Overview
EN ISO 9539:2010/A1:2013 is an amendment to EN ISO 9539:2010 published by CEN and ISO/TC 44 (Welding and allied processes). It specifies material requirements for equipment used in gas welding, cutting and allied processes, with a focus on the solvent resistance and conditioning procedures for non-metallic components such as seals and lubricants.
This amendment clarifies test procedures and updates references (including the title of ISO 1817) to ensure consistent interpretation across national standards.
Key Topics
- Material resistance requirements: Non-metallic materials that may contact welding gases must be resistant to specified solvents relevant to the gas type.
- Specific solvent pairing:
- Materials contacting acetylene shall be adequately resistant to acetone and dimethylformamide (DMF).
- Materials contacting propane, butane and methylacetylene–propadiene mixtures shall be adequately resistant to n‑pentane.
- Definition of "adequate resistance": The amendment defines quantitative acceptance criteria based on change in mass and hardness after a specified conditioning sequence.
- Conditioning and measurement procedure: The amendment removes ambiguity by specifying a single measurement after the final conditioning step (step c) and references ISO 1817 for measurement methods.
Practical requirements (as amended)
- Conditioning sequence for non-metallic test specimens:
- (168 ± 2) h in an atmosphere saturated with the specified solvent at (23 ± 2) °C;
- subsequent period in air for (70 ± 2) h at (40 ± 2) °C;
- subsequent period (24 ± 2) h at standard atmosphere 23/50 as specified in ISO 554.
- Measurements of change in mass and hardness shall be carried out after test step c in accordance with ISO 1817.
- Acceptance limits: change in mass shall not exceed ±15 % and change in hardness shall not exceed ±15 IRHD.
Applications
This amendment is directly relevant to:
- Manufacturers of gas welding and cutting equipment (seals, hoses, valves, lubricants).
- Design and quality engineers responsible for material selection and type testing.
- Safety assessors and conformity assessment bodies verifying compatibility of materials with specific gases.
Benefits include improved safety, reduced risk of material failure in service, and harmonized test interpretation for regulatory and procurement processes.
Related Standards
- ISO 1817 - referenced for the determination of the effect of liquids on rubber (title updated in the amendment).
- ISO 554 - referenced for the standard atmosphere 23/50 conditioning.
For authoritative application and official interpretations, consult the full EN ISO 9539:2010/A1:2013 text and liaison with your national standards body or ISO/TC 44/SC 8 secretariat.
