AWS A5.9/A5.9M:2017 prescribes requirements for the classification of bare stainless steel wire electrodes (including stranded wire in which all wires in the strand are from one heat), strip electrodes, wires, and rods for gas metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, plasma arc welding, submerged arc welding, electroslag welding, and laser beam welding of stainless and heat resisting steels. The classification of the wire electrodes, strip electrodes, wires, and rods is based upon their chemical composition. The chromium content of these filler metals is not less than 10.5% and the iron content exceeds that of any other element. For purposes of classification, the iron content shall be derived as the balance element when all other elements are considered to be at their minimum specified values.