Lincoln Electric is an American multinational and a global manufacturer of welding products, arc welding equipment, welding consumables, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting equipment and robotic welding systems. The company is headquartered in Euclid, Ohio and has been in business for over 100 years.
Lincoln Electric manufactures a wide range of welding wire electrodes and rods which come in various colors for identification purposes. Each type and color of electrode serves a specific purpose for different welding applications and joint positions.
Lincoln Electric Standard Color Codes
Lincoln Electric follows standard AWS (American Welding Society) color codes for most of its filler metals to help users easily identify and select the right electrode. Some of the common Lincoln electrode colors and their meaning are:
- White – Mostly for joining carbon steels
- Yellow – For structural and hardenable low alloy steels
- Red – Indicates high yield and tensile strength structural steels
- Blue – For low alloy and stainless steels
- Orange – Primarily for mild and low alloy steels
- Green – Used for hardfacing operations
- Black – A general purpose electrode for carbon steels
- Gray – Used for hardfacing and surfacing applications
However, over the years Lincoln Electric has developed its own distinct reddish-orange color known as Lincoln Red or Lincoln Electric Red that sets their electrodes apart.
Lincoln Electric Red Color Code
The exact Lincoln Electric red color code is:
- Hex Triplet: #C8102E
- RGB: (200, 16, 46)
- CMYK: 0, 92, 77, 22
- Pantone: 186 C
This is the standard shade of red used by Lincoln Electric for most of their stick electrodes, MIG wires, TIG rods, and other filler metals. It is a distinctive dark red color that is darker and more vibrant than basic red.
Significance of Lincoln Electric Red
The main purpose of the unique Lincoln red color is brand recognition. Over the past few decades, Lincoln Electric has built the red color into their identity and made it synonymous with their name.
For welders and metal fabricators, the sight of Lincoln red electrodes lining the shelves immediately associates with strength and reliability. It differentiates their product quality from competing brands. The bold red color attracts attention and makes Lincoln electrodes stand out.
The Lincoln Electric red shade is used on the entire Lincoln line of stick electrodes which include Fleetweld®, Handy®, Jetweld®, Pipeliner®, and Squarewave®. It covers their extensive MIG wire varieties like SuperArc®, UltraCore®, and Outershield®. Lincoln TIG rods, submerged arc fluxes, and self-shielded wires also sport the iconic red color.
Advantages of Color Coding Filler Metals
Using distinct colors like Lincoln red for welding wires and rods has several benefits:
- Easy electrode selection – Helps identify intended use and properties at a glance
- Avoid errors – Reduces mixups between wires and prevents mistaken polarity
- Increase productivity – Users can grab the right filler faster for the application
- Safety – Proper electrode selection is crucial for safe welding
- Brand recognition – Builds brand identity and loyalty for the manufacturer
Lincoln Electric Red vs. AWS Red
Both Lincoln Electric red and AWS standard red denote high strength, high yield filler metals but they differ slightly in shade and uses.
| Properties | Lincoln Electric Red | AWS A5.1 Red |
|---|---|---|
| Hex Triplet | #C8102E | #FF0000 |
| Shade | Dark red | Bright red |
| Used for | Most Lincoln products | Select AWS classified electrodes |
So Lincoln red is darker and proprietary for their electrodes while AWS red is generic to only certain high strength steel filler wires.
Lincoln Electric Red Electrode Series
Some of the more popular Lincoln Electric red electrode types belonging to the Fleetweld® and Excalibur® series include:
Fleetweld 180
Fleetweld® 180 is an all-position AC stick electrode for single pass, high speed welding of mild and low alloy steels with minimum porosity and spatter.
Fleetweld 5P+
A specialty electrode for fast fill and cap passes on groove welds in structural steel joints. The digging arc promotes good tie-in resulting in smooth, uniform weld beads.
Excalibur 7018 MR
Excalibur® 7018 MR is a low hydrogen, iron powder electrode designed for welding A572 and A588 high strength steel in the flat and horizontal positions. It produces high quality X-ray quality welds.
Lincoln Electric Red MIG Wires
Lincoln Electric uses the red shade on popular MIG wire brands like SuperArc® and UltraCore® for GMAW welding on steels. Some examples are:
SuperArc L-56
A high deposition metal cored wire for single pass welding of mild steel plates. It has excellent weldability with minimal spatter loss.
UltraCore 70C-6
UltraCore® 70C-6 is a gas-shielded flux-cored wire ideal for robotic or hard automation welding of flat or horizontal multi-pass fillet and butt welds in heavy steel fabrications.
UltraCore 71A85
UltraCore® 71A85 is a high Ni, Cr-Mo, gas-shielded flux-cored wire designed for single pass welding of dissimilar joints between stainless and mild steels. It resists cracking from thermal stresses.
Conclusion
Lincoln Electric Red with its signature dark red shade is a brand identity linking all Lincoln welding consumables. The red color coded electrodes and wires denote high strength, high quality filler metals for high performance welds.
Lincoln Electric standardized the red shade for easy identification and selection of the right electrode or wire for the steel type and welding application. This unique color coding system has helped Lincoln Electric become the most trusted and recognizable brand in welding.
