3.

Submerged Arc Welding 35

2005
During manufacture of agglomerated weld
fluxes the raw materials are very finely
ground, Figure 3.7. After weighing and with
the aid of a suitable binding agent (water-
glass) a pre-stage granulate is produced in the
mixer.
Manufacture of the granulate is finished on a
rotary dish granulator where the individual
grains are rolled up to their desired size and
consolidate. Water evaporation in the drying
oven hardens the grains. In the annealing fur-
nace the remaining water is subsequently re-
moved at temperatures of between 500C and
900C, depending on the type of flux.

The fused welding fluxes are characterised by
high homogeneity, low sensitivity to moisture,
good storing properties and high abrasion re-
sistance. An important advantage of the agglomerated fluxes is the relatively low manufactur-
ing temperature, Figure 3.8. The technological properties of the welded joint can be improved
by the addition of temperature-sensitive deoxidation and alloying constituents to the flux. Ag-
glomerated fluxes have, in
general, a lower bulk weight
(lower consumption) which
allows the use of compo-
nents which are reacting
among themselves during
the melting process. How-
ever, the higher susceptibil-
ity to moisture during stor-
age andprocessing has to
be taken intoconsideration.
Different Welding Flux Types
According to DIN EN 760
br-er3-09e.cdr
MS
CS
ZS
RS
AR
AB
AS
AF
FB
Z
MnO + SiO
CaO
2 min. 50%
max. 15%
manganese-silicate
CaO + MgO + SiO
CaO + MgO
2 min. 55%
min.15%
calcium-silicate
ZrO + SiO + MnO
ZrO
2 2
2
min. 45%
min. 15%
zirconium-silicate
TiO + SiO
TiO
2 2
2
min. 50%
min. 20%
rutile-silicate
Al O + TiO 2 3 2 min. 40% aluminate-rutilel
Al O + CaO + MgO
Al O
CaF
2 3
2 3
2
Al O + SiO + ZrO
CaF + MgO
ZrO
2 3 2 2
2
2
Al O + CaF 2 3 2
CaO + MgO + CaF + Mo
SiO
CaF
2
2
2
min. 40%
min. 20%
max. 22%
aluminate-basic
min. 40%
min. 30%
min. 5%
aluminate-silicate
min. 70% aluminate-fluoride-basic
min. 50%
max. 20%
min. 15%
fluoride-basic
other compositions
Figure 3.9
ISF 2002
Properties of Fused and
Agglomerated Welding Fluxes
br-er3-08e.cdr
Properties
uniformity of grain
size distribution
grain strength
homogeneity
susceptibility
to moisture
storing properties
resistance to dirt
current carrying capacity
slag removability
high-speed welding
properties
multiple-wire weldability
flux consumption
1)
assessment : -- bad, - moderate, + good, ++ very good
2)
core agglomerated flux
Fused fluxes
1) Agglomerated
fluxes
1)
+/++
+/++
+/++
+/++
+/++
+/++
-/++
-/+
-/++
-/++
-/++
-- /++
2)
+/++
+/++
+/++
+/++
+/++
--/+
-/+
-/+
-/++
+/++
Figure 3.8