SMAW

Welding
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 Flux Electrode
Gas
Electrode
Slag shield
metal

Penetration
Base metal Bead Molten
puddle

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• electric energy provided
by a power source

• arc temperature (> 5000

C) melts
• base metal
• wire core and
• coating on the electrode
• gaseous shield from
burning of ingredients in the flux

• slag forms on top of the

weld puddle as weld cools 5
 Principles of SMAW

• welding machine supplies electric

current to electrode wire
• electric current travels through
ionised gas between the end of
electrode wire and base metal
• As the electric current flows through this
ionised gas
• Forms an electric arc
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• electric arc produces heat
• that heats the base metal to its melting
temperature
• flux covering on the electrode wire melts
• a shielding gas created
• protects base metal,
• arc,
• Electrode
• weld
• from the atmosphere
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• flux cools- solidifies - forms
a protective slag
• over the weld bead
• electrode wire melts -
becomes filler metal to the
weld

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 Factors to be considered

1.Heat
2.Electrode
3.Electrode angle
4.Arc length
5.Speed of travel
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 Heat
Q= I x V
S
 amount of heat produced proportional to amperage
 Amperage limited by the diameter of the electrode
 How much heat required?

 Thickness of the  Excessive heat  Insufficient heat

metal  Electrode easier to
 Electrode  Hard to start
start
diameter  Excessive penetration  Reduced
 Type of joint (burn through) penetration
 Electrode type  Excessive bead width  Narrow bead
 Weld position  Excessive spatter  Coarse
 Electrode overheating ripples

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 Electrodes
Wire and flux coating

 consumable electrode
 different metals
Carbon steels
Low alloy steels
Corrosion resisting steels
Cast irons
Aluminum and alloys
Copper and alloys
Nickel and alloys
Hard surfacing 11
 Rimmed core wire for steel

 Outer portion soft- easy

to draw wire
 Interior- oxygen, CO, C
 Wire drawing it persists

 Killed- Si , Al
 Oxygen is fixed as oxides

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 Electrode Flux
 Flux purpose:
 clean the surfaces of the joint chemically
 prevent atmospheric oxidation of rod
 reduce impurities by floating as slag

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 Flux ingredients

1.Ingredients to form gas to protect

from atmosphere
2.Fluxing agents
3.Arc initiators and stabilizers
4.Deoxidizers
5.Fillers and metallic additions
6.Binders and flux strength
improvers 14
 Electrode Size

Thicker base metal- larger dia

(electrode dia not more than
thickness of BM)

out of position welding smaller

diameter
root passes in V-joints, smaller
larger diameter for the filler passes


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 Electrode Storage

 kept in original container until

used
stored in a heated cabinet that
maintains them at a constant
temperature
storage of low hydrogen
electrodes very critical

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 American Welding Society (AWS)
Classification System

distinguishes
tensile
strength
weld position
coating and
current
polarity
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 Welding Currents
 Not all electrodes are designed to work with all power
sources

Common SMAW power sources

Alternating Current (AC)
Direct Current straight
polarity (DCSP) or (DCEN)
Direct Current Reverse
polarity (DCRP) or (DCEP)
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 Arc Length

 distance between tip of electrode to weld puddle

 approximately equal to the diameter of the electrode

 Excessive length
 Excessive spatter
 Reduced penetration
 Poor quality weld

 Insufficient length
 Electrode sticks
 Narrow weld
 Poor quality weld

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 Speed

Too slow
excessive width
excessive penetration
Too fast
narrower width
elongated ripple pattern
shallow penetration

Recommended
width 2-3 times diameter of
electrode,
uniform ripple pattern, full
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penetration.
SMAW Joints

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 Square Groove < 3 mm

 3mm thick with a single pass on one side, with no root

opening.
 Electrode manipulation should only be used to prevent
burn through

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 Square Groove 3-6 mm

 3-6 mm thick
 single pass on one side or single pass on both sides
 root opening to achieve adequate penetration
 Electrode manipulation will reduce penetration

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 > 6 mm
Single V Groove Weld
 > 6 mm thick requires joint preparation
 root face provided

 Depends on diameter of the electrode
 Several passes

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Weld Defects

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 Common SMAW Defects

Under Cutting Porosity

Hot Cracks
Slag Inclusions

 Hot cracks
 Caused by excessive contraction  Undercutting
of the metal as it cools.  improper welding
 Excessive bead size parameters; particularly the
travel speed and arc voltage.
 May also be found at the root of
the weld.  Porosity
 Slag inclusions  Atmospheric contamination
 Long arc or excess gas in the weld
 Incomplete removal of slag on pool.
multipass welds.
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 SMAW Weld Defects-cont.

