Workshop

Recommendations
This leaflet contains general suggestions and calculation models. SSAB does hereby ex-
pressly exclude any liability whatsoever for their suitability for individual applications. It is the
responsibilty of the user of the manual to adapt the recommendations contained herein to
the requirements of individual applications.

Project manager marketing Johan Lundin, Technical advisors Mikael Ringholm, Per Hansson
WELDING RECOMMENDATIONS
SSAB manufactures protection plate with lean chemical compositions which simplify welding. Armox plates
should be welded with a consumable which produces a low hydrogen content in the weld metal. Good results
require that hydrogen, which can induce cold cracking, is kept away from the weld area. Armox plates can be
welded by any conventional welding method. All Armox grades can be welded to other weldable steel.

EDGE PREPARATION The temperature should be maintained throughout the entire

A good fit between the work pieces is essential to minimize weld operation, tack welding and root passes included.
stresses and thereby the risk of cracking. All types of impuri-
ties on and near the edges, such as mill scale, rust, oil, paint Armox plates have been developed to have as low carbon
and moisture, should be removed before welding. equivalent as possible without loss in hardness, strength and
ballistic properties. Typical carbon equivalents are shown in
the table below.
TACK WELDING
During tack welding the cooling rate is more rapid which
increases the risk of cold cracking. In areas of high restraint the Steel grade Thickness range Carbon equivalent1
minimum length of each tack weld should be 50 mm to prevent
hydrogen cracking. Armox 370T 3–150 mm 0.67–0.75 2
CL1 & CL2
Armox 440T 4–30 mm 0.68–0.72
PREHEAT TEMPERARATURES
If austenitic consumables are used, the plate should be welded Armox 500T 3–115 mm 0.67–0.75 2
at least at room temperature (18–25°C). But when welding Armox 600T 4–20 mm 0.85 2
plates thicker than 30 mm, in combination with high levels of
Armox Advance 5–7 mm 0.95
restraint, preheating is recommended.
1) Carbon equivalent (CEV)
C + Mn + Cr + Mo + V + Cu + Ni
If unalloyed or low-alloyed consumables are used preheating is in accordance to IIW: 6 5 15
necessary and dependent on plate thickness and restraint con-
2) For plate thicknesses >80 mm, please contact SSAB
ditions.

Minimum recommended preheat and interpass temperatures for different plate thicknesses (mm)

Thickness 3 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 140 150

Armox 370 T Class 1 3-80 mm
Armox 370 T Class 2 3-150 mm 125°C 150°C 175°C 200°C 100°C + austenitic
50°C
75°C
Armox 440 T 4-30 mm 100°C 125°C 150°C

Armox 500 T 3-140 mm 125°C 150°C 175°C 200°C

Armox 600 T 4-20 mm 100°C + austenitic

100°C + austenitic
Armox Advance 5-7 mm

Measure the preheat

Maximum recommended preheat/interpass temperatures temperature here
Armox 370 T
400°C
Armox 370 T Class 2

Armox 440 T 200°C 75 mm

Measure the temperature of the thickest
plate in the joint. If the plate is 25 mm thick,
Armox 500 T 200°C measure the temperature 2 minutes after
heating. If the plate is 12.5 mm thick, mea-
Armox 600 T 180°C sure the temperature after 1 minute, etc.
Intended
The interpass temperature can be measu-
weld joint
Armox Advance 150°C
red in the weld metal or in the immediately
adjacent parent metal.

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 Welding can be carried out directly on the excellent primer,
due to its low zinc content. The primer can easily be brushed
or ground away in the area around the joint. Removing the
primer prior to welding can be beneficial, as it can minimize
the porosity in the weld and can facilitate welding in positions
other than the horizontal.

The table on the previous page is applicable to single plate

thickness when welding with a heat input of 1.7 kJ / mm. If the
ambient humidity is high or the temperature is below +5 °C,
the lowest recommended preheat temperatures given should be
increased by 25 °C. This also applies to firmly clamped weld
joints and if the heat input is 1.0-1.6 kJ / mm. Preheat tempera-
tures for heat inputs lower than 1.0 kJ /mm can be determined
by an applicable standard for high strength steels. One exam-
ple is method B in European Norm EN 1011-2.
The lowest recommended preheat and interpass temperatures
in the chart on the previous page are not affected at heat inputs
position the welds in low stress areas. Select the consumables
higher than 1.7 kJ / mm.
which produce the lowest possible level of hydrogen in the
weld metal for the given weld process.
CHOICE AND HANDLING OF CONSUMABLES The hydrogen content should be lower than or equal to 5 ml
Consumables should be selected on the basis of strength and of hydrogen per 100 g of weld metal when welding with unal-
toughness requirements in the joint. We recommendend soft loyed or low-alloyed welding consumables. Solid wires used
consumables with a yield strength of up to 500 MPa. in MAG and TIG welding can produce these low hydrogen
contents in the weld metal. The hydrogen content for other
In order to achieve an optimum combination of strength and
types of welding consumables can best be obtained from the
toughness in the welded joint, select a consumable with as low
respective manufacturer.
strength as possible, but which still fulfils the strength require-
ments for the joint. Using low-strength consumables can offer If consumables are stored in accordance with the manufac-
several benefits, such as higher toughness of the weld metal, turer’s recommendations, the hydrogen content will be main-
higher resistance to hydrogen cracking and lower residual tained at the intended level. This applies, above all, to coated
stresses in the joint. Designers should therefore attempt to consumables and fluxes.

Unalloyed or low-alloyed consumables Austenitic consumables

EN 499 xxx H5 EN 1600 E 18 8 Mn
Manufacturer AWS: A 5.18-93 ER70S-6 E7018-1 AWS A/SFA 5.4-92 E 307-15
AWS: A 5.28-79 ER80S-G AWS A5.22 E 307 LT-2

OK 48.08, OK Femax 38.65 OK 67.45

ESAB
OK 55.00 OK 67.52

Filarc 35
ELECTRODES

FILARC Filarc BM 307

Filarc 56 S

Special COMET 307

OERLIKON
Supercord S SAFDRY R 307

Phoenix 120 K
THYSSEN THERMANIT X
SH Grün K52W

OK Autrod 12.51 OK Autrod 16.95

ESAB
OK Tubrod 15.00 OK Tubrod 14.36

Filarc PZ 6000 Filarc PZ 6070

FILARC
Filarc PZ 6130 Filarc PZ 6470
WIRES

FLUXOFIL 40 NERTALIC 51
OERLIKON
Carbofil 100 SAFDUAL 651

TG 50 B
THYSSEN THERMANIT X
Union K52

5
SSAB is a global leader in value added, high strength steel. SSAB offers products

701-UK-Armox: WORKSHOP RECOMENDATIONS-V2-2011. Halledo. Österbergs & Sörmlandstryck.

developed in close cooperation with its customers to create a stronger, lighter
and more sustainable world.

SSAB has employees in over 45 countries and operates production facilities

in Sweden and the US. SSAB is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic Exchange,
Stockholm. www.ssab.com.