16 Welding Technology and Design

because the level of deoxidising agents like Al, Ti will be more in the former case,
which may promote bainitic structure in the weld affecting its toughness. Self
shielding wires are widely used in hardfacing.
AWS classification of Flux cored wires (AWS A5.20-1979) for welding C-Mn
steel gives the designated figures as
E x x T – for example E 6 O T – 8
The first letter E designates electrode wire. The second letter 6 indicates the
tensile strength in ksi. In the example its value is 420 MPa. The third letter indicates
primary welding position. e.g., O- flat and horizontal and 1 is for all positions. In
the example it is flat and horizontal position. T stands for flux core wire and the
last figure indicates the weldability and performance capability. In the present
example it shows the high crack resistance and good notch toughness at – 15°C.
The AWS specifications of the core wire are
AWS A5.20 1979 Carbon steel electrodes for flux cored arc welding.
AWS A 5.22 1980 Flux cored chromium and chromium-nickel steel
electrodes
AWS A 5.29 1980 Low alloy steel electrodes for flux-cored arc welding.
In general, increasing the welding current will increase weld deposit rate and
penetration. Low currents will produce large droplet transfer and spatter. Similarly,
increase in arc voltage will result in spatter and a wide weld bead of irregular
profile. With self shielded electrodes this will result in excessive nitrogen pick-up.
Low voltage will give shallow penetration. The electrode extension must be kept
at optimum length, otherwise unsteady arc and spatter will occur. Similarly low
welding speed will cause overheat of the base metal and will give rise to burn-
through problems in thinner plates. Too high a speed will affect the bead profile
and penetration. The electrode angle to the vertical (drag angle) should be between
5° - 15° in gas shielded method and 20° - 45° for self shield method. FCAW is
used extensivly for large scale hardfacing through automatic processes.
The main advantages of self shielded flux cored arc welding can be summarized
as follows:
(a) The deposition rate is around four times higher than that of stick electrode
welding.
(b) It produces crack free welds in medium carbon steels, using normal welding
procedures.
(c) Mechanised welding is made easy.
(d) It eliminates stub losses and the time required for electrode changes.
(e) The process is adaptable to a variety of products.
1.2.2.2 Gas shielded arc welding
MIG and TIG
In gas shielded arc welding both the arc and the molten weld pool are shielded
from the atmosphere by a stream of gas. The arc may be produced between a
continuously fed wire and the work. This is known as metal inert gas (MIG) welding.