Shielded Metal Arc Welding

(SMAW)
‡ Arc welding
± Heat for welding generated by electric arc
established between flux-covered consumable
metal rod (electrode) and work
‡ Called stick electrode welding
‡ Combustion and decomposition of electrode
creases gaseous shield (Gases given off)
± Protects electrode tip, weld puddle, arc, and highly
heated work from atmospheric contamination
‡ Additional shielding provided by covering of molten
slag (flux)

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SMAW

American Welding Society

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 SMAW Advantages

‡ Equipment less complex, more portable and

less costly
‡ Can be done indoors or outdoors, in any
location and any position
‡ Electrodes available to match properties and
strength of most base metals
± Not used for welding softer metals

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 SMAW Operating Principles

‡ Sets up electric circuit

± Includes welding machine, work, electric cables,
electrode holder and electrodes, and a work
clamp
‡ Heat of electric arc brings work to be welded
and consumable electrode to molten state
± Heat intense: as high at 9,000ºF at center

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SMAW Operating Principle

American Welding Society

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 Welding Power Sources

‡ Each type of power source has fundamental

electrical differences that best suit particular
processes
‡ Welding machine
± Must meet changing arc load and environmental
conditions instantly
± Must deliver exact amount of electric current
precisely at right time to welding arc
‡ Available in wide variety of types and sizes

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 Four Types of Power Source

‡ Engine-driven generators
± Powered by gas or diesel combustion engine
± Can be found with a.c. or d.c. electric motor
‡ No longer being manufactured and rarely found
‡ Inverters
± Increases frequency of incoming primary power
± Constant current, constant voltage, or both
± Produce a.c. or d.c. welding current

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 Four Types of Power Source

‡ A.C. transformers
± Used to step down a.c. line power voltage to a.c.
welding voltage
‡ Transformer-rectifiers
± Use basic electrical transformer to step down a.c.
line power voltage to a.c. welding voltage
± Welding voltage then passed through rectifier to
convert a.c. output to d.c. welding current
± May be either d.c. or a.c.-d.c. machines

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 ridge Rectifier

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 Output Slope

‡ Two basic types

± Constant current
± Constant voltage

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 Current Controls

‡ Amperage
± Quantity of current (flow)
± Determines amount of heat produced at weld
‡ Voltage
± Measure of force of current (push)
± Determines ability to strike an arc and maintain its
consistency

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 Constant Current
Welding Machines
‡ Used for shielded metal arc welding and gas tungsten
arc welding
± Available in both d.c. and a.c. welding current
± Current remains fairly constant regardless of changes in arc
length
± Total Wattage stays the same
± Voltage drops as amps increase (dropping arc voltage
(DAV) machine)
‡ Enables welder to control welding current in specific
range by changing length of arc

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 Open Circuit and Arc Voltage

‡ Open circuit voltage runs between 50-100 volts (no

welding being done, volts high, no amps)
± Drops to arc voltage when arc struck
‡ Arc voltages (Voltage generated between electrode and work during
welding, voltage lower, amps higher)
± Range: 36 volts (long arc) to 18 volts (short arc)
± Determined by arc length held by welder and type of
electrode used
‡ Arc lengthened, arc voltage increases and current
decreases

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 Polarity

‡ Electrode negative and electrode positive used in d.c.

welding
‡ DCEN (d.c. electrode negative)
± Electrode connected to negative terminal of power source
and work connected to positive terminal (current flows from
neg to pos) flow from electrode to work = more electrode
consumption.
‡ DCEP (d.c. electrode positive)
± Electrode connected to positive terminal of power source
and work connected to negative terminal

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 D.C. Transformer-Rectifier
Welding Machines
‡ Have many designs and purposes
‡ Flexibility one reason for wide acceptance
± Deliver either DCEN or DCEP
‡ May be used for:
± Stick electrode welding
± Gas tungsten arc welding
± Submerged arc welding
± Multi-operator systems
± Stud welding Miller Electric Mfg. Co.
The Lincoln Electric Co.

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 Transformer-Rectifier Machines

‡ Have two basic parts

± Transformer for producing and regulating
alternating current that enters machine
± rectifier that converts a.c. to d.c.
‡ Third important part is ventilating fan
± Keeps rectifier from overheating
‡ Design improves arc stability and makes it easy
to hold short arc which is soft and steady
‡ No major rotating parts so consume little power
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 A.C. Transformer Welding
Machines
‡ Most popular a.c. welding machine
‡ Function of transformer
± Step down high voltage of input current to high
amperage, low voltage current required for welding
‡ Especially suited
for heavy work

Miller Electric Mfg. Co

The Lincoln Electric Co.

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 à

 
 
‡ Reduces tendency to arc blow
‡ Can use larger electrodes
± Resulting in faster speeds on heavy materials
‡ Lower cost
‡ Decreased power consumption
‡ High overall electrical efficiency
‡ Noiseless operation
‡ Reduced maintenance

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 D.C. and A.C.-D.C. Inverter
Welding Machines
‡ Portable, lightweight, and versatile
‡ May be either constant current, constant
voltage or both
‡ Can perform several different processes

Miller electric Mfg. Co.

The Lincoln Electric Co.

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 Duty Cycle

‡ Percentage of any given 10-minute period that

machine can operate at rated current without
overheating or breaking down
± Rating of 100% means machine can be used at
rated amperage on continuous basis
‡ Required by continuous, automatic machine welding
± Rating of 60% means machine can be used at its
capacity 6 out of every 10 minutes without damage
‡ Satisfactory for heavy SMAW and GTAW

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 Twin Carbon Electrode Holder

m    
Two leads are  
 
required because
the arc is created
between the two
electrodes.
 The Lincoln Electric Co.

 
  
   

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 Atomic-Hydrogen Arc
Welding
‡ Process in which electric arc surrounded by
atmosphere of hydrogen
± Gas shields molten metal from oxidation and
contamination from the air
± Transfers heat from electrode to work
± Arc formed between two electrodes
‡ Temperature produced by arc: 7,500ºF
‡ Current supplied by a.c. welding transformer
‡ Hydrogen supplied in cylinders
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Atomic-Hydrogen Electrode
Holder

General Electric Co.

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 Atomic-Hydrogen Arc
Welding
‡ Metal of same analysis as being welded can be
deposited
‡ Welds may be heat treated
± Unusually smooth, ductile, nonporous and free
from impurities
± Surface free from scale
‡ May weld hard-to-weld metals
‡ Advantages: increased production, low
operating cost, and low maintenance cost
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