STT Technology

STT Technology is an innovative welding

method based
on the transfer of metal by virtue of Surface
Tension Transfer™.

Developed by the Lincoln Electric Company,

the STT process
is based on the advanced concept of using
Waveform Control Technology™.

semiautomatic welding MIG

— high spatter

Main features of STT process are:

• The welding current is set

automatically, depending
on the requirements of the weld arc.
• The time required to effect changes in
the weld puddle
is measured in microseconds.
• The arc parameters are optimized
continuously during the entire process
of forming and transferring each drop of
molten metal from the electrode to the
weld puddle.

semiautomatic welding MIG–STT

— nearly no spatter The STT process ensures that the current is
adjusted automatically
to the instantaneous heat requirements of the
arc.

STT welding cycle follows:

1. At the start of the cycle, when the electrode shorts, the

current is reduced immediately, eliminating the
incipient short. This low–level current
is maintained for a short time so that the surface
tension forces can begin transferring the drop to the
puddle, forming a solid mechanical bridge.
2. A high level of pinch current is then applied to
accelerate the transfer of the drop. The necking down
or squeezing of the shorted electrode is monitored.
When a specific value is reached, the pinch current is
reduced quickly
to a low value before the fuse separates. When a short
breaks, it does so
at a low current, which produces very little spatter.
3. Next, the current returns to a high level to establish arc view of an STT–welded bead
length and form from inside the pipe
the next droplet before reducing to a medium or
 background value.

4. After the droplet starts forming, the current goes down

This instantaneous control over the arc current, the first type that works in accordance with
the physics
of the weld arc, eliminates the highly violent and explosive energy of the usual welding
process, which in turn gets rid of such problems as a rough arc and significant splatter.

Precision control of the transfer of metal in the weld zone,

which takes place
in a gas atmosphere provides for:

• good penetration and fusion,

• superb back bead,
• high production rate,
• minimal spatter,
• significant fume reduction,
• lack of weld deformation and burn–throughs due to the
precise control
of heat input,

• low hydrogen weld metal — crack prevention

semi–automatic pipe welding technology
with STT process

Welding with the STT process permits welding with a fixed,

including zero, root gap with the aid of an external automatic
system.

Despite the fact that the linear weld speed here is less than
with the traditional automatic welding technology, the STT
technology enables the welder to work without
a line–up clamp and internal backup, ceramic
or copper (avoiding copper inclusions), when
working with small diameter pipe.

The advantages of STT welding technology combined with the

high degree
of flexibility of the process made it ideal for use in automatic
welding systems developed by CRC–Evans for externally
welding of the root pass.

Furthermore, the STT process provides for minimum diffusible

hydrogen in the metal and minimal spatter, which automatic pipe welding
considerably broadens the range of steels with
that can be welded and significantly reduces the likelihood of
hydrogen cracking.