI AMI
    • Arcair Arcair
    • Conarco Conarco
    • Condor Condor
    • Cigweld Cigweld
    • Exaton Exaton
    • Filarc Filarc
    • Firepower Firepower
    • Gasarc Gasarc
    • GCE GCE
    • InduSuite InduSuite
    • Losarc Losarc
    • Octopuz Octopuz
    • Soldexa Soldexa
    • Stoody Stoody
    • Swift-Cut Swift-Cut
    • Thermal Dynamics Thermal Dynamics
    • Thermal Dynamics Automation Thermal Dynamics Automation
    • Turbotorch Turbotorch
    • Tweco Tweco
    • Victor Victor
    • Westarco Westarco
    Contact us

    +39 0331 1021904

    Find a Service Centre Partner login
Search icon Search Dealer locator icon Dealer locator Log in Log in
  • Dealer locator
  1. ESAB | Home
  2. | About Us
  3. | News
Search
May 21, 2021

OK 73.15 LOW HYDROGEN MMA ELECTRODES IMPROVED FOR CRITICAL OFFSHORE APPLICATONS

ESAB has introduced an improved version of its OK 73.15 low hydrogen MMA electrode that provides improved weldability, better moisture resistance and low temperature toughness. OK 73.15 is now classified to AWS E8018-C3 H4R, where previously it was classified as AWS 8018-G H4R. This change of classification provides better definition of the weld metal chemistry. It is used for welding high strength steels in critical offshore, bridge, pressure vessels and other structural steel applications.

The C3 designation indicates a weld metal alloyed with 1% Ni. The addition of Ni, in combination with small amounts of Cr, Mo and Mn, provides OK 73.15 with low-temperature impact strength and makes the weld metal more resistant to cracking. C3 electrodes are permitted to be tested in the as-welded condition for classification purposes. Typical as-welded properties for OK 73.15 include a yield strength of 550 MPa, a tensile strength of 600 MPa and an impact value of 70 J at -50 °C. For applications that require stress relief, OK 73.15 may also undergo post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) at 620 °C and retain similar values.

The H4R designation indicates less than 4 ml of diffusible hydrogen per 100 g of deposited weld. Designed for moisture resistances, H4R electrodes also have less than 0.4 percent moisture absorption after 9 hours of exposure at 27 °C and 80% humidity. OK 73.15 is HIC (hydrogen-induced cracking) test compliant as per NACE TM0284 and SSC (sulfide stress cracking) test compliant as per NACE TM0177.

OK 73.15 is available in six different sizes 2.5, 3.2 and 4.0 x 350 mm and 3.2, 4.0 and 5.0 x 450 mm and comes in ESAB’s VacPac™ vacuum-sealed packages. The improved electrode provides excellent weld pool control, minimal spatter level, a good arc strike and easy slag removal. 

“OK 73.15 expands ESAB’s line of low moisture absorption (LMA) EXX18 H4R electrodes for all-position welding in high strength steel applications,” says Jean-Philippe Ernoult, Global Product Manager Non- and Low-Alloyed Electrodes. “These structures operate in harsh environments and weld integrity is crucial for safety and longevity. ESAB designs its electrodes and packaging to specifically meet these demands.”

Packaged for Freshness

VacPac features a laminated, multi-layer aluminium foil that is hermetically sealed around a strong plastic inner box. Protected by a cardboard outer box, they do not require special warehouse conditions, provided they are handled with care and the foil is not damaged. Upon opening, fresh and dry electrodes are guaranteed when the vacuum is confirmed.

“Depending on the diameter, the VacPac contains 0.8 - 2.3 kg of electrodes because the average welder in an industrial operation consumes 2 kg of electrodes per shift,” says Ernoult. “VacPac reduces or eliminates the need to scrap unused electrodes at the end of the day or re-bake them in a electrode oven. VacPac packages are also much easier for operators to carry.”

ESAB United States GR

+39 0331 1021904

Contact us
Dealer locator

Company
  • ESAB Corporate
  • Investor relations
  • Careers
  • Privacy policy
  • Website terms of use
  • Intellectual property terms of use
  • Code of conduct for business partners
  • Supplier Terms and Conditions
  • Supplier Information
Shop by industry
  • Nuclear Welding Solutions
  • LNG solutions
  • Wind energy
  • Repair and maintenance
  • Petrochemical solutions
  • Mobile machinery solutions
  • Shipbuilding solutions
  • Pipeline solutions
  • All industries
Shop by brand
  • ESAB
  • Exaton
  • Tweco
  • Arcair
  • Swift-Cut
  • InduSuite
  • Thermal Dynamics
  • Stoody
  • All brands
Site navigation
  • Products & solutions
  • My ESAB University
  • About us
  • Support
  • Our brands

ESAB Saldatura S.p.A. - Registro delle Imprese di Milano - R.E.A. n. 236795 - P.IVA e C.F. 00775990153 

© 2026 ESAB.

Please login to perform this action.

or

If you don't have an account please register here.