Incomplete fusion

Microcracks Toe cracks

Underbead cracks

 Toe Cracks
 Excessive heat and rapid cooling.
 Underbead cracks
 Excessive hydrogen in weld pool
 Microcracks
 Caused by stresses as weld cools.
 Incomplete fusion
 Incorrect welding parameters or welding techniques.

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 Arc Welding Safety

1. Recognize that arc welding produces a lot of heat.

2. Use equipment according to manufacturers
recommendations.
3. Insure fire extinguishers are available
4. Provide a first aid kit
5. Use water filled containers to receive hot metal from
cutting operations.
6. Practice good housekeeping
7. Use appropriate PPE

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 Arc Welding Safety-cont.

7. Insure all wiring is correctly installed and

maintained.
8. Remove or shield all combustible materials in work
area.
9. Do not use gloves or clothing which contain
flammable substances
10. Protect others from arc flash.
11. Protect equipment from hot sparks.
12. Use a fume collector.
13. Never work in damp or wet area.
14. Shutoff power source before making repairs or
adjustments, including changing electrode.
15. Don’t overload the welding cables or use cables with
damaged insulation.

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 Low H2 Electrodes

 AWS A4.3 describes methods of measuring

diffusible H2
 Diffusible hydrogen designator is specified
 H16 (not more than 16 mL/100 gm of WM)
 H8 (not more than 8 mL/100 gm of WM)
 H4 (not more than 4 mL/100 gm of WM)
 H2(not more than 2 mL/100 gm of WM)
 Ex: A moisture resistant low hydrogen
electrode E7018-H4R
 Electrodes which can resist moisture pick up for extended time period is
designated as R in electrode classification

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 AWS specifications

 A5.1(Carbon Steel)
 A 5.2 Carbon and Low Alloy Steel Rods for Oxyfuel Gas
Welding
 A 5.3 Aluminum and Aluminum Alloy Electrodes for SMAW
 A 5.4 Stainless Steel Electrodes for SMAW
 A 5.5 ( Low Alloy Steel)
 A 5.7 Copper and Copper Alloy Bare Welding Rods and
Electrodes
 A 5.8 Filler Metal for Brazing and Braze Welding
 A 5.11 Nickel and Nickel Alloy SMAW
 A 5.13 Surfacing Electrodes SMAW
 A 5.15 Welding Electrodes and Rods for Cast Iron

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 Storage

 AWS A5.1(Carbon Steel)

 AWS A 5.5 ( Low Alloy Steel)
 Electrodes AWS A 5.1
 to be baked for 260°C to 430°C for 2
hours, if electrode is exposed for more
than 4 hours
 AWS A 5.5
 to be baked for 370°C to 430°C for 1
hour, if electrode is exposed for more
than 4 hours 32
C-Mn steels <60 ksi steels- E6010
Lower carbon (0.06-0.15%)C
HSLA steels Nb, V, Ti strengthened
 (used for cross country pipe lines)- E6010

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 Pipe line construction

 Pipe line construction- No Low H2 electrodes

 Cellulosic preferred
 Poor penetration ability
 Large volume of viscous slag
(hampers downhill welding technique)
 Greater difficulty in overhead welding

For steels with rel high C

Root pass small
Hot-pass technique (welding continuously to maintain
preheating effect)

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Q&T steel (ASTM A514
A517)
(50-150 ksi) (used for pen stock, earth
moving equipment, pressure vessels, bridges, ships,
mining equipment)

HY-100 E11018H2R

